Meet Three: Georgia

What a difference a week can make! The Tigers traded in the warm sands of Cancun for the snowy expanse of Iowa and came back a winner – sort of.

While LSU won the meet in Iowa City with a team score of 194.175 over Southeat Missouri State (191.675) and host Iowa (191.375), the Tigers looked lackluster in doing it. Three falls on beam, two on bars and a fall on floor overshadowed one of the more impressive early-season vault scores the Tigers have had in a number of years (49.425). In fact, the Tigers team vault score is tied for highest in the nation so far this season (Utah).

The Tigers will need a complete change of focus and determination on Friday as the defending National Champion Georgia Gym Dogs come to the Maravich Center to open the 2009 home campaign.

D-D Said It
“We’re gonna fix what is broken,” was D-D’s mantra after the Iowa meet. It was one hard week of practice. Enough said.

Movin’ On Up

With two more event titles (bars/floor) in Iowa to her credit, Ashleigh Clare-Kearney stands at 89 individual titles for her career.

“Stonewall” Jackson Takes Stand in Iowa

Junior Susan Jackson paced LSU in the tri-meet at Iowa. She won vault with a 9.95 effort – with only a very slight step on the landing keeping her from being perfect. She also tallied scores of 9.825 on bars (second place) and 9.800 on beam (second place) to go along with a 9.775 on floor. Her All Around score of 39.350 won the meet and ranks among the top 10 in All Around scores nationally at this early point in the season.

Iowa Superlatives
The Tigers vault team proved to be the lone bright spot on an otherwise cold and snowy night. Kudos to the following for helping to post a 49.425 score:

Susan Jackson 9.95
Ashleigh Clare-Kearney 9.925
Staci Schwitkis 9.875
Kayla Rogers 9.850
Gloria Johnson 9.825

Another superlative goes out to Sam Engle, the Tigers super sophomore from Plano, Texas. Sam scored the first event title of her career at Iowa in winning the beam with a score of 9.825.

This Friday’s Meet
It just doesn’t get much better than this in collegiate gymnastics. LSU versus Georgia to open the 2009 home schedule for the Tigers. I really hope you’ve gotten your tickets for this one. It features two bitter rivals and two returning National Champions and is not to be missed!

Georgia returns former Olympian Courtney Kupets to the lineup after a season-ending Achilles injury a year ago. She’s picked up right where she left off – leading the nation in All Around average after week one. The Gym Dogs also feature returning beam National Champion Grace Taylor and 12 time All American Tiffany Tolnay.

It will be “Beat Georgia Night” in the Maravich Center. The first 1,000 fans through the doors will receive 2009 schedule magnets. It will be a student point night and the first 200 students will receive a free 2009 gymnastics T-shirt. Right before I announce the final team and individual scores, we will have a special performance from gymnastics sensation “Russian Bar.”

Mike’s Eye On The Tigers
Here are a few things I will be looking for this week’s meet against Georgia:

• Sabrina Franceschelli continuing her rise in the LSU lineup. She took second in the All Around in Cancun. Will her consistency continue?
• Kayla Rogers leading off the vault and floor lineups. Her solid lead-off scores helped the Tigers tremendously. Does she remain in this spot and does success continue?
• Susan Jackson to absolutely kill the bars in Iowa. She was most unhappy about slipping off the Mexican uneven bars and is out for revenge.
• ACK versus Iowa’s Simbhudas in the All Around. Two terrific athletes in their element. This will be fun to watch.

Have a great week!