LSU Gymnastics made their presence known against the No. 7-ranked Florida Gators, coming out victorious in a down-to-the-wire competition by a final score of 197.550 – 197.450.
This match allowed the purple and gold faithful, which consisted of the third-largest crowd in the history of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, to receive a slight taste of just what they can expect to see over the course of this season.
Superstar gymnast Haleigh Bryant, who has been battling a strained ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) since striking the vault during LSU’s exhibition on December 16, returned to the mats and provided the much-needed production to propel the Tigers to an impressive, hard-fought win.
Bryant was placed as the anchor leg during the floor routines and continues to show why she is one of the best gymnasts in the nation.
Scoring a nearly-perfect 9.90, the senior closed the door on the Gators’ hope of completing a potential upset. Additionally, Bryant competed on the balance beam and secured a team-best 9.950.
These were the only two events that Bryant competed in due to taking precautions concerning her health and recovery process.
Freshman standout Kailin Chio has started to turn heads with her performances for this injury-invested roster. With her name being called to compete in all four events, Choi anchored for LSU during the vault and scored a 9.925.
According to Head Coach Jay Clark, Chio has actually spent days recovering from an illness and was unsure whether she would be healthy enough to compete.
After representing the LSU Tigers in the 2024 Paris Olympics with Team Philippines, senior gymnast Aleah Finnegan has become a staple in the hearts of many fans. She is considered to be one of the top floor performers in the country, which can be supported by having received a match-best 9.950 during her floor routine against the Gators.
Fifth-year senior Olivia Dunne, who also goes by the online alias “Livvy,” only participated in the floor event. Her lack of participation can be attributed to knee issues.
Dunne finished with a score of 9.875.
Taking a closer look into the notable performances by the Gators’ gymnasts, senior Sloane Blakely thrived under pressure during her floor routine and secured a score of 9.950.
Similar to Bryant, she finished her balance beam performance on a high note and scored a nearly flawless 9.950.
Beating the Gators by the small margin of a tenth of a point, the Tigers walked away with an impressive ranked win despite facing many injuries and a drastic shifting of the events’ rosters.
The student section, which has since returned from winter break, witnessed firsthand the masterpiece displayed by the reigning NCAA Women’s Gymnastics National Champions.
It should be noted that once the Tigers’ win was confirmed, the “Gator Chomp” spread rapidly across the PMAC.
No. 2 LSU Gymnastics will travel to Fayetteville to face off against No. 17 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks and have their sights on building momentum in light of the ongoing three-game winning streak.
