ATHENS, Ga. — University of Georgia gymnasts earned three of four event titles as the GymDogs fell to LSU, 196.850-196.100, on Friday night in Stegeman Coliseum.
Seniors Rachel Baumann, Rachael Lukacs, and Megan Roberts earned the top three scores of the meet on vault with Baumann taking home the title. She also earned the highest score of the night on beam (9.925) and junior Soraya Hawthorne tumbled to a meet-best 9.900 on floor.
“We are making improvements, but we still have not showed our full potential on the competition floor”, head coach Courtney Kupets Carter said. “It’s something that I see them do every day in the gym. And just knowing that they are capable, it is what you want as a coach. You want your athletes to reach their potential every time they go out on that competition floor. We have some work to do on some areas, but when you see athletes have to battle through that’s even more rewarding as a coach. We need to make sure that they recognize the things that our team did well. We’ll work on that on Monday as we go for the week.”
Georgia started strong on vault, posting a 49.325. Baumann paced the GymDogs with a career-high 9.950 and Lukacs followed with a 9.900. In the anchor position, senior Roberts vaulted to a 9.875.
The GymDogs carried that momentum to bars, swinging to a 49.125 in the second rotation. Junior Haley de Jong and Roberts led the squad each scoring a 9.875, fifth-year senior Emily Schild followed with a 9.850.
Georgia trailed LSU by 0.050 after two events.
Georgia showed improvement on beam, but collectively earned a 48.575 on the event. Again, it was Baumann with the high score of the event, scoring a 9.925. De Jong followed with a 9.875.
Georgia finished on floor, scoring a 49.075 in the final rotation. Hawthorne led the team with a 9.900 and Roberts’ routine earned a score of 9.850.
The GymDogs are back in action next Friday, February 4 at Kentucky. The competition will be a quad-meet with Georgia also facing Central Michigan and Illinois at Memorial Coliseum, starting at 7 p.m.
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FINAL RESULTS
GEORGIA: 196.100 (VT- 49.325, UB- 49.125, BB- 48.575, FX- 49.075)
LSU: 196.850 (VT- 49.150, UB- 49.350, BB- 49.250, FX- 49.100)
VAULT- 49.325
Amanda Cashman: 9.775
Mikayla Magee: 9.700
Abbey Ward: 9.825
Rachel Baumann: 9.950
Rachael Lukacs: 9.900
Megan Roberts: 9.875
BARS- 49.125
Loulie Hattaway: 9.725
Abbey Ward: 8.975
Katie Finnegan: 9.800
Haley de Jong: 9.875
Emily Schild: 9.850
Megan Roberts: 9.875
BEAM- 48.575
Mikayla Magee:9.775
Katie Finnegan: 9.075
Soraya Hawthorne: 9.250
Haley…
Read More: Three GymDogs Earn Event Titles Against LSU