No. 2 LSU Gymnastics falls at No. 8 Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 2 LSU Gymnastics team (2-1-1) fell on the road against No. 8 Georgia (2-0) by a score of 197.200-196.850 on Friday night inside Stegeman Coliseum. It was Georgia’s first win over LSU since 2016.

Sophomore Lexi Zeiss led off the night on bars with a solid 9.900 to get things rolling. Senior Ashley Cowan followed up in the second spot, scoring a 9.850 ahead of a 9.825 from junior Madison Ulrich in the third spot. Sophomore Kailin Chio scored a 9.300 following a fall before graduate senior Courtney Blackson bounced back with a 9.850 in the fifth slot. Junior Konnor McClain anchored the rotation with a season-high 9.950 to close out the lineup and bring LSU’s team total to a 49.375 on bars.

Following the opening rotation, LSU’s 49.375 placed the Tigers just ahead of Georgia, who posted a 49.250 on vault.

LSU moved to vault for the second rotation, where Zeiss once again led off and delivered in the first spot with her 9.850. Ulrich followed with a 9.800 in the second spot, before sophomore Victoria Roberts made her first appearance of the night on vault and scored a 9.650. Fifth-year senior Kathryn Weilbacher made her season debut and posted a 9.525 in the fourth spot, before junior Amari Drayton executed a 9.850 in the fifth spot. Chio anchored the rotation with a powerful vault that scored a team-high 9.925 to close out the lineup and bring LSU’s score on vault to a 49.075

At the halfway point, LSU’s 98.450 trailed Georgia’s 98.525.

The Tigers headed to the floor for the third rotation. Senior Emily Innes led things off with a 9.800. Ulrich followed in the second spot and matched her score with a 9.800 of her own. McClain made her first appearance on floor this season in the third spot and scored a 8.975 after encountering trouble on her tumbling passes. Chio competed in the fourth spot and posted a 9.850 before Drayton followed with a 9.575 in the fifth spot. Sophomore Kaliya Lincoln anchored the rotation with a huge routine, earning a career-high 9.925. The Tigers concluded the floor rotation with a 48.950.

LSU entered the fourth and final rotation trailing Georgia, 147.725-147.400.

The Tigers closed out the night on beam, where junior Kylie Coen got the beam team started with a steady 9.850. Zeiss finished a strong showing on the day with a 9.875 in only her second beam appearance ever before Drayton made her second career appearance on beam and delivered a career-best 9.925. Chio continued to carry that momentum in the fourth spot, scoring a 9.950 to match her career high. Ulrich added a 9.850 in the fifth spot before McClain added a 9.800 as the anchor to close out the night and give the Tigers a 49.450 on the beam, their best event score of the night.

LSU finished the meet with a 196.850, falling to Georgia’s 197.200. The team took home four individual event titles on the night. Chio put together a standout performance, outright winning the vault and beam titles. McClain also finished the meet tied for first on bars with her 9.950. Ulrich’s 39.275 on the night earned her the first all-around title of her LSU career.

No. 2 LSU is back in action next Friday as they host Kentucky for their home opener in the PMAC on Friday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.