The LSU Tigers gymnastics team is one step closer to defending their national championship as they captured the regional title over Michigan State, Kentucky, and Arkansas on Saturday night at Penn State.
Starting on bars, LSU had a good showing with a 49.450 team score. Lexi Zeiss led the group with a 9.925, while Haleigh Bryant and Kailin Chio each got a 9.900 to help the Tigers hold a close lead after the first rotation. Michigan State posted the best team score of the night on bars with a 49.575, including a 9.975 from all-around champion Nikki Smith.
Next for the Tigers was the beam, where LSU absolutely shined, posting the best score in a regional in program history for the event, a 49.675. Chio and Aleah Finnegan had the lead scores of 9.950, while Bryant, Kyle Coen, and Konnor McClain each scored 9.925.
In the third rotation, LSU went to one of their specialties, the floor exercise. Sierra Ballard got things going like she normally does with a 9.900, but it was Amari Drayton’s 9.925 and Finnegan’s 9.975 that stole the show for Jay Clark’s squad. The Tigers finished floor with a score of 49.575
On vault, the final event for LSU, the Tigers finished strong with the five scores not dipping below 9.825. Bryant, Drayton, and KJ Johnson each scored 9.900 to carry the Tigers to a Regional Championship and heading to Fort Worth for the national semifinals and finals for the third year in a row. with a score of 198.050
BIG NUMBER: .050
The Tigers may have won the regional, but it was about as close as it could be as Michigan State was just .050 behind at 198.000 for the meet.
ALL-AROUND: Nikki Smith
The Spartans’ star pushed her team to Fort Worth as well with an all-around score of 39.650. She finished with a 9.950 on vault and a 9.975 on bars.