The LSU Tigers Gymnastics team wrapped up their home regular season schedule against the No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs. It was senior night for 10 different Tiger gymnasts, so it was an emotional night in the PMAC for many.
The Tigers started the meet on vault, and what better way to start off a senior night than with a senior going first. After missing the past two weeks with an ankle injury, KJ Johnson got the nod in the leadoff spot. She stuck her landing, but the judges robbed her and gave her a 9.850.
Aleah Finnegan, another senior, went next on vault. She has a 10 start value compared to Johnson's 9.950, and she too stuck her landing, this time receiving a deserving score of 9.950.
After freshman Kaliya Lincoln earned a 9.800, the Tigers final three vaulters went off. Sophomore Amari Drayton got things started with a near-flawless 9.950 before freshman phenom, Kailin Chio, matched her in the five spot.
As always, Haleigh Bryant anchored the event, and in her final vault at the PMAC, she earned a 9.900 to give LSU a 49.600 in the first rotation.
After vault, LSU made their way to the uneven bars where true freshman, Lexi Zeiss, led things off as she's done so often this year. She has been so good recently, setting or matching her career-high in each of the last three meets coming into tonight. She didn't do that tonight, but still earned a 9.900.
After sophomore bar specialist, Ashley Cowan, earned a 9.850, Aleah Finnegan crushed her final bar routine in the PMAC, scoring a 9.900 in the three spot.
Kailin Chio put together a great routine on bars, and nearly fell over on her landing, but was able to keep her balance. One judge gave her a 9.950 and one gave her a 9.800, and since they were .150 or more apart, they had a conference and came to the conclusion that she earned a 9.925.
Konnor McClain, went next for the Tigers, and after drilling her routine and sticking her landing, she was one judge away from LSU's first perfect 10 of the season, earning a 9.975.
Finally, Haleigh Bryant anchored the event, and in her last bar routine in the PMAC, the senior earned a 9.925 to help lead LSU to a 49.625 team score on the event.
For the third event of the night, the Tigers moved to the balance beam. They already had a commanding 99.225-98.475 lead over the Bulldogs, but they still had to make sure they finished strong.
For the last time in the PMAC, Sierra Ballard led things off on the balance beam for the Tigers, earning a 9.850 before Kylie Coen followed that up with a 9.875.
Kailin Chio and Konnor McClain went third and fourth before the Tigers' senior duo of Aleah Finnegan and Haleigh Bryant rounded out the event. The freshman and sophomore put up a couple massive scores of 9.950 and 9.900 to take some weight off the seniors prior to their last beam performance in the PMAC.
Haleigh Bryant was the first of the two seniors to go, and she had a beautiful routine that earned a 9.950, but it was Aleah Finnegan who stole the show.
One of the all-time LSU greats. The one who put the national championship on ice last year on this same event rounded things out on balance beam, and it was only fitting that she earned LSU's first perfect 10 of the season in her final beam set in the PMAC.
Finally, the Tigers ended the night on floor. They came into the final rotation with an overall score of 148.900, meaning that if they scored their season average of 49.475 on floor, they would absolutely obliterate the highest single-meet score of any team this season, which was a 198.125 set by LSU and Florida.
Freshman Kaliya Lincoln was scheduled to lead things off on floor, but with such a commanding lead, Jay Clark decided to get sophomore Kylie Coen some more reps on the event after earning a 9.900 in her floor debut last week. She earned a 9.875 in the leadoff spot.
Sierra Ballard went second on floor for the Tigers. The senior set her career-high on floor last week with a 9.950, and on her final event in the PMAC, Ballard scored a 9.900. Great way to end a fantastic career in the PMAC.
Kailin Chio and Amari Drayton filled the third and fourth spots tonight and earned a 9.975 and 9.950 respectively with a couple of stunning routines, but all focus was on Aleah Finnegan and Haleigh Bryant, who's PMAC careers would come to an end after their floor routine.
This time, it was Finnegan who went first. She put together one of her best floor routines of the whole season which would've netted her a 9.975, but she stepped out of bounds on her second pass and received a 9.875.
Finally, the best gymnast to wear the purple and gold, Haleigh Bryant, anchored the event. She certainly put together her best floor routine of the season, and one judge thought it was worthy of a 10 (and so did everyone else in the arena), but the other judge gave her a 9.950. In her final event in the PMAC, Bryant earned a 9.975. A near-perfect way to send her off.
The Tigers absolutely dominated the Bulldogs on senior night, winning by a score of 198.575-197.175. The Tigers' 198.575 is now the highest single-meet score of any team in the country this season by a pretty large margin and a new program record.
My one observation from tonight: This team is going to be incredibly hard to beat in the postseason.
