Coming off three straight SEC losses Auburn was able to find a win Friday night in Fayetteville against the Razorbacks, 196.500-196.025.
The win was huge in terms of gaining momentum for the postseason for Auburn, and the team still knows it has a lot left in the tank. The Tigers’ last home meet is Friday night against Texas Woman’s University.
"It's just got to be another step in the process," said Auburn head coach Jeff Graba.
This step was a pivotal one for the Tigers as they picked up their first road win in the SEC against the No. 14 Razorbacks. Coach Graba was content with the results of the meet and saw his young team grow up Friday night.
"Good things happen when you stay together as a group," Graba said.
The 196.500 for Auburn set a season-high road score, and the win moved the Tigers to 4-6 on the season. Auburn played off each other well in a hostile environment where it had not won since 2014.
"I think they actually started to believe that the system works," Graba said.
Graba spoke a lot about the system Tuesday and this seems like the best time to reiterate how important it is for his athletes to stay within themselves.
"I think it was a really good recipe. It proved to us that the recipe works," said junior Drew Watson.
Watson was one of the stars of Friday night’s matchup as she achieved a career-high on the vault with a score of 9.975. Watson is ranked sixth nationally on vault with a 9.910 NQS.
"It's just nice knowing that I can contribute to a really good