An uncharacteristic performance on floor causes LSU to drop road meet at Arkansas

It all came down to the beam.

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LSU gymnast Chase Brock performs part of her floor routine at LSU’s annual exhibition meet Gymnastics 101 on Monday, December 16, 2024 at the PMAC in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save It all came down to the beam. After an uncharacteristic performance on the floor, LSU gymnastics only held a 0.

225 point advantage over No. 17 Arkansas heading into the final rotation. The Razorback crowd was ready to see an upset .



And that's exactly what they got. A pair of 9.925 scores and a 9.

950 from redshirt junior Frankie Price on the floor and a couple small mistakes from LSU on the beam was enough for the Razorbacks to leap past LSU on the final rotation and earn the 196.875-196.600 victory.

The loss dropped the Tigers to 4-2 on the season and 1-1 in Southeastern Conference play. A 9.575 from sophomore Konnor McClain was a setback for the Tigers as they were forced to use sophomore Kylie Coen's 9.

650. Arkansas, meanwhile, thrived on the floor. Its lowest score that counted was a 9.

850 from senior Kalyxta Gamiao. On the floor — LSU's third rotation — the Tigers' struggles began after Chio posted a 9.100 and were forced to use fifth-year senior Aleah Finnegan's 9.

575 score after she landed out of bounds. Notably, fifth-year senior Sierra Ballard, usually LSU's leadoff gymnast on the floor, did not compete on the floor Friday and instead was replaced by fifth-year senior Olivia Dunne. Dunne led off with a 9.

700 and sophomore Amari Drayton and fifth-year senior Haleigh Bryant posted team-high 9.875 scores. Bryant, who has been working back from an elbow injury, only competed on the floor and beam.

The Tigers outscored Arkansas on the beam, bars and vault, but the wide margin between the two sides on floor — 49.525-48.850 —proved to be the difference.

LSU led 49.375-49.250 through the opening rotation thanks to McClain's team-leading 9.

925 on the uneven bars. Freshman Lexi Zeiss also posted a season-high 9.850, while Coen and junior Ashley Cowan chipped in with a pair of 9.

875 scores. Arkansas was able to keep it close thanks to a trio of 9.875 scores from sophomore Dakota Essenpries, freshman Joscelyn Roberson and redshirt junior Cami Weaver.

The Tigers were able to grow their lead slightly, 98.725-98.500, following the second rotation thanks to near perfect vaults from freshman Kailin Chio and fifth-year senior Chase Brock.

Brock landed a 9.900 while Chio tied a season-high score with a 9.950.

LSU returns to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center next Friday when the Tigers host No. 11 Missouri starting at 7:30 p.m.

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