LSU gymnastics rolls over Alabama in gritty win fueled by second-half surge

LSU gymnastics hosted No. 3 Alabama Friday night, with LSU coming out with the 197.975 to 197.600 victory. 

The meet had started slow for the Tigers, but a streak of late momentum would be enough to take the win.

After a start below LSU’s standards, it had found life in the back-half of the meet. 

“I think it just shows the fight within this team,” Kailin Chio said about her team’s ability to move past adversity. “No matter what comes our way before that event, like the meet’s not over … Our team is so strong. We're fighters. We're called fighting tigers for a reason.” 

On beam, LSU’s third rotation, it started off rocky again. With Lexi Zeiss going 9.800 to start, that would be followed by a 9.875 from Emily Innes. 

Up next was Amari Drayton, but after a fall, she would post a 9.175. 

Kaliya Lincoln would go next, putting LSU back on the right path with a 9.875. 

Konnor McClain then when and had a routine that was nothing short of beautiful. The crowd popped when she finished with a stuck landing, earning her a 9.975. 

“The definition of a hard worker is her,” Kailin Chio said about McClain. “I knew she was so frustrated the past couple of weeks, and we just heard zero complaining, and it was just work, work and work. And just to see her go out there and do that beam routine was just so special.” 

That routine is when it all changed, and from then on, the PMAC would have a buzz about it. 

Then Chio would launch onto the beam and the PMAC knew what was coming. A little crowd popped occurred every time she completed a skill, and after a stick of her own, the crowd erupted, asking for a 10.

And she got a 10. 

“She continues to do what she's always done,” head coach Jay Clark said. “And you know I'm grateful that she's in those spots when we need her.” 

That is Chio’s third 10 on beam, and fifth of the season. 

All the while, Alabama had been able to piece together a very good floor rotation, featuring two 9.875s and three scores above a 9.900. 

But LSU didn’t mind that and then moved to floor to end the meet. And the Tigers saved their best for last. 

It all started when Innes, Nina Ballou and Kylie Coen scored three consecutive 9.900s. 

But Drayton took it to the next level. She scored a 9.925 and set the floor for Chio and Zeiss’s upcoming routines. 

Chio went and had a beautiful routine. The PMAC wanted a 10, and one judge obliged, flashing a 10 and the PMAC exploded, but the other flashed a 9.950 and a 9.975 went on the board for her in the fifth spot. 

And then it was Zeiss’ turn, and she rode the momentum wave and scored a 9.900 to close the meet. 

To start the meet, LSU had been rocky and unable to build true momentum.   

It all started when a 9.875 from Zeiss would open the meet, and scoring, on vault. Shortly after, McClain posted a season-high 9.900. 

After a 9.850 and 9.825 from Alabama on bars, Victoria Roberts ran down the runway and launched off the vaulting table, but a large step on her landing would post a 9.350. 

Lincoln went in the fourth spot, scoring a 9.875 followed by Amari Drayton’s 9.825. But Kailin Chio did Kailin Chio things and earned herself a 9.975.  

LSU held a slim lead after one rotation, 49.400 to Alabama’s 49.375. 

LSU then went to bars for the second rotation, and it all started with Zeiss again. 

She went 9.825 to open things up, but Ashley Cowan decided she wanted to turn up the heat. 

A beautiful routine with a stuck landing earned her a season-high 9.925 on bars. 

Alabama on vault had opened up sluggish. A 9.750 and a 9.775 would be their first two scores. 

And LSU needed to take this opportunity to pull away. And they did. 

Madi Ulrich then had her turn on bars, and she had another beautiful routine, posting a 9.900 at the halfway point of the rotation. Chio went next, and she posted a 9.850. 

Courtney Blackson was up next, and scored a 9.825, anchored by a beautiful routine from McClain, scoring 9.900. 

LSU had given itself a bigger lead at the halfway point. A .175 lead would put it up 98.850 to 98.675. 

Then the PMAC got involved and LSU pulled cemented themselves firmly in the lead to close the meet. 

On top of the action, for the first time this season, LSU had two gymnasts compete the all-around. 

Zeiss made her debut in the all-around, scoring a 39.400. But Chio ultimately took the all-around title with a 39.800. 

LSU’s next meet is a quad-meet podium challenge taking place at the Raising Cane’s River Center in Baton Rouge on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT.