The No. 2 LSU Gymnastics team (9-2, 5-1 SEC) took down No. 35 George Washington (16-4, 3-0 EAGL) by a score of 198.125-195.475 on Friday night inside the Raising Cane’s River Center.
The Tigers’ score on the night was a season-high and marked the highest score by any team in the country this season, matching Florida’s 198.125 against Georgia. No. 2 LSU also posted season-bests on bars with their 49.675, the second highest national score on the event in the 2025 season, and a season-high 49.575 on beam.
LSU swept all five event titles on the night; Senior Haleigh Bryant claimed vault with a 9.950, bars was shared by sophomore Konnor McClain and freshman Kailin Chio with their 9.950’s, while beam was also claimed by Chio’s 9.950. Senior Sierra Ballard won the floor title with a 9.95 and Bryant claimed the all-around title with a 39.725.
“We accomplished a lot tonight. It was fantastic,” said head coach Jay Clark. “I couldn’t have asked for more from the kids that went in tonight. It was by far our most complete performance of the year.”
The Tigers opened the Podium Challenge on vault, where freshman Lexi Zeiss led off with a 9.825. Senior Aleah Finnegan posted a 9.825 of her own in the second spot ahead of sophomore Amari Drayton’s 9.85 in spot three. Freshman Kailin Chio scored a 9.875 in the fourth spot before senior Haleigh Bryant matched her season-high with a 9.95. Sophomore Leah Miller rounded out the rotation with a 9.775 in her vault debut, bringing LSU’s opening rotation score to a 49.325.
LSU led at the end of the first rotation by a score of 49.325-48.725.
The second rotation took LSU to the bars, where the team hit a season-high to increase their lead. Zeiss scored a career-high 9.925 in the lead off ahead of junior Ashley Cowan matching her score with a 9.925 of her own in the second spot. Senior Aleah Finnegan scored a 9.85 in spot three before Chio posted a 9.95 in the fourth spot to keep it rolling. Sophomore Konnor McClain matched Chio with a season-high 9.95 of her own in spot five Bryant anchored with a strong 9.925 to bring LSU’s total in the rotation to a 49.675.
At the halfway point, the Tigers led 99.000-97.450.
Rotation three took LSU to the beam. Ballard led off the event with a 9.85, followed by a 9.80 from sophomore Kylie Coen in the second spot. Spot three saw Chio match her career-high with a 9.95 ahead of a stellar 9.925 from McClain in the fourth spot. Bryant kept her strong night rolling with a 9.925 in the fifth spot before Finnegan anchored with a 9.925 of her own. The five counting scores came out to a 49.575 team score for the rotation, LSU’s season-high on the event.
Heading into the final rotation of the night, LSU held a commanding 148.575-146.525 lead over George Washington.
The final rotation of the night took the Tigers to the floor, where Ballard led off with a career-high 9.950 routine to get things rolling. Spot two saw Chio score a 9.90 while Drayton posted a 9.875 in the third spot. The fourth spot saw Coen make her collegiate debut on the floor event, where she did not disappoint with a strong 9.90. Bryant rounded out her night with a 9.925 in spot five before Miller anchored the night with a 9.875 in her first floor routine as an LSU Tiger. LSU wrapped up the final rotation of the night with a 49.550.
LSU finished the night with a 198.125, a season best performance for the team so far this season and the team’s third score over a 198.000 this year. The score was also LSU’s third highest road score away from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center during the regular season.
Individually, Bryant’s all around title is the first of the season for the senior, and the 31st of her collegiate career, extending her lead as the LSU Gymnast with the most career all-around titles.
Chio’s two titles tonight move her team-high total to 16 titles this season, while Bryant and McClain move up to five and four respectively. Ballard’s floor victory marks her second this title season and the first on floor in her career.
The Tigers return to the PMAC for the final time in the 2025 season when they take on No. 8 Georgia at 7:30 p.m. CT on Friday, March 7th. The meet will be streamed on the SEC Network+.
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