Alabama
LSU
No. 9 Alabama Edged Out by No. 8 LSU, 197.975-197.925, Friday Night in Coleman Coliseum
2/24/2023 10:36:00 PM | Gymnastics
Luisa Blanco and Lilly Hudson both scored perfect 10.0s on the balance beam in the contest
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 9 Alabama was edged out by No. 8 LSU, 197.975-197.925, Friday Night in Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide earned the second-highest score in program history on balance beam and its highest since April 6, 2022, with a rotation total of 49.700.
Alabama's 49.700 on balance beam was capped by back-to-back scores of 10.0 on the balance beam, with Lilly Hudson and Luisa Blanco both earning a perfect score. Hudson's 10.0 was the first of her career, with Blanco's her third and second this season. It is the first time in program history that Alabama has recorded two scores of 10.0 on the same event in a single meet.
The Crimson Tide earned three event titles in the contest, with Blanco and Hudson tying for the beam title and Makarri Doggette earning the uneven bars title with a 9.950. Blanco has now earned 14 individual titles this season.
The Tide opened up the meet with a 49.325 to take an early lead over the Tigers, led by a season-best 9.925 from freshman Gabby Gladieux. The Tide earned another rotation total of 49.325 on the uneven bars, trailing the Tigers 98.850-98.650 at the halfway point. UA's 49.700 on the balance beam cut the Tiger lead to just .075 heading into the floor exercise, 148.425-148.350, and Alabama closed out its night with a 49.575 on floor exercise to finish just .05 behind the Tigers.
Head Coach Ashley Johnston said
"Meets like this are fantastic for us as we prepare for postseason. LSU is an incredible team. We have a really great team and have continued to build momentum and build on our scoring potential. It was exciting, especially in those last two rotations, to see the team rise up and fight and rally and just give it their best shot. That's what it's going to feel like during championship season, so I'm really proud of them for how they stepped up and just continued to fight the entire night."
Inside the Scoresheet
- Alabama's total of 197.925 is its third score of 197.850-or-higher this season and its fifth consecutive score over 197
- The Crimson Tide won the uneven bars (49.325) and balance beam (49.700) in the meet, while tying the Tigers on floor exercise with matching scores of 49.575
- Makarri Doggette earned her third event title of the season on the uneven bars (9.950), with Hudson and Blanco tying for the balance beam title
- Blanco now has 14 individual titles for the 2023 season, with tonight's win her fourth of the season on the balance beam
- The Tide's 49.700 balance beam rotation featured four scores of 9.9-or-higher, with Ella Burgess leading off with a 9.925, Rachel Rybicki scoring a season-best 9.900, and Luisa Blanco and Lilly Hudson closing it out with back-to-back 10.0s
- Burgess' score of 9.925 marked her fourth score in a row of 9.9-or-higher on beam
- Rybicki earned a perfect 10.0 from one judge on her routine
- Alabama has now scored four 10.0s this season, with Blanco and Hudson's perfect scores tonight added to Blanco's 10.0 on balance beam against Auburn on Feb. 3 and Makarri Doggette's 10.0 on the uneven bars on Jan. 27
- Mati Waligora earned three scores of 9.875-or-higher, with a season-best 9.900 on the uneven bars, a 9.875 on the balance beam and a 9.900 on floor exercise
- With Alabama's 49.575 on floor exercise tonight, UA has now scored a 49.475-or-higher on floor exercise four meets in a row
- Gabby Gladieux scored a 9.925, marking her sixth consecutive score of 9.9-or-better on the event
- Hudson and Blanco closed out the rotation with scores of 9.950 and 9.975, respectively
- The Crimson Tide posted 13 scores of 9.900-or-higher in the meet, with Shallon Olsen (9.900) and Gladieux (9.925) on the vault, Waligora (9.900), Cam Machado (9.925) and Doggette (9.950) on the uneven bars, Rybicki (9.900), Burgess (9.925), Hudson (10.000) and Blanco (10.000) on the balance beam, and Waligora (9.900), Gladieux (9.925), Hudson (9.950) and Blanco (9.975) on the floor exercise
Up Next
- Alabama heads back out on the road to Columbia, Mo., to compete against the Missouri Tigers on Friday, Mar. 3 at 6 p.m. CT
- The meet will be broadcast live on SEC Network+
- Following the meet against Missouri, the Tide will return home to compete in the final home meet of the season against Boise State in Coleman Coliseum on Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m. CT. The meet will be Alabama's senior night
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