Gymnastics Sets Career, Season Highs in Wins

By Tiger Rag News Services

BATON ROUGE – With a new look lineup and in competition for the second time this weekend, the second-ranked LSU gymnastics team posted a team score of 197.975 for the highest of the season in victories over No. 20 George Washington and No. 22 Iowa Sunday afternoon at the Maravich Center.

The Tigers earned the fifth-highest team score in front of more than 9,000 fans. The team extended its undefeated streak in the PMAC and they now own a 26-0 record since 2014. It also marked the 16th-straight meet with a team score of 197 or better.

LSU moved to 10-1 on the season overall with the victories. In the meet, 10 gymnasts tied or set new career highs. Freshman Kennedi Edney captured the vault title with a 9.95. Lexie Priessman won her fourth career bars tittle with a 9.95. Sarah Finnegan earned a 9.95 on beam and McKenna closed out the afternoon with a 9.975 on floor.

D-D on the Win on the Road
“I thought both our mental and physical preparation was excellent going into the second meet of the weekend,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “We had some high powered, strong legs out of this lineup. We put in some people that really needed experience. We talk about our depth all the time but we have to be willing to develop and exercise it.”

“Competing in meets like Friday with four teams and today with three teams really prepares us for regionals and nationals. There is a lot of stuff going on and I think our kids have handled it really well.”

Tigers Erupt on Vault to get Things Started
From the very start, LSU showed off its power and stuck dismounts. Harrold earned a career-high score of 9.925 in the second spot and was followed by Sydney Ewing who earned a 9.925 in the third spot. The vault team closed out with a 9.875 from Priessman, 9.95 from Edney to tie her career high and 9.90 from senior Ashleigh Gnat. Overall, the squad earned a 49.575 on the event.

Bars Sets Season High in Second Rotation
Priessman and junior Myia Hambrick tied and set new career highs of 9.925 and 9.95 respectively on bars to pace the Tigers. The 49.500 event score was a new season best for the squad. Edney finished with a 9.90 and the team also counted scores of 9.875 from Shae Zamardi in the leadoff and 9.85 from Finnegan in the fifth spot.

Bottom Half of Beam Lineup Holds Steady
After the first two performers struggled on beam, the final half of the order held steady and posted three scores of 9.90 or better. Finnegan earned the title on beam with a 9.95 to tie her career high. Lauren Li posted a new career high of 9.925 in her second career performance. Gnat closed out the rotation with a 9.90 for the Tigers

Floor Ties Season High to Push LSU to 197.975
Even with four gymnasts in the different spot of the lineup than they are used to, the Tigers responded to tie their season high on the event and end with a 49.550. Ewing led off the final rotation with a 9.925 and Zamardi followed with a 9.90. Edney tied her career high with a 9.925 in the fourth spot. Kelley closed out the night with her first career title and a new career high, a 9.975.

Next Up
LSU closes out its stretch of three meets in eight days on the road at 7:30 p.m. CT Friday, February 24. The squad will take on Auburn inside Auburn arena. The meet will be televised live on the SEC Network.

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