In front of a crowd of 11,005 people, the LSU gymnastics team defeated Texas Woman’s with a season-high score of 198.175-194.200.

Sophomore all-arounder Kennedi Edney was the lone Tiger to compete in all four events, while coach D-D Breaux rested all-arounders Myia Hambrick* and Sarah Finnegan during the quick turnaround.

Edney scored a 9.90 on vault and bars, a 9.875 on beam and a 9.95 on floor, with an all-around score of 39.625. She also shared the floor title with junior all-arounder Lexie Priessman.

Edney recalled the first few weeks of the season of carrying extra stress on her back because she thought that she had to carry the entire team on her back.

However, she felt relieved later on when her coaches and teammates told her that she didn’t have to carry that stress anymore.

“It boosted me up,” Edney said. “It really helped me and made me feel calm. Now I’m able to have more fun at meets.”

As the top floor specialist in the nation, Hambrick competed in every other event except for floor. She scored a 9.85 on vault, a 9.95 on bars and a 9.90 on beam.

Just two days earlier at the Mardi Gras Invitational in St. Charles, Missouri, Hambrick had her fourth-straight 9.975 on floor.

Breaux rested both Hambrick and Finnegan against Texas Woman’s was in order for them to be more prepared in the coming weeks.

“It was our objective to use a different lineup,” Breaux said. “We really wanted to rest Myia and [junior all-arounder] Sarah [Finnegan], and I think that it’s going to pay dividends for when we move down the road.”

Finnegan only competed in bars and beam against Texas Woman’s and had scores of 9.95 and 9.90, respectively.

She set a career high in the all-around with a score of 39.775 at the Mardi Gras Invitational and never scored below a 9.90 in any of her events.

“When you’re at home, there’s just a breath of enthusiasm and energy,” Breaux said. “We have the SEC Championship there and the National Championship there, so let’s pace ourselves there and get to that point.”

Priessman anchored the floor rotation for the first time this season and scored a 9.95.

This is the second time this season that Priessman competed on floor. In the win against Kentucky on Feb. 2, Priessman scored a 9.875. She also tied her career high on bars and scored a 9.975.

“It was definitely very special,” Priessman said. “I knew that they put on that spot for a reason, and I had to trust them that I was there to do what I’ve been training every day.”

She even received some words of encouragement and grabbed pinkies from the usual floor anchor Hambrick.

“I wanted her to know that you’re the one that’s pushing me to be better,” Priessman said.

Sophomore all-arounder Ruby Harrold also returned to the floor and scored a 9.90.

Prior to the Texas Woman’s meet, Harrold has competed on floor three times this season. She fell on floor in her last time competing against Alabama and scored a 8.925.

But despite her struggles, Harrold is still thankful for her teammates for giving her their full support.

“It’s just been great today to be back out there and just doing the gymnastics that I know I can do,” Harrold said. “To give something back to [my teammates] and to thank them for helping me get through that, it’s been a great kind of honor.”

“She goes in the gym every week and just really, really works hard,” Breaux said. “Being able to do three events today and helping the team have this type of success and consistency is just a real star on her crown.”

LSU’s next meet is on the road against No. 14 Georgia at 6 p.m.
  *Editor’s Note: Myia Hambrick is a former employee of The Daily Reveille