It was Senior Night in the PMAC and the No. 4 LSU gymnastics team did not disappoint.
The Tigers (10-4, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) closed out their home schedule with the second-highest score in team history, defeating Ohio State 197.525-195.600.
LSU took the lead in the first rotation, thanks to a pair of 9.95s on vault by Nicki Butler and Annie Gagnon. Gagnon then won the bars competition with another 9.95.
LSU also continued to get solid contributions from its three freshmen gymnasts. Butler added a third-place finish on the bars to go along with her strong vault, and Kelly Phelan scored a 9.925 on floor. Lisa Rennie had one of the best performances of her young career with a 9.9 on bars, a 9.925 on beam and a 9.9 floor routine.
“I was very pleased with those three 9.9s,” Rennie said. “That’s something that I’ve yet to do, so that was exciting that I went and hit three routines for the team.”
Individually, an LSU gymnast won every event, and the Tigers took the top three spots in all four competitions.
The Tigers capped off the meet with a school record 49.675 on the floor exercise. Sophomore Brittany Brown had a career high 9.950 on the event, and April Burkholder added a 9.975.
LSU coach D-D Breaux said she was pleased with the Tigers’ performance on the floor.
“We did a lot of work on the floor this week,” Breaux said. “I can’t accent enough how hard these kids have trained. I think now they’re beginning to reap the benefits of their labor.”
Burkholder’s floor routine earned a 10 from one of the judges, but the other judge disagreed and awarded the sophomore a 9.5.
“She had a large lunge in her first tumbling pass, and the judge excused it because of the value of the skill,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux of Burkholder’s routine. “The other judge took it because she knows that at SEC they’re going to take that deduction.”
Burkholder’s performance was good enough to clinch her seventh consecutive all-around title. However, the No. 3 all-around gymnast in the nation said she still has room to improve.
“I’m definitely happy with the all-around titles, but I still think I can improve,” Burkholder said. “Basically, the little things — the little mistakes I’m making — those are what’s going to count in the end.”
The meet marked the fifth-straight score of 197 or better for the Tigers. Breaux said this year’s team has a chance to be the best in school history.
“I think it is the best team we’ve ever had right now,” Breaux said. “We’ve had some teams that have gone to nationals and did a great job. This team could go to nationals and do a great job and truly be the best team we’ve ever had by finishing the highest.”