Friday was a night to remember in LSU gymnastics history, as No. 2 LSU defeated No. 16 Minnesota, 198.375-195.450. The score was the best in LSU gymnastics history.
LSU shattered its attendance record for the second consecutive meet with 13,179 fans inside the PMAC on senior night. LSU honored seniors Scarlett Williams, Britney Ranzy, Jessie Jordan, Lloimincia Hall and Rheagan Courville before their last time performing in front of the PMAC crowd.
“People are starting to realize that we mean business,” Courville said. “We feed off of it. It is amazing to have everyone realizing how much hard work we put in. We started from the bottom, now we’re here.”
LSU began the competition on vault, where it scored a program-high 49.825 with perfect 10s from Courville and Jordan. It was the second time in history two Tigers scored perfectly on the same event.
“It was pretty exciting,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux. “To start out strong is something that we need to learn to do as a team. We have been building toward that. They finally got the message to stretch your landings and be soft. It was great.”
Sophomore all-arounder Ashleigh Gnat nearly joined the pair, scoring a 9.975. Ranzy and freshman Myia Hambrick went on to score 9.925s, and Hall provided a 9.875.
The Tigers moved onto bars and beam, where the team posted a scores of 49.375 and 49.475, respectively.
Then LSU moved to floor, and the PMAC crowd erupted. Five Tiger gymnasts chalked in new career-high scores on the event.
Junior all-arounder Jessica Savona led off at 9.875. She was trailed on the event by sophomore Sydney Ewing at 9.925, Hambrick with a 9.875, Jordan at 9.925 and Gnat at 9.975.
Hall began the meet in tears with the senior night ceremony and ended the meet in tears after her final home floor performance. Hall completed her Louisiana-themed floor routine with a perfect 10. It was the sixth time in her career she received a perfect score on the event.
“That was pretty rowdy wasn’t it?” Breaux said. “We never know what she is going to do. It is never the same routine. She hit it out of the park tonight. [Hall] was the icing on the cake.”
The Tigers had three gymnasts place in the all-around. Gnat won the title with a career-high 39.725. She was followed by Jordan, who also scored a personal best in the all-around at 39.675. Hambrick joined the duo with a career high, 39.575.
Hambrick tied or scored new career-highs on every event tonight with a 9.925 on vault, a 9.875 on bars, a 9.900 on beam and a 9.875 on floor.
“It was kind of easy, I guess,” Hambrick said. “Throughout training, they have been pushing me. It was awesome that I could share this with the seniors in their last home meet in the PMAC.”
The Tiger gymnasts concluded the meet in praise for their senior teammates, bowing toward them in the center of the floor mat.
“Our seniors this year are absolutely incredible,” Gnat said. “They are such great leaders every day in and out of the gym. We have such great appreciation for this team. We have set the standard for this team. They have made this team what it is.”
