to get ready for the Auburn Tigers at the BJCC in Birmingham, Sunday, 2 pm. There will be a bus trip to the meet leaving from Coleman Coliseum at 12:30 (be early so you don't miss the bus!). We will see all our faithful fans (including Salto, Salsa and Saltine) in Birmingham. ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!

this is where the scores go out of the roof: 1st place: Kristin Sterner and Alexis Brion, Lauren Companioni, and Franzella. Kristin wins the all around title by default due to LSU not having anyone go all around.

will look like: 9.85 for Beth Boudreaux, 9.875 for Kristin Sterner and Rebecca Lightsey, and a 9.90 for Andree Pickens.

shows 3rd place for Andree Pickens and Kristin Uransky, second place for Marina Degteva and first for Beth Boudreaux and Sharene Mamby.

final scores: 9.825 for Erin, Shanyn, Marina, Kristin Uransky; 9.875 for Kristin Sterner and a 10.00 for Andree.

all around score was good for three routines but her fall on bars kept the overall total score low, 38.875. We have some very young gymnasts exhibiting on the floor, which is why the event finals have not been announced. Now, they are ready to announce the scores.

Alabama did better on the vault but unfortunately did not take control of the meet on their best event, the uneven bars, thus letting LSU gain confidence from the beginning with a solid vault run. A few uncharacteristic stumbles on the floor (Tomasek's fall and Martinez's balance check on her opening pass) opened the door wider for the Tigers.

is that Alabama did not have to count a fall on the balance beam (Alexa Martinez) and had pretty steady showings from Andree Pickens and Kristin Sterner to clean up. Natalie Barrington, Raegan Tomasek and Tiffany Byrd withstood the whistling and cat-calling by the crowd throughout their routines.

balance beam for the Tide. She will mount with a leap since we need to avoid another fall. She throws a solid flight series and a beautiful straddle to straddle Popa combination. Sterner is dismounting with a double pike that she rocked! She only receives a 9.875 despite her awesome difficulty and really solid performance. Bama finishes with a 196.575, LSU with a 196.925.

beam and through her flight series. Andree just threw an awesome flight series and a beautiful full turn. She nailed her punch front and took one tiny hop forward on her double tuck dismount. Franzella gets a 9.925 for her floor routine and Andree gets a 9.900.

deduct for the obviously out of control second pass of Cazeaux since they gave her a 9.85. Alexa gets a 9.125 for her beam routine.

gets a 9.800 for her beam routine and Cazeaux just got out of control on her second pass and stepped on the floor line (don't know if they will deduct). Alexa Martinez is up next for Bama on the beam. Two straddle leaps are in the bank but she only throws her head roll and not the combination leap. She balks on her first try at her flight series and then does it fine (flic flac to layout)but falls on her punch front.

her flight series and her three leap series (very nice). Mamby gets a 9.875. Bama is not getting the scores despite doing some very nice routines on balance beam.

gets a 9.70 for her beam routine and Sharene Mamby just finished her floor routine. Natalie Barrington is up next for the Tide.

on the balance beam. She mounts with no problems and is through her full turn, as well as switch leap to two straddle leaps. Flight series is awesome! Her switch leap to standing back gainer! and now the dismount of a single twist, one step back (argh!). Richard gets a 9.75 for her floor routine.

first on the floor with all front tumbling on her first two passes. Raegan gets a 9.825 for her beam routine.

beam as the raucous one woman behind PBAs screams LSU LSU LSU! Her voice is tiring a bit now as Raegan throws her punch front mount solidly. She is through her flight series and an awesome switch leap to two straddle leaps, her front walkover (the whistles continue from the crowd, how rude!). Raegan seems to like the whistles, as she is focusing harder and so far is looking quite confident as she dismounts with a back handspring to gainer layout off the side!

by .050 (D-D must have complained about a score and got it increased). Yes, she got MacEachern's score increased by a whopping tenth!

for the Crimson Tide, the balance beam. Salto is ready with the smelling salts back in Birmingham. Here is the situation. Alabama can win this meet only if they have five stupendous routines because the judges are tight tonight on beam and a little loose on floor. Therefore, LSU has the edge with the home crowd cheering them on to higher potential scores on floor. There is more margin for error on the beam, and Bama will have to be brave (as General Neyland used to say)to pull this one off. This is great preparation for our younger ladies, who will be entering UGA's domain in one week, and we know how tough that meet will be.

