by www.LSUsports.net, LSU Sports Interactive
BATON ROUGE -- A near season-best performance wasn’t enough for the 13th-ranked LSU gymnastics team to knock off No. 2 Georgia Friday night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center as the Tigers fell to the Gym Dogs, 197.425-196.450, in front of 3,764 fans, the 10th largest crowd in program history.
“We got beat by an excellent Georgia team tonight,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “It was absolutely a solid performance on our end and I can see that we are getting better in small increments. This team is a work in progress. We keep preaching to them to stay in the process because they will get better and I think we saw that tonight.”
Georgia swept the meet’s top-two all-around spots as junior Katie Heenan and sophomore Tiffany Tolnay posted scores of 39.550 and 39.475, respectively. Senior Kelly Phelan led the way for the Tigers, placing third with a season-high 39.350 effort.
Junior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney picked up two more event titles for the season, claiming top honors on the vault and floor. The Manchester, Conn., native won her fourth vaulting title in five meets, notching a 9.925. She then added a season-high 9.950 effort on the floor to share the event crown with UGA’s Courtney McCool.
LSU opened the night on the vault posting a 49.200. Clare-Kearney led the way with her meet-winning 9.925. Phelan and Butler followed with identical scores of 9.875.
In the second rotation, the Tigers notched a season-high 49.075 on the bars. Senior Nicki Butler and freshman Summer Hubbard lead LSU’s scoring effort as each recorded a 9.850. Phelan added a 9.825 and freshman Susan Jackson rounded out the Tigers’ top scorers with a 9.800.
After two rotations LSU found itself down, 98.575- 98.275, as Georgia had turned in scores of 49.250 on the vault and 49.325 on the bars.
Moving to beam in the third rotation, the Tigers added a solid 48.750 to their team total, while the Gym Dogs extended their lead with a 49.425 performance on the floor.
Kearney again led all Tiger performers on the event with a 9.800. Freshman Sabrina Franceschelli and senior Lisa Rennie were just off Franceschelli’s pace adding a pair of 9.750s.
The Tigers wrapped up the evening with a sensational effort on the floor. Not having to count a score below 9.825, LSU tallied a season-high 49.425. Georgia countered with an identical mark on the beam to secure the team victory.
Individually, LSU’s effort was the highlighted by Clare-Kearney’s meet-winning 9.950. Phelan and sophomore Lauren Klein were nearly as good, recording scores of 9.925 and 9.900, respectively.
Up next, LSU hits the road, traveling to Lexington, Ky., for a dual meet with No. 24 Kentucky on Friday, Feb. 9. The meet will begin at 6 p.m. from UK’s Memorial Coliseum.
TEAM RESULTS
1. Georgia 197.425 (VT - 49.250; UB - 49.325; BB - 49.425; FX - 49.425)
2. LSU 196.450 (VT - 49.200; UB - 49.075; BB - 48.750; FX - 49.425)
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Winner plus all LSU competitors)
All-Around 1. Katie Heenan (UGA) 39.550; 3. Kelly Phelan 39.350; 4. Nicki Butler 39.275; 5. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 38.875
Vault 1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.925; t3. Nicki Butler 9.875; t3. Kelly Phelan 9.875; t8. Kayla Rogers 9.800; t10. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.725; 12. Emily Ellis 9.700
Bars 1. Grace Taylor (UGA) 9.900; t3. Nicki Butler 9.850; t3. Summer Hubbard 9.850; 8. Kelly Phelan 9.825; t9. Susan Jackson 9.800; 11. Kristi Esposito 9.750; 12. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.200
Beam t1. Megan Dowlen (UGA) 9.900; t1. Courtney Kupets (UGA) - 9.900; t1. Grace Taylor (UGA) 9.900; 7. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.800; t8. Sabrina Franceschelli 9.750; t8. Lisa Rennie 9.750; t10. Kelly Phelan 9.725; t10. Nicki Butler 9.725; 12. Kristi Esposito 9.275
Floor 1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.950; t3. Kelly Phelan 9.925; t5. Lauren Klein 9.900; t8. Nicki Butler 9.825; t8. Kristi Esposito 9.825; 12. Emily Ellis 9.750
