No. 7 Mizzou Falls to No. 2 LSU at Home

In No. 7 Missouri’s first meet at Mizzou Arena with students officially back on campus after the start of the semester, the arena looked full. 5,164 fans braved the cold to support their Missouri Tigers, taking on No. 2 LSU.

Missouri began the competition on vault. With redshirt senior Elise Tisler posting a 9.775 on the apparatus, Missouri was forced to count two scores of 9.800 to its total. Freshman Kimarra Echols and junior Kennedy Griffin logged 9.800s, and while that isn’t a terrible mark, the scores simply needed to be higher when facing LSU.

After LSU sophomore Lexi Zeiss scored a 9.800 in the leadoff spot, the two Tiger squads were all tied up extremely early into the meet. However, 9.925s from junior Madison Ulrich and graduate Courtney Blackson lifted LSU above Missouri by a 49.375-49.275 margin.

The slower start set the tone for the meet in terms of the standings, as Missouri went on to fall 197.675-197.500 on Friday. However, its score marked its highest of the season.

Missouri did have a bright spot in the vault lineup with sophomore Railey Jackson, who logged a career-high 9.950 to tie for the event title with LSU’s Amari Drayton and Kailin Chio.

"I've put in a lot of work," Jackson said. "I've stuck a lot in practice, so it's just a matter of being able to do it in competition."

Missouri earned a 49.350 on bars, an improvement from vault. Junior Hannah Horton headlined the event with an impressive 9.950, giving her the crown. Echols also looked strong, posting a 9.900.

Aside from the event titles, Missouri took away some positives regarding the atmosphere.

“I definitely think that we made some new gymnastics fans,” Horton said. “I always tell people that gymnastics is such a fun sport, and even if you don't know anything about it, if you just come to a meet, you're going to get hooked. We can always use that energy.”

Missouri's student section was actively engaged in the meet, standing up every time a gymnast would hit the floor. There were even fans who painted themselves in support of Missouri, and cheers rang loud the entire night.

Missouri coach Shannon Welker was pleased with the environment and noted how competing at Mizzou Arena adds a different feel from when the team competed at the Hearnes Center.

“It’s a show,” Welker said of the sport of gymnastics. “We can entertain our fans in a venue like this tremendously better. The time was now to make that move. If you like 5,000 (people), stick with us because it’s going to get bigger.”

The routines from Horton and Echols provided some juice to the arena, as well as some encouragement after Missouri struggled to crack 9.900 with its first four gymnasts on bars. The magic number seemed to be 9.825, with sophomore Olivia Kelly, graduate Makayla Green and freshman Maiya Terry all earning that score.

Following the second rotation, LSU held a 98.800-98.625 lead.

Missouri continued to improve as the meet went on. It performed best on floor, posting a 49.475. Sophomores Jackson and Kaia Tanskanen put up 9.900s, while juniors Griffin and Horton logged 9.925s.

Several LSU gymnasts had slip ups on the beam, nearly falling. Junior Konnor McClain bent over, extending an arm out and touching the beam to ensure she wouldn’t fall. As a result, she brought in a 9.550. Before that, Kaliya Lincoln recorded a 9.750.

If Missouri had any hope for a last minute rally, Chio shut it down with a 9.975.

During the third rotation, Missouri recorded a 49.400 on beam. 9.950s from graduate Lauren Macpherson and senior Addison Lawrence paced Missouri.

Graduate Grace Anne Davis,making her first appearance in the lineup this season, struggled and recorded a 9.675. She nearly fell off the beam but found her balance and managed to avoid a bigger deduction.

A 9.775 from sophomore Kelly certainly didn’t help Missouri, and it became more clear that the team would not come away with a win. Heading into the final rotation, Missouri trailed by 0.325.

Missouri will be right back at Mizzou Arena to face No. 3 Florida. Missouri and the Gators square off at 8 p.m. on Feb. 6.

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