After losing at home to Florida 197.875-194.750, Auburn must find a way to regain its rhythm this week before a road test in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Last Friday night’s meet against the Gators was one Auburn’s gymnasts want to forget as mistakes piled up and the score ended up being the Tigers’ second-lowest of the season.
"We have decided as a team to put everything in the past," said senior Skyler Sheppard.
Assistant coach Ashley Johnston spoke about how the team can learn to battle through facing adversity in a meet.
"We have to learn how to thrive through them, and not just survive through them," Johnston said.
Auburn did not come out with its typical energy on vault Friday night and the team created an insurmountable deficit on beam.
Although the team went through a tough meet Friday, one of the brightest stars on the floor was senior Gracie Day. Day was named the SEC Specialist of the Week after tying a career-high on vault and setting a season-high on bars and floor. Day has been building momentum over the past few meets, and Auburn will rely on her to stay hot against the Razorbacks.
Now as the Tigers enter the late part of the regular season schedule, Auburn’s success is going to depend on if it can work together to execute under pressure.
"We're a family; we're a unit. We just have to stay within ourselves," Johnston said.
Much of the talk around the team this week has been about not trying to overachieve and just focusing on what each person can do to help the team.
One of the things that will play into this week’s matchup will be how the Tigers can handle a road environment at this stage in the season. Senior Emma Slappey talked about how she feels that away crowds can motivate her.
“For an away crowd, they all hate you. It’s fun to play with that energy,” Slappey said.
Slappey also mentioned how the order of the events on the road are sometimes more favorable where beam is the last event for her.
While the team is young this year, there are plenty of seniors on the team who are looking to contribute in a big way these last few meets.
"We want to leave Auburn leaving a good imprint on everyone who's here," Sheppard said.
Auburn will travel to Fayetteville this week to face the Razorbacks at 6:30 p.m. CST in a big SEC matchup for the Tigers. The meet will be Auburn's penultimate conference showdown this season.
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