The No. 4 LSU gymnastics team stayed in its “purple zone” Friday night.
In front the first sellout in program history, the Tigers posted their best score of the season as No. 3 Alabama suffered four falls under immense pressure from 13,296 fans, defeating the Crimson Tide, 197.925-196.225.
“In my world it’s not that long ago that we were standing in front of grocery stories giving out free tickets“ said LSU coach D-D Breaux. “We packed the house tonight. People came and they stayed. We sang the alma mater at the end with 13,000 people, and that is a wonderful feeling.”
LSU got out to a hot start while Alabama faltered during the first two rotations – vault and bars – the Tigers held an eight-tenth lead, 98.850-98.050.
Junior all-arounder Ashleigh Gnat, the top vaulter in the nation, spearheaded LSU’s efforts in the first rotation with a 9.95 as the lineup anchor. Junior all-arounder Sydney Ewing added a 9.90, and the Tigers garnered a 49.375 on the event.
The Tigers stretched their lead to eight tenths at the midway point with a season-high 49.475 on bars. Both seniors in the bars lineup tied their career highs, Randii Wyrick with a 9.925 and Jessica Savona with a 9.90, while freshman all-arounder Sarah Finnegan tied Wyrick for the highest score.
Meanwhile, Alabama tallied a 48.825 on bars after counting a 9.575, and no Crimson Tide gymnast scored higher than 9.875 on vault as it posted a 49.225 team score.
Without Alabama matching their scores and pushing LSU to keep putting up its high scores, the Tigers still managed to continue the onslaught in the last two rotations.
“Our motto is about staying in our purple zone,” Gnat said. “Our team mission is to get out there and do our best … We weren’t focused on other scores, we were focused on ourselves. That’s how we get the best result.”
Executing each skill to near perfection, sophomore all-arounder Erin Macadaeg scored the first of four scores of 9.90 or better on beam with a 9.925 in the leadoff spot. Sophomore all-arounder Myia Hambrick, Ewing and Finnegan each scored a 9.90 as the Tigers posted a 49.450 on the event.
While two Alabama gymnasts fell off the beam, Savona and Wyrick led LSU’s effort on floor. Both seniors tied their career highs in their last performances in the PMAC with a 9.950 and 9.90, respectively.
In the anchor spot, Gnat performed each tumbling pass to perfection, and not to be outdone by Wyrick – who dabs in her routine – Gnat consummated her performance with a dab of her own.
“Randii is really the dab master,” Gnat joked. “I have learned a lot from her, and she has encouraged me and pushed me in the best way possible to include the dab before the end of my floor routine.”
You can reach Jacob Hamilton on Twitter @jac0b_hamilt0n

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Greta Jines

LSU all-around junior Ashleigh Gnat performs on the beam Friday, March 4, 2016, during the Tigers' 197.925-196.225 victory against Alabama in the PMAC.