The LSU Tigers are in Gainesville ready to take on the Florida Gators tonight at 6:00 p.m. Central Time. The O’Connell Center should be rocking tonight as Florida expects a large crowd to attend the Gators annual “pink” meet to raise money and awareness in fight against breast cancer.
Tonight is also a great opportunity for the Tigers to compete in the location of the 2010 National Championships, which Florida hosts this April. But, first things first. Tonight is a chance for LSU to face a top SEC opponent and continue its methodical improvement. The Tigers have improved their overall team score each week this season and are poised to do that once again tonight.
However, the Tigers are once again faced with the bite of the injury bug. Junior Sam Engle will be held out of tonight’s bars lineup with an abdominal injury. She will compete on floor and beam. This means two freshmen will enter the bars lineup for the first time this season. Shelby Prunty will be second for the Tigers on bars while Janelle Garcia will be the in the #6 spot.
Tigers Up Another Three Spots In Rankings This Week
The Tigers continue their steady climb up the rankings this week checking in at #13 (195.125 average). The vault and floor teams are ranked 11th best nationally this week with an average score of 49.025 and 48.925, respectively. LSU remains 13th on bars this week with a 48.808 average and climbs to 18th on balance beam with a 48.367 average.
Overall, Alabama replaced Oklahoma as the nation’s #1 ranked team. All 7 of the SEC’s gymnastics teams are ranked in the Top 15 this week.
Injury Report
Kaleigh Dickson (knee cap surgery) – out for the season
Samantha Engle (abdominal injury) – out of bars lineup, but will compete floor and beam against Florida
Lainie Fleming (hand/wrist surgery) – out indefinitely
Ericka Garcia (eligibility issue) – should debut February 12 against Texas Woman’s in the Maravich Center
Janelle Garcia (sprained ankle) – day-to-day
Nikki Lyons (sprained ankle) – out two to three weeks
Bob Moore (emergency root canal) – back from the dental chair just in time for the team plane and trip to Gainesville
Tonight’s Probable Tiger Lineups
Bars
Sabrina Franceschelli
Shelby Prunty
Kayla Rogers
Summer Hubbard
Susan Jackson
Janelle Garcia
Vault
Kayla Rogers
Sabrina Franceschelli
Ashley Lee
Summer Hubbard
Gloria Johnson
Susan Jackson
Shelby Prunty - alternate
Floor Exercise
Kayla Rogers
Sabrina Franceschelli
Ashley Lee
Summer Hubbard
Samantha Engle
Susan Jackson
Gloria Johnson - exhibtion
Beam
Shelby Prunty
Sabrina Franceschelli
Gloria Johnson
Summer Hubbard
Samantha Engle
Susan Jackson
Kayla - exhibition
Mike’s Eye On The Tigers
Here’s what I will be watching for tonight when Florida hosts LSU:
- A great matchup of individual talents. LSU’s senior All-American Susan Jackson against Florida freshman phenomena Ashanee Dickerson. Dickerson has won the SEC Freshman of the Week award two weeks in a row while Jackson leads the nation in the all around. Both ladies have won the all around title three straight weeks to open the season, so something has to give tonight.
- How do the LSU freshmen perform in a loud, energetic environment tonight against the Gators?
- Kayla Rogers to lead off vault and floor with another set of strong scores. When she hits, the Tigers usually follow.
- Sabrina Franceschelli and Summer Hubbard to both hit above 39.000 in the all around.
Don’t forget to tune in tonight LIVE in the Geaux Zone at 5:55pm Central Time as we call all the action from the O’Connell Center in Gainesville. Two-time national champion Ashleigh Clare-Kearney will join Paige Cippoloni and me on the broadcast.
No comments:
Post a Comment