LSU Athletics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 2 LSU Gymnastics team (10-3-1, 4-3 SEC) tied their best score on the season in Gainesville on Sunday night, but ultimately fell to No. 4 Florida (11-2, 3-2 SEC) by a final score of 198.450-198.325 inside the Exactech Arena.
Despite the loss, the No. 2 Tigers put up their best performance away from the PMAC this season, highlighted by a season-best 49.700 vault rotation. The score was the second-highest vault score in program history.
Individually, the Tigers claimed three event titles on the night. Junior Amari Drayton and sophomores Kailin Chio and Kaliya Lincoln split the vault title with matching 9.975 scores, while junior Konnor McClain earned a share of the bars title with a 9.975. Lincoln also claimed a share of the floor title with a 9.975 to round out a standout performance on the night.
LSU began the meet on bars with a 9.700 from sophomore Lexi Zeiss in the leadoff spot. A fall in the second spot resulted in a 9.300 for senior Ashley Cowan before junior Madison Ulrich regained the momentum with a 9.900 in the third spot. Chio and graduate student Courtney Blackson followed with back-to-back 9.900’s in spots four and five, respectively. McClain anchored the rotation with a tremendous 9.975 to bring the Tigers’ rotation total to a 49.375.
The Tigers and the Gators were tied after the first rotation, 49.375-49.375.
LSU moved to vault for the second rotation, where Zeiss led off with a 9.825. McClain scored a 9.925 in the second spot ahead of a 9.850 from sophomore Victoria Roberts in the third spot. The last three spots saw three straight 9.975’s from the Tigers. Lincoln notched a career-high 9.975 in the fourth spot before Drayton tied her career-high with another 9.975. Chio closed out the rotation with the final near-perfect 9.975 of the night to boost the LSU vault total to a season-high 49.700.
LSU took the lead over the Gators at the halfway point, 99.075-99.000.
The third rotation brought the Tigers to floor, where senior Emily Innes got things started with a 9.850. Freshman Nina Ballou notched a 9.875 in spot two before junior Kylie Coen added a 9.925 in spot three. Drayton kept momentum rolling with a 9.900 in spot four ahead of Chio’s 9.925 in fifth spot. In the anchor spot, Lincoln closed with a 9.975 to match her career-high and brought the Tigers’ floor total to a 49.600.
LSU’s 148.675 trailed Florida’s 148.700 after three rotations.
The Tigers closed out the night on beam, where Coen led off with a 9.825. Zeiss scored a 9.875 in the second spot before Drayton delivered a career-high 9.950 in the third spot. Lincoln added a career-high 9.950 in the fourth spot ahead of a 9.900 from McClain in the fifth slot. Chio anchored the rotation with a stellar 9.975 to close out the night and bring the rotation total to a 49.650.
LSU’s 198.325 fell just short of Florida’s 198.450 on their senior night.
Lincoln’s two event titles pushed her career total to five, including four this season. The vault title marked the second of her career and first this season, while the floor title was her third of the season. McClain’s bars title was the third of the season for the junior, the 10th of her career on the event and the 17th title of her career.
For Drayton, the vault title marked her fifth event title of the season and the fifth of her career on vault. Chio’s share of the vault title pushed her season total to 28 event titles, the 14th in her career on vault and the 51st overall.
No. 2 LSU will return home for their regular season finale and senior night against No. 8 Arkansas inside the PMAC on Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
**LSU PRESS RELEASE**
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