Gymnastics fans in Athens, Ga. were treated to the best performances of the year by LSU and Georgia Friday.
No. 13 LSU posted a season-high score of 197.300, but it was not enough to earn the win, as No. 3 Georgia scored a national season record 198.05 to earn the victory.
No. 2 UCLA had held the season record with a score of 197.975.
Georgia was led by gymnasts Brittany Smith and Chelsea Byrd, who each scored a perfect 10.00 on the floor and vault. The Bulldogs had season-high scores on the vault and bars and individually won or tied for first on each event.
“We gave the fans their money’s worth tonight,” said Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan.
LSU coach D-D Breaux said she was pleased with the way the Tigers performed, despite the loss.
“Everybody had a great meet,” Breaux said. “To put up a 197, everybody has to be good and tonight they were. They competed against a Georgia team that nobody in the country could have beat tonight.”
LSU’s score of 197.300 was the third best in team history. The Tigers scored a 197.675 against Centenary and Rhode Island March 14, 2002 and a 197.500 against Kentucky March 1, 2002.
“It was our best score of the season, but I think that is what we are capable of achieving,” Breaux said. “It was the second week in a row we had our best score on the road.”
The Tigers were led by sophomore gymnast April Burkholder, who won her fourth straight All-Around with a score of 39.625. As the Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Week, Burkholder finished in the top three in 3-of-4 events to capture the All-Around crown.
Junior Annie Gagnon and freshman Lisa Rennie also had strong performances for LSU. Gagnon’s season-high score of 9.975 on bars tied Georgia’s Cory Fritzinger for first-place honors, while Rennie finished third on both the bars and the balance beam.
“The kids worked really hard all week,” Breaux said. “We did everything right preparing for this meet.”