UK gymnastics outscores LSU in a tight competition

Kentucky+Wildcats+gymnast+Raena+Worley+celebrates+after+her+beam+performance+during+the+Kentucky+vs.+LSU+gymnastics+meet+on+Friday%2C+Jan.+13%2C+2023%2C+at+Rupp+Arena+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+Photo+by+Jack+Weaver+%7C+Staff

Jack Weaver

Kentucky Wildcats gymnast Raena Worley celebrates after her beam performance during the Kentucky vs. LSU gymnastics meet on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Jack Weaver | Staff

Tyler Russell, Reporter

No. 12 Kentucky gymnastics took down the No. 10 LSU Tigers on Friday night inside Rupp Arena.

The Wildcats finished with a total score of 197.125, beating out the Tigers’ 196.575.

“The crowd was so amazing, and our girls really fed off that energy,” Head Coach Tim Garrison told UK Athletics. “To have this big crowd on Excite Night, to have a Top 10 team come in here and be able to get the win, it’s a good feeling.”

Kentucky began the event on the vault, with senior Ashlyn LaClair kicking things off for The Cats and scoring a 9.850.

The Port Crane, New York, native had previously scored a 9.775 on the vault in Columbus, Ohio, when the Cats faced off in a quad meet last week.

Junior Isabella Magnelli ultimately scored the highest vault score for the Cats, achieving a 9.925, beating her score from last week’s meet.

The Cats then switched over to the uneven bars in which the entire lineup recorded a 9.800 or better. 

Shealyn Luksik, specifically, recorded the highest score on the bars with a 9.925. 

After the bars, Kentucky made its way over to the balance beam.

Luksik started things off for Kentucky with a 9.750 while Raena Worley earned her highest score this season with a 9.950.

Finally, the team moved to the floor, the event in which each competitor gets to show off their personalities and pull out their best tricks.

Hailey Davis was the highest scorer on the floor for the Cats, achieving a 9.925, a far higher score than her prior attempt on the floor.

With the win Kentucky improved to 3-1 on the season, next looking to face off against No. 20 Georgia in Athens on Friday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. EST.