2024 NCAA Champion and graduate student Haleigh Bryant returned to the vault tonight, helping lead No. 3 LSU to victory against No. 14 Alabama.
After Bryant suffered from a preseason injury to her elbow on vault, she was finally able to return to the event during the second rotation of the night.
However, before fans watched Bryant’s much-awaited return to the event, they sat on the edge of their seats as the first rotation was a close one for the Bayou Bengals, with a difference of 0.100.
In fact, that seemed to be the theme of tonight’s meet, a close, narrowing difference.
Nonetheless, all-around junior Ashley Cowan and sophomore Konnor McClain led the team after each scoring a 9.900 on bars.
All-around freshman Lexi Zeiss started the event for LSU and scored the lowest of the first rotation with a 9.750.
However, the Crimson Tide had a similar start with all-around graduate student Shania Adams also scoring a 9.750 on vault.
Alabama’s senior Jordyn Paradise took the fifth spot for her team with a 9.700, ultimately leading to Alabama’s small deficit as the Tigers brought home the first rotation on bars with a 49.275.
All-around senior KJ Johnson gave a stronger start to the second rotation with a 9.825 on vault.
Her score was matched by all-around senior Aleah Finnegan, but was topped by sophomore Amari Drayton with a 9.900 and freshman Kailin Chio, who led her team with a 9.975.
Finally, Bryant made her return to the vault tonight, earning 9.925, with a deduction on account of her landing.
Alabama’s all-around senior Lily Hudson and sophomore Chloe LaCoursiere led the Tide with 9.900s, giving them 49.275 as LSU earned a 49.450 for the second rotation.
This gave the Tigers the lead for the first half of the meet with a 98.725.
All-around freshman Kaliya Lincoln made her floor debut this season during the third rotation, filling the second spot with a 9.875 following graduate student Sierra Ballard’s 9.775.
While both Chio and Drayton led LSU on the floor with 9.900s, fans were taken by Finnegan’s 9.675.
However, her score was dropped after Bryant’s 9.875 filled the sixth spot of the rotation, awarding the Tigers the lead by the difference between the two scores – a narrowing 0.200, giving LSU the advantage with a 49.325.
This totaled the Tigers to 148.050 and the Crimson Tide at 147.575
Ballard once again started the next event on beam, scoring a 9.550, which gave LSU a slight disadvantage for the final rotation.
Yet, that disadvantage didn’t discourage gymnasts like Chio who led the fourth rotation with a 9.925 and Bryant with a 9.875.
As Finnegan mounted the beam tonight, she brought the Tigers home a 9.875, finishing the fourth rotation on the balance beam with 49.250.
While Alabama had a 49.500 on the floor during the same rotation, LSU’s score came out on top and trumped the Tide with a slim victory by 0.225 as the Tigers brought home another winning score of 197.300.
No. 3 LSU returns home next Friday to take on No. 1 Oklahoma at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
