Dana Filetti's final tumbling pass for a 9.675, that was dropped from the final score. The Tide is suitably prepped for a strong showdown in Gainesville next Friday night and will need the same type of electric performances to pull off another victory. We hope to see you there, on the internet for our radio and our on line commentary. Look for the post-meet notes soon. Roll Tide and goodnight from Coleman Coliseum, where the Tide wins a close one: 197.175 to 197.05.

uneven bars performances, solid floor routines and consistent focus and difficulty on the balance beam.

LSU Tigers, led by super girl, junior April Burkholder. They are a force to be reckoned with this year, sending a strong message to the usual "powers", Alabama and Georgia, that they plan to contend for the SEC Championship title. The Alabama Crimson Tide showed their fortitude in the face of a direct onslaught attempt by the Tigers and refused to yield a win in THEIR house. The crowd lifted them up to the type of performance they had to have to bring home the victory tonight. More in a moment.

it was truly a team effort tonight to bring this victory home.

when she heard the final score, as did the crowd! Brittany Comeaux looks just as delighted and is obviously thrilled to be back with her team.

Dana Filetti: 39.100 (3rd)

Shannon Hrozek: 39.300 (2nd)

April Burkholder: 39.575 (1st)

Vault: Miles (1st) Phelan and Butler (2nd)

Bars: Burkholder and Gagnon (1st) Miles and Bayer (2nd)

Beam: Burkholder (1st) Humphrey (2nd) and Bayer (3rd)

Floor: Brion (1st), Phelan and Miles (2nd)

love the unique and very difficult moves they are able to pull off with his strength and her flexibility. Standing ovation as they finish with an exclamation point, led by Coach Sarah Patterson.

197.175 to 197.050.

Ashley Miles is through her double layout and the front-front full-front layout (small hop). Last double pike pass is landed a little forward so that will be a deduction. The crowd loves it anyway! Miles received a 9.925. Great performances by all!

a stuck double pike. Thrilled to death as she launches herself at her teammates.

She threw a beautiful whip through to a double pike, perfect landing. The crowd is clapping loudly in rhythm with her music and she nails the second pass with a super high whip full-whip full to front tuck and finishes with a front-front layout-front tuck, another perfect landing. The crowd is on their feet. They want this one bad.

terrific job, completing her flight series (bhs-bhs-layout) and takes a small balance check on the front tuck and nails her dismount of the double twist. Excellent confidence!

Bayer is through her opening double pike (terrific landing) and the second pass (front-front full-front tuck) and she is selling this routine with everything she has. Time to finish strong and get that score for the team. She finishes with a double twist, small scoot on the landing (going for the stick) and an elegant double stag leap (barrel position) to a final salutation to the Ten Troupe. Whoosh.

and she nails it! Second pass is terrific as well and she is now preparing for the final pass and is trying hard not to go out of bounds but a foot sneaks across. The crowd is going WOOOOOOO. Too much propulsion! Companioni receives a 9.75 for her beam routine. Rennie is doing a terrific job. She throws the one-handed bhs-layout and also a nice pike leap to a Korbut. Lots of confidence.

series and had to struggle to maintain her balance (roundoff to bhs-layout) but is smiling all the way. Straddle to bhs gymacro series and she dismounts with a running front 1 1/2, a little short and to the side but she's happy.

double pike, the crowd goes Whooooohoooo! Her second pass gives her a little trouble again this week (front-front full-front tuck) but she stands it up. Nice dance and some groovin to Santana before she prepares for the final tumbling pass and nails the double tuck, excellent timing with the music. The crowd is roaring, they want more!

through her flight series (bhs-layout) and a running side straddle leap, a little bend forward on the landing. Nice Korbut kick-out, full turn and a dismount of a round off to gainer layout off the side of the beam, slight bend to the left and at the waist, but no steps.

through to a Rudi (front 1 1/2 twist). She then throws a round off to double twist, nice height, tight body lines and a great landing. Huge smile on her face as she dances through her switch leap Popa and wolf Popa. She finishes with a front-front full-front pike, one step on the landing and she finishes her dance salute to the Ten Troupe. Roll Tide!

