The tenth-ranked Gymdogs posted a season-high road score of 196.975 to place third in the Mardi Gras Invitational on Friday evening. The quad-meet is hosted by GymQuarters in St. Charles, Missouri and also featured the top two gymnastics teams in the country with No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 LSU and also fifteenth-ranked Missouri.
Georgia finished in third, behind Oklahoma (198.350) and LSU (197.700), and ahead of Missouri (196.350).
The Gymdogs were led by freshman Rachel Dickson, who posted career highs on beam (9.925), bars (9.95) and in the all-around (39.55). Senior Ashlyn Broussard tied her career high on beam (9.95) and junior Gigi Marino tied her career-best on floor (9.95), both from the anchor position.
“We came out of last week and talked about finishing,” said Georgia gymnastics head coach Danna Durante. “We talked about how with just a focus on our landings we can be better and up above that 197 mark. The places we did that took us right up near it. The places we didn’t kept us under it. It’s back to the gym on Monday. We’re excited to face Oklahoma again next week. It’s going to be a great competition, and this team just gets better and better each week.”
Georgia started the meet on beam, posting a 49.425 in the first rotation for the best beam score of the season. Broussard tied her career high with a 9.95 and Dickson set a new career-best with a 9.925 to highlight the rotation. Sabrina Vega (9.825), Hayley Sanders (9.85) and Vivi Babalis (9.875) also made strong contributions as UGA sat in second place after the first event.
The Gymdogs kept momentum going in the second rotation on floor, claiming a 49.45. Georgia closed strong in the event thanks to a 9.925 from Dickson and a 9.95 from Marino, tying her season high. All six Gymdogs scored 9.85 or better in the event, remaining in second at the halfway point.
Georgia received a 49 on vault, headlined by 9.85s from Lauren Johnson and Sydney Snead. The Gymdogs dropped to third place as LSU overtook them with a 49.575 on beam to move to second behind only Oklahoma. Georgia stood with a 147.875 through three rotations, its best three-rotation score this season.
The Gymdogs closed the meet with a 49.1 on bars with Snead and Dickson closing the meet strong with a 9.9 and 9.95, respectively, in the final two routines of the meet. Georgia finished the meet in third, behind No. 1 Oklahoma (198.35) and No. 2 LSU (197.700).
The Gymdogs square off with Oklahoma once again next Friday in Norman. The meet is slated for an 8 p.m. ET start time and will air on Fox Sports.
TEAM RESULTS
1st place – Oklahoma – 198.350
2nd place – LSU – 197.700
3rd place – Georgia – 196.975
4th place – Missouri – 196.350
Vault – 49.000
Morgan Reynolds – 9.7, Beth Roberts – 9.8, Gigi Marino – 9.75, Lauren Johnson – 9.85, Rachel Dickson– 9.75, Sydney Snead – 9.85
Bars – 49.100
Morgan Reynolds – 9.725, Lauren Johnson – 9.775, Hayley Sanders – 9.725, Natalie Vaculik – 9.75, Sydney Snead – 9.9, Rachel Dickson – 9.95
Beam – 49.425
Sabrina Vega – 9.825, Hayley Sanders – 9.85, Rachel Dickson – 9.925, Morgan Reynolds – 9.65, Vivi Babalis – 9.875, Ashlyn Broussard – 9.95
Floor – 49.450
Morgan Reynolds – 9.85, Beth Roberts – 9.85, Vivi Babalis – 9.875, Sabrina Vega – 9.85, Rachel Dickson – 9.925, Gigi Marino – 9.95