Jackson wins 4th straight all-around in Tiger loss

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By Stephanie Kraft

The No. 4 University of Florida gymnastics team (3-1, 3-0 SEC) used its season-best total last Friday to take a 196.725-195.05 win over No. 13 LSU (3-3, 1-2 SEC) in Gainesville.

Last Friday's competition was the Fourth Annual Gators Link to Pink, a meet that is part of a Southeastern Conference initiative to raise awareness about breast cancer. The pink-clad O'Connell Center crowd of 9,198 ranked as the third-largest in school history.

LSU senior Susan Jackson, the nation's top all-arounder, captured her fourth-straight all-around title and the ninth of her career with a 39.525 performance. She also captured the all-around, vault and beam titles to increase her number of career individual titles to 44.

"She deserved to win the all-around because she was the best athlete in the gym," LSU head coach D-D Breaux said. "She should compete for the all-around title each and every week."

LSU (3-3, 1-2 SEC) opened the meet with a 48.675 on bars, led by Jackson's 9.875 and Summer Hubbard's 9.80.

Competing for the first time in the lineup on bars, LSU freshman Janelle Garcia posted the third-highest score in the event for the Tigers with a 9.70. Shelby Prunty added a 9.675 and Sabrina Franceschelli scored a 9.625.

LSU scored a 49.000 on vault in the second rotation with Jackson claiming her 10th career vault title with a 9.95, while Gloria Johnson and Ashley Lee added 9.80 scores to boost the team total. Franceschelli tallied a 9.775, and Kayla Rogers provided a 9.675 score.

After two events Florida led LSU, 98.500-97.675. The Gators received strong performances from Alicia Goodwin who won the bars title with a 9.925 and Amanda Castillo who scored a 9.875.

In the third event LSU posted a 48.700 on floor with high scores from Jackson (9.875) and Samantha Engle (9.825). Rogers and Franceschelli contributed 9.725's to the team score.

Florida managed a 48.950 on beam, led by Dickerson's 9.90 and Liz Green's 9.825 to increase the Gators' lead to 147.450-146.375.

In the fourth rotation, freshman Shelby Prunty recorded a career-high 9.75 on beam to open the event for the Tigers. Jackson earned the high score of the event for LSU and tied for the title with a 9.825. Engle scored a season-best 9.775, Johnson posted a 9.675 and Hubbard earned a 9.65.

Florida produced a 49.400 on floor to cap the meet as Dickerson and Maranda Smith tied for the title with a 9.925.

"We have much better performances than what we saw tonight," Breaux said. "We were lacking confidence to push through and be aggressive, and that doesn't lend itself to building momentum. We have the next half of our season coming up, and adding someone to the lineup will help."

LSU returns home to face a tough No. 1 Alabama Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Maravich Center.

Alabama posted its second highest score of the season, a 196.600 last Saturday night on the Penn State campus to beat the No. 19 Penn State Nittany Lions (196.025) and No. 23 Minnesota Golden Gophers (192.825).

Originally Published: Issue 863 - February 3, 2010

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