147.650. Terin Martinjak is up first on the beam and completes her flight series (bhs-layout) with a small balance check (slight windmill back). She dismounts with a double twist, legs separated and a hop on the landing to the side. That will cost her a bit.

the judges rewarded her for the difficulty (two layouts) and determined that the bend was not as severe as it initially appeared to us way over here. Both she and Filetti scored the same so one of these scores would have been dropped anyway.

to the judges, who gave her a 9.875. This was right in front of us but again the cameraman was hiding our view partially so we'll double check the replay for the post-meet commentary.

bounds slightly on her second pass, which looked like a 2 1/2 to a punch layout (hard to tell with a cameraman right in front of her).

Erin Rightley is on the beam (exhibition) and just completed her flight series (bhs-bhs-layout) and the j'ete to Korbut and the straddle-straddle-wolf combination. She dismounts with a back handspring to gainer layout. Nice routine!

stuck dismount off the beam and the judges agreed, rewarding her with a 9.95.

Tide and doing terrific so far. She mounts with her signature move, the 2 1/2 turn while down on the beam, one leg extended, and also throws the Kotchetkova to a bhs and then the switch leap to Miller (back handspring 1/4 turn to a split handstand) and dismounts with a bhs-bhs-double tuck, nailed it!!!! The crowd right in front of her on the beam stood up in collective cheering. They like the difficult dismounts and especiallyy like it when they are stuck.

Double pike was her opening pass. Very nice dance and presentation is dynamic.

flight series of the bhs-layout-layout but bends at the waist on the landing and that will be at least 1 to 3 tenths deduction. The rest of her routine is looking terrific, including the switch leap to wolf and the hitch kick to sheep jump had just a tiny balance check. Very nice double twist dismount this week, small step almost in place.

beam routine so far, nailing every element this week, including the dismount of the gainer front pike. The crowd shows their enthusiasm with a hearty roaring cheer. Martinjak received a 9.825 so the judges deducted for the problems encountered on the last pass and the composition deduction was also likely applied with her routine given the simpler final elements compared to her opening pass. Butler is through a triple twist for her opening pass and a front-double full. Lots of difficulty in this routine. She ends with a weak pass however, a front to a front full, so that will be a deduction as well for inconsistent composition in her tumbling passes.

Front-front full-front tuck. Two front layouts for the end, the third element landed short and she had to pull her back into play there to stand it up. The crowd really appreciated her unusual full turn off the floor on her knees into what appears to be a barrel stag leap. Nice.

Filetti is through her flight series (handstand to immediate back layout) and her leap series (straddle-straddle-wolf), showing excellent form. A beautiful tuck full and a wolf to Korbut, and she then throws the sheep jump but has to lift one leg to keep her balance on the landing, so that will be a deduction. She dismounts with a double twist, small hop on the landing. Rennie received a 9.875 for her floor routine.

for her floor routine. Rennie opens with a super double pike, followed by two front layouts as her second tumbling pass. Some dance elements. Final pass of a front-front full-front layout, some leg separation, but she stood it up.

setting up for her flight series. Gorgeous bhs-layout. Wolf to Korbut kickout (very nice form and landing). Switch leap side, small balance check forward at the waist and a cartwheel 1/2 down onto the beam, some more dance elements and a dismount of a gainer back pike, nailed the dismount and the crowd erupts!

stands it up. Double tuck dismount on the second pass and she steps back and out of bounds, both feet. She finishes with three layouts on her final pass. Lack of difficulty on that third pass will cost her as well in terms of composition deductions.

Leading off on the balance beam for the Tide is senior Michelle Reeser. Kaitlin White helps remove the springboard after she mounts. What a team player. She'll have her chance soon to show the Tide Nation what she can do. Michelle is through the flight series (bhs-layout-Korbut) and her leap series (switch leap-wolf) and another switch leap to straddle after a cartwheel 1/2 down onto the beam. She dismounts with a roundoff gainer full twist off the side, no steps!

bars, so the Tide goes ahead by a slim margin. Coach Patterson appears to be a soothsayer because she predicted it would be down to the last two events for each team and perhaps even the last two routines.

on her double layout dismount. Great routine and magnificent toe point and extension. Brittany Comeaux receives a 9.775 for her exhibition bars routine, great landing of the double front. Again, it's terrific to have her back in the line-up. The Tide needs as much depth on this event as possible.

back on the booming double layout. Completed her Shaposhnikova and the Hindorff with no problem. Roll Tide!

step forward (tried to go for the stick). Kearney is the final vaulter with another Yurchenko 1/1 and she walks back and out of it as she lands it. Much better than in warm-ups.

a great set, sticking her dismount (double tuck out of a full turn). Beautiful toe point and extension throughout for a 9.875. Yowza! Filetti's routine will be reviewed on the tape more closely for the post-meet commentary.