her first and second pass with ease and ends solidly with another double pike and a salute to the judges. Lightsey receives a 9.875. They get a 49.00 on the beam and a 147.425 after three rotations. Sterner gets a 9.925 for her floor routine and Shannon Hrozek is doing an exhibition on floor while Jade Jenkins of LSU is exhibiting on beam. Hrozek had an awesome opening pass of double pike and stepped out on her second (whip 1/2 whip 1/2 to front tuck) but ended strongly with a double twist. She receives a 9.85.

gets a 9.925 for her floor routine. Rebecca Lightsey is doing a nice job on the beam with encouragement from the crowd. She takes an awkward step back and off a thick mat on her dismount but should not have any major deductions for this routine. Sterner is up next for the Tide, let's cheer loudly Tide fans!

throwing a whip through to a double tuck on her first pass and almost under-rotated her last pass but stood it up nicely. Boudreaux gets a 9.85 for her beam routine.

for her floor routine (they took off maximum of .250). Beth Boudreaux just hit her beam routine but left out a leap combination so we will see if the judges will take the maximum two tenths. Alexis Brion is up next for the Tide and we sure could use a huge score here!

stumble on her first pass of front through to a double twist (very difficult) but her second and third passes look great so far. Companioni gets a 9.825 for her beam routine. Bama needs to get tough and attack those Tigers!!!

up on beam for the Tigers and is steady through her flight series and her leaps. Raegan gets a 9.200 for her floor and Alexa Martinez is up next.

threw the double front arabian and landed it on her foo foo. However, she had a nice second pass of double twist. Beddow gets a 9.775 for her beam routine.

is up next on floor for the Crimson Tide. Will she or won't she? We will know shortly.

thrown her flight series with no major deductions, as well as a side switch leap. Michelle gets a 9.90!

nicely through her opening pass of a double pike and added her layout stepout to her second pass (two front layouts). Very nice dance throughout. LSU fans even liked her routine. Shanyn MacEachern gets a 9.675 for her beam routine. We think Couret got something like a 8.4 or 8.5 for hers.

her routine and we don't have a score yet for LSU's Couret. Shanyn is through her flight series and is looking confident so far. Kite gets a 9.825 for her floor routine. Michelle Reeser is up next.

dismount and will have at least one full point deducted from her routine. Stephanie Kite is up on the floor for the Tide. She is through her first two passes and is dancing strongly.

off for LSU on the beam. She falls on her flight series (back handspring to a layout, fell on third element). Then another fall on a straddle to 3/4 wolf.

floor and will need super strong routines (crisp dance and strong landings) to garner big scores. A little luck on the balance beam will be important as well.

that yell very loudly (and in our faces, standing directly in front of us). They are getting a very small but vocal crowd going and are putting the pressure on the Tide. They want to defeat Bama, no doubt about it.

vault (pike with a 1/2) but only gets a 9.875. Uransky gets a 9.90 for nailing her bars dismount (double tuck) and Beth Boudreaux a 9.95. Andree Pickens gets a 10.00 for the first time this year for a great Yurchenko full (she deserved it last week as well). Mamby gets a 9.95 despite missing two handstands. Alabama finishes on vault with a 49.200 and LSU a 49.550 on the bars, taking a .2 lead into the third rotation.

routine and will score a 9.925 for the Tigers. Bama's Erin Holdefer gets a 9.825 for her solid front pike (nailed the landing). Uransky just completed a solid routine on bars and the Tigers are pumped!

by turning it into a half tuck, so major deduction will be forthcoming. Sarah Patterson reassures her about her performance, noting perhaps that she did the right thing when it did not feel right. Cazeaux gets a 9.825 for her bars routine. Brion gets a 9.45 for doing the wrong vault.

uneven bars routine and Shannon Hrozek just nailed her front pike like a dart (David Patterson yells "YEA-AA-H!). She only gets a 9.775, however. Alexis Brion is next.

vault but hopped forward on the landing before turning to salute the judges. She had great height and distance for a 9.725.

some problems with her front pike in warm up (holding pike too long). It looks like Bama will go with their line up as earlier listed. Let's hear a loud ROLL TIDE ROLL out there across the country for Stephanie Kite!

and Alabama to the vault. We need big time scores here ladies! We need to drive this meet, not Mike the Tiger!

