BOL Round Table

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 3 Alabama Gymnastics team returns to the road this week, traveling to Baton Rouge, La., where they will face off against No. 13 LSU in the Crimson Tide’s final regular-season Southeastern Conference matchup.

Friday also marks the Tide’s fourth away meet of the season and the third road meet against SEC competition.

“I think we’ve done a good job in our road meets this season,” UA head coach Sarah Patterson said. “I thought we did a good job at Kentucky two weeks ago, though we weren’t perfect. In terms of our preparation, I feel like we are right where we need to be to go into LSU and have a great meet.”

Alabama comes into the meet after beating Arkansas last Friday in Tuscaloosa., to go to 8-0-0 overall and 5-0-0 in SEC Competition.

Seniors Geralen Stack-Eaton and Ashley Priess led the Tide over the Razorbacks, sweeping the individual events between them. Stack-Eaton, competing in her first all-around of the season, won the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise as well as the all-around. Priess won the balance beam and shared the top spot with Stack-Eaton on the uneven bars and floor exercise. Both are ranked in the top five in the all-around, with Priess coming in at No. 1 and Stack-Eaton at No. 4.

The Tide and Tigers last met at the 2011 SEC Championships where Alabama took first with a 197.225 while LSU was fifth with a score of 195.475. The Tide and Tigers last met in the regular season on March 11, 2011 in Tuscaloosa, with UA winning 196.95-194.750.

LSU, undefeated at home in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center this season, is 4-7-0 overall and 2-3 in SEC competition after winning a tri-meet at Washington last weekend. Tiger’s head coach D-D Breaux is celebrating her 35th season as the Tiger’s mentor this year. LSU is led by freshman Rheagan Courville, who is ranked 22nd in the all-around and third on the vault.

Friday’s meet will be televised on a tape delayed basis on ESPN2 and EPSNU. It will also be broadcast live on WVUA-Radio 90.7 FM in the Tuscaloosa area as well as on the internet via wvuafm.ua.edu.