The Auburn Tigers and the Arkansas Razorbacks met up last Friday night to flip it out at the Auburn Arena, where the Tigers claimed an overall victory over the Razorbacks with a final team score of Auburn 196.325 to Arkansas's 195.65.
The meet was full of energy as gymnasts took on the beam, vault, bars and floor competitions and new records were set by some.
On vault, Arkansas gymnast Katherine Grable and Auburn's Caitlyn Atkinson tied for first with a score of 9.925; on bars Arkansas' Shelby Salmon finished first with a 9.9; on the beam, Auburn's Megan Walker tied with Arkansas' Ketherine Grable with a score of 9.875, and Auburn's Brianna Guy took first on the floor with a score of 9.9.
Although Guy, sophomore gymnast, wasn't able to hold her balance on the beams, she was still able to set a new personal overall record of 38.875.
"She's so fun to watch. She's such a tough competitor and she brings her A-game every night," said Jeff Graba, gymnastics coach. "It's good to see her really start to flourish right now."
Graba says that he felt pretty good about the meet.
"We've got some girls dinged up and we had to rest some people and put some new people in and they handled the pressure really well," Graba said. "I think we're becoming a deeper team."
Graba said that the team has been on the road for four of the last five weeks and it's taken its toll as the team is pretty beat up.
Graba attributed the team's success to taking the week before the meet off for rest.
"I think we were a little bit sloppy on some stuff but we needed to rest because we were pretty beat up," Graba said.
Fans were out in full force as the team competed in events, cheering the team on their overall victory.
"We started painting up in the old coliseum," said Andrew Thigpen of Auburn Gymnasty'. "We come to every home meet."
Thigpen said that the group has had up to about 20 to 25 people painting in support of the team.
"I just love gymnastics and my friend was in town so I wanted to show her something fun," said Abrianna Welch, meet attendee.
The team set a season high at the Feb. 1 meet over Missouri of 196.725.
The team will take on the University of Alabama in their next meet on Friday, Feb. 15 in Tuscaloosa at 7:30 p.m.
Graba said he hopes the team can continue to heal and this was a great step.
"It's a good score for us," Graba said. "And it was a good win."
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