a 9.80 and Andree just followed with another stupendous bar routine. Uransky gets a 9.825 for her vault, obviously they liked the nice tight form and the awesome technique. Shanyn MacEachern threw a pike 1/2 vault and gets a 9.825 as well. Natalie just threw a great routine until her dismount, a hop forward on her double tuck dismount. She receives a 9.875 for a total of 49.025. LSU has a 48.875 for vault total.

but takes a step forward on her landing of a double front, so she will suffer a deduction for sure on this. Bama, get tough!!! You are giving away tenths to the Tigers. Degteva scores a 9.85 for her vault (Hristakieva). Uransky just bounded forward on her Hristakieva with two major steps, so she will be deducted at least two tenths.

intensity right now on their best event and the judges are taking off for missed handstands, not to mention major deductions for sit downs. Sterner gets a 9.200.

a little lower than expected, a 9.725 because she took out one of her combination pirouettes, thus scoring from a 9.90. Kristin Sterner had a great routine going but sat down her dismount. ARGH!

on bars. Jenkins gets a 9.70 on her vault as well. Lauren Companioni just threw a front pike and landed it deep and forward, legs split during flight and landing. She receives a 9.70.

is up next with a tuck barani, split legs slightly and a hop backwards on the landing, but otherwise a solid vault. Tiffany gets a 9.725 for her bars routine.

with Adrienne Couret, who throws a front pike with slightly bent legs and a little split on the entry to the horse. Tiffany Byrd starts us off on the bars. She had a little over push on her first handstand and took a step back on her dismount of double tuck. Couret gets a 9.70 for her vault.

Santana and rocking the house! Reminds us of our own great Million Dollar Band (well, almost). Thirty seconds until showtime!

A contingent of 50 uniformed dudes and dudettes have entered to our right and are here to cheer on the Tigers. Alabama is wearing an outfit from last year that we have only seen once, a beautiful deep cranberry velveteen with a swirl separating the bodice of a lighter hue that is shiny, finishing with a narrow cropped collar. LSU is in purple and gray with shiny green and purple sparkles intermixed.

ready to go as the partisan crowd of 750 yells LSU LSU LSU. The judges salute the gymnasts on each event and tell them to "Have fun!"

Canada along with seniors Shanyn MacEachern, Marina Degteva, and Sharene Mamby (a fifth year senior).

than usual because of the opening tribute to Coach Breaux and we are now waiting for Mike the Tiger to finish running across the campus (on the Jumbotron), so the LSU Tiger team can come out on the floor. Doo, dee, dum, doo, doo doo doo. Ah, here they come finally, peering through the smoke and ensconced in Mardi Gras beads.

soon. D-D Breaux is now giving a thank you speech to the crowd. Now we have the teams being introduced and Bama is looking gleeful as they pass in front of the Tide contingent. LSU fans (one in particular) is yelling "Tide Away" but she is being drowned out by RaraRuss and the Tide faithful.

showing highlights from LSU's past years of gymnastics. Now comes the National Anthem.

D-D Breaux with a proclamation being read by the Governor and Senator of Louisiana. Twenty five years of coaching here at LSU! Well done, Coach Breaux.

LSU will have some new faces in their line ups on vault: Adrienne Couret, Jade Jenkins, Lauren Companioni, Kristin Uransky, Marina Degteva, and Shanyn MacEachern. On bars: Lindsay Beddow, Brooke Cazeaux, Marina Degteva, Kristin Uransky, Beth Boudreaux, and Sharene Mamby. On balance beam: Adrienne Couret, Shanyn MacEachern, Lindsay Beddow, Lauren Companioni, Beth Boudreaux, and Rebecca Lightsey. On floor exercise: Chelsea Richard, Sharene Mamby, Brooke Cazeaux, Rachel Franzella, Lauren Companioni, and Beth Boudreaux.

Alabama's official line-up will be: Tiffany Byrd, Shannon Hrozek, Kristin Sterner, Raegan Tomasek, Andree Pickens, Natalie Barrington.

On the vault we have: Stephanie Kite, Shannon Hrozek, Alexis Brion, Erin Holdefer, Kristin Sterner, and Andree Pickens in the anchor position.

On the floor (third rotation for Bama): Stephanie Kite, Michelle Reeser, Raegan Tomasek, Alexa Martinez, Alexis Brion, Kristin Sterner.