Phelan of LSU just received a 9.90 for her Yurchenko 1/1 (stuck it with a slight body shift to the side in place). Butler followed suit with a better one though again the distance from the vault is limited; they are both rewarded with a 9.90.

major release, the Gienger out of a half turn and just rocked her brand new dismount, an Arabian!!!! What a thrill! However, she will be deducted for the limited distance on the landing of this new move because you want to be back further from the high bar to impress the judges. Nevertheless, this is a huge accomplishment for Shannon, she has worked very hard in the pre-season to develop this new skill for her senior campaign on bars.

Yurchenko 1/1 up and down, no distance and a big lunge toward the vault, for a 9.65.

but is pleased with the results. Brion is on the bars and completes the full turn to Tkatchev release and adds another full turn at the end of her routine to a 1/2 turn on the high bar, reverse salto back over the high bar, super landing! Allright! Just missed on at least one of her uprise giants to handstand on the high bar so this will be deducted, along with a slight hop on the landing.

Ashleigh Clare-Kearney. She had trouble in long vault warm-ups and was icing down but will vault tonight (Yurchenko 1/1).

Alexis Brion will go on the bars for the Tide.

on the Tigers. They had a solid turn on the bars and did not have to count Phelan's fall but the Tide can do better, having scored 49.200 last week on this event. Nice double front on the bars by Comeaux during the 3 minute touch but she's not in the line-up unless they make a change.

49.075 on the vault. Annie Gagnon received a 9.90 for the final routine on the bars, which included a Markelov (Khorkina) release move that Bama's Terin Humphrey performs as well.

performed one of the best Yurchenko 1/1s in her young life, sticking the landing and receiving a well-deserved 10 from both judges. She received a standing ovation as well from the partisan crowd. She is all business tonight and is ready to move on to the next event, no celebration except to accept congratulations from her teammates and coaches. The mark of a leader for sure.

intricate pirouetting and a straddle Jaeger. This routine would have scored higher perhaps if she had kept her body lines tighter during the uprises and transition moves but the toe-on 1/2 dismount was landed well.

and landed with a hop back that the judges deducted heavy for (9.725). A 9.75 on the bars for Butler of LSU.

for a 9.725. She is the only gymnast in the nation currently that vaults the Yurchenko 1/2 on - front tuck - 1/2 tuck off. Sophomore Nicki Butler of LSU is through her bars routine and also dismounts with a solid double layout. However, she had some form deductions and missed handstand positions in several places, so that will be the source of her deductions.

move with only a slight separation in the legs and a nice transition to the low bar (pak Salto) and a stuck double layout. She just missed two of her handstands but perhaps wanted to make sure she did not overshoot after the previous fall of her teammate. She receives a 9.90 which appears to be a little high after the missed handstands but the judges were likely impressed with her tight form on the giants and on the double layout, which was the last element they saw.

back on the landing but nice control and form throughout. She receives a 9.80.

which was better than the past two weeks in execution in that she stood it up straighter but had to take a step to the side, chest down a bit. Kelly Phelan of LSU just fell on her Tkatchev release so that will be a major deduction. She finishes with a double tuck.

routine, highlighted by a stuck double layout for a 9.80. There were no major release moves in this routine.

a slight bend of the knee only to stop her movement back.

She will vault a Yurchenko 1/1, which is a round-off back handspring onto the vault table and a full twist in the air off.

Alabama is wearing the same outfit they wore at the Super Six Challenge (burgundy velveteen with a contrasting burgundy metallic panel at the upper bodice and along the left waistline, lots of silver sequins edging seams.

LSU is wearing purple and metallic gray with silver sequins along the contrast lines. Both teams look in terrific physical shape.

gymnasts. She will be performing a Yurchenko 1/1 tonight and a Gienger on the uneven bars. Her beam has a double pike dismount that we are excited to see performed. Last time that difficult dismount was attempted was by our own Kristen Sterner, who is currently in medical school at Michigan State. Hope you're listening and reading tonight Kristen and make sure you're hitting those books!

due to the addition of Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson from ESPN2 on our press row. We will have a much better view of each girl's attempt and be able to analyze the final scores better.

music ensembles (lots of guys in that choir) and we're now ready to warm-up with the 3 minute touch.

crowd as her daughter is introduced as the final competitor tonight for the Tide. Miles has won the SEC Gymnast of the Week title for the past two weeks but won't be on the beam tonight. Her back has been a bit sore from working on her fourth tumbling pass for the floor (double front Arabian) and she was rested this week on the beam as a result. Great chance to get others into the line-up to prepare for the journey ahead.

is introduced for the first time this year and she has a huge smile on her face in response. Go get 'em Cajun!

for each gal.

and now the crowd is roaring for the Crimson Tide. Great crowd on hand tonight. Let's GO!!!!!!

Vault: Diane Callison and Diann Smith

Bars: Pat Ethredge and Anne Vogel

Beam: Diane Callison and Anne Vogel

Floor: Diann Smith and Pat Ethredge

Bars: Kelly, Lea, Kelly Phelan, April Burkholder, Nicki Butler, Lisa Rennie, Annie Gagnon

Vault: Rikki L'Heureux, Annie Gagnon, Kelly Phelan, Nicki Butler, April Burkholder, Jade Jenkins

Floor: Kelly Lea, Lisa Rennie, Terin Martinjak, Nicki Butler, Kelly Phelan, April Burkholder

Beam: Terin M., Annie, Lauren Companioni, Lisa Rennie, Kelly Phelan, April Burkholder

The line-up is looking pretty exciting for tonight from Bama's coaches.

Vault: Shannon, Dana Pierce, Dana Filetti, Brittany, Alexis, Ashley.

Bars: Alexis, Shannon, Dana Filetti, Mari, Ashley, Terin

Beam: Michelle (yeah!), Rachael, Dana Filetti, Mari, Shannon, Terin

Floor: Erin, Shannon, Dana Filetti, Mari, Alexis, Ashley

short on-line career but expect it will be taken care of by meet time. Our webmaster is being contacted for assistance.

front Arabian and Terin Humphrey is now working through her floor routine choreography with Ashley Miles shadowing her.

The teams are now through their warm-up periods and will retire to the locker rooms to prepare for the big show.

compete it tonight. Brion looks super with her whip-bhs-double pike.

difficulty will make Salto swoon for sure. Michelle Reeser had a great beam warm-up and is now working her floor routine.

of LSU. She is a fierce competitor. Lisa Rennie just threw a one-handed back handspring to two layouts but fell on the third element. Nice difficulty from the Bengal Tigers on this event.

on the floor exercise and it looks super, as does Dana Pierce's. Pierce also just threw a terrific double twist to punch front and got some immediate praise from Coach Patterson.

and just missed the 2 1/2 after a 1 1/2 and Shannon was there to greet her with a hearty chuckle before giving her some feedback on what she saw coming down the diagonal line that likely messed her up. It apparently worked because her next one was perfection!

We are finally on live, both audio and internet commentary lines and are ready to give you some Tidebits before the competition begins.

First up, sophomore Brittany Comeaux has warmed up her "pinball" vault and her uneven bars routine and will either compete or exhibit tonight. We think the latter. It's great to see her back out there.

Freshman Terin Humphrey will compete on the uneven bars and balance beam tonight and so far looks terrificly consistent. She will throw the Humphrey (2 1/2 turn on beam with leg extended as her mount), the Kotchetkova (twisting bhs to bhs-layout) and the double tuck dismount.

Alexis Brion is warming up all four events and we will see soon if she is going to perform in the all around tonight.

Texas mommas, Sherine Miles and Carrie Hrozek are here tonight to see their gals shine and we also spotted Danny Pierce and Laura Brion in the stands.