Georgia GymDogs Score 197.075 but fall to No. 3 LSU

ATHENS, Ga.— The No. 19 Georgia gymnastics team finished with its second-highest score of the season in its loss to No. 3 LSU, 197.625-197.075, before 9,811 spectators on Friday evening inside Stegeman Coliseum.

The GymDogs finished with a season-high on floor, a 49.475, with three athletes totaling a 9.900 or better in the event. In her third meet competing all-around, freshman Lily Smith totaled a 39.525.

“We built on each event as we went, and that’s what we want to do,” head coach Courtney Kupets Carter said. “The really important thing is to start finding those landings, and that will just add little tenths. That just creates excitement and momentum to keep doing that throughout the rotations. We did not do that starting on vault, so that’s just something we really need to focus on for home meets and bars for away meets. Starting that first event with finding those landings makes a big difference. I guess it shows that this is our second highest of the year and we have so much left that we’re leaving on the floor, tenths-wise, with our landings and things like that. Overall, I was really impressed with how our athletes went and attacked the routines they were doing. They went after them 100%, but they just didn’t follow through at the very last skill. That’s something that’s really something to be proud of.”

Competing in Olympic order, the GymDogs began with a solid performance on vault, posting a 49.050 in their first rotation. Amanda Cashman began the evening for the GymDogs with a performance that earned her a 9.750. Both Jaydah Battle and JaFree Scott finished with season best scores, totaling a 9.800 and 9.825 respectively. Ady Wahl anchored the rotation and earned a team-best 9.850.

Moving onto bars, Georgia had all five of its counted scores finish with a 9.800 or better. In her second time competing in the event this season, Naya Howard earned a 9.850 from the lead off spot. Both Holly Snyder and Smith’s performances gave them a 9.875, with Smith anchoring the rotation for the sixth time this season. The Bulldogs finished with a 49.250 for the second time this year, most recently against Missouri.

The Bulldogs posted a 49.300 on beam, marking just the fifth time the program has at least reached the score in the last 19 meets dating back to the start of last season. Three GymDogs totaled a 9.875 –Battle, Smith and Scott. In her third career performance, Zora Morgan scored a 9.825.

To cap off the night, four gymnasts finished on floor with season-best performances. Performing third in the rotation, Ashlyn LaClair had a 9.875, followed by Cashman and Wahl’s scores of a 9.900 and capped off by Smith’s 9.95. The GymDogs ended the evening with their highest score in the event, a 49.475, since posting a 49.500 against Alabama on Feb. 17, 2023.

Following a bye, Georgia will return to action on Friday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. to take on Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Last season, the Crimson Tide topped the GymDogs, 197.525-197.325, in Athens.

FINAL RESULTS

GEORGIA: 197.075 (VT- 49.050, UB- 49.250, BB- 49.300, FX- 49.475)

LSU: 197.625 (VT- 49.375, UB- 49.300, BB- 49.425, FX- 49.525)

VAULT-

Amanda Cashman: 9.750

Jaydah Battle: 9.800

Ashlyn Laclair: 9.725

Lily Scott: 9.825

JaFree Scott: 9.825

Ady Wahl: 9.850

BARS-

Naya Howard: 9.850

Sidney Fitzgerald: 9.750

Ady Wahl: 9.800

Holly Snyder: 9.875

JaFree Scott: 9.850

Lily Smith: 9.875

BEAM-

Nya Howard: 9.850

Zora Morgan: 9.825

Jaydah Battle: 9.875

Anya Turner: 9.100

Lily Smith: 9.875

JaFree Scott: 9.875

FLOOR-

Jaydah Battle: 9.125

Sidney Fitzgerald: 9.850

Ashlyn Laclair: 9.875

Amanda Cashman: 9.900

Ady Wahl: 9.900

Lily Smith: 9.950