For the balance beam, Alabama will have: Raegan Tomasek, Tiffany Byrd, Shannon Hrozek, Alexa Martinez, Andree Pickens, and Kristin Sterner.

Nikki Arnstad of LSU tonight (suffered a mid foot sprain last week against Utah) and for Alabama, Jeana Rice is sitting out the second week of a two meet suspension and may return to the line up on Sunday for the Tide against Auburn. Lauren Holdefer is experiencing some mild shin pain (splints) and will be held out tonight but will hopefully be ready to go on Sunday if she does not have any additional pain.

are now sending the ladies into the dressing room to prepare for a ferocious animal fight (Elephants versus Tigers). The Bama crowd has definitely arrived, yelling Roll Tide Roll as our gals exit the arena. We see Bruce and Carmela (Raegan's parents), the Reesers, and the Holdefers so far.

Sara some final encouraging remarks about her uneven bars work. Sara is looking more confident with her pirouettes and her Geinger release (named after the world famous Eberhardt Geinger).

less than seven minutes in the final warmups. Uransky of LSU has excellent technique on her Yurchenko vault. Freshman Jade Jenkins is practicing on the balance beam for LSU. She has a side somi.

out on floor and may be experiencing a little back strain still, her double front arabian is not as high as we've come to expect. Fortunately, we have alot of depth on this event and the coaches may choose to rest her until Sunday.

and Shannon, as well as Natalie, Sara and Tiffany. They seem to like LSU's bars.

down the big black curtain to close off one side of the arena, so we are not expecting much of a crowd it looks like (opening ceremonies tonight of the Olympics in Salt Lake City may be part of the problem). Bama fans have shown up and cover a section down near the floor mat so we look for them to yell loud for our team!

talking with Sarah Patterson as she watches the uneven bars warm up. Bama has Stephanie, Alexis, Michelle and Kristin now warming up on floor.

not to Bama's liking, so the coaches are adjusting them accordingly. Raegan just threw a beautiful Jaeger release to her toe on toe off. Alexa Martinez is on the bars and gets more confident with every meet. A very nice double layout dismount!

uneven bars and floor exercise to warm up. Rebecca Lightsey is back in the beam line up for LSU this year having suffered a season ending injury last year. She is a solid beam worker. Nikki Arnstad is stretching on the beam by doing walks but no leaps or saltos.

just had a nasty dismount off the bars (double layout) and almost greeted the mat with her nose. She's okay but a little tearful (ouch!). Andree is throwing her punch front mount and double tuck dismount. Natalie is kicking it on beam with two great flight series in a row.

just threw a nice flight series on the beam. Nikki Arnstad is chatting with Kathy Johnson and she is not working out on any of the apparatus. Looks to be resting tonight and will rely on her team to take up the slack.

is on balance beam and may exhibit tonight. She is from Monroe, Louisiana, and will have several family members here to cheer her on. She has her hair in cornrows. Kristin has the punch front back in her beam routine (if we have five strong routines before her tonight, she will throw it).

to warm up and Bama looks very relaxed so far. There is a possibility we will see Alexis in the vault line up and Shannon on the beam tonight. Alexis may be moving to the fifth position on floor as well with possibly a new pass. Natalie is warming up on beam as well and looks strong. Shannon just threw a back handspring, layout, back handspring that looked great.

standing right next to us, checking her sheet for the LSU and Bama gymnasts, as she will be doing the commentary for ESPN's coverage. Stephanie Kite just threw a pike 1/2 vault and Brion another one!

just threw her pike 1/2 twist!!! You go girl, said Coach Patterson! Awesome height and power on this vault, ladies and gentlemen.

will be going on floor tonight for the LSU Tigers and are warming up as we speak. It looks like Nikki Arnstad will be held out tonight due to a middle foot sprain. We will update you if there is any change on this. Great front pike by Shannon, she spots the ground well, and another one from Erin that was landed nicely.

is vaulting but has her left ankle wrapped. Kristin just took off for space with a pike 1/2 vault and Alexis just followed her with an incredibly high and distant front pike.

to the home of the Bayou Bengal Tigers, Baton Rouge, Louisiana! We are watching our favorite gymnasts start their official warm ups on the vault. Andree, Sara, Lauren, Erin, Shannon, Stephanie, Kristin, and Alexis are warming up right smack in front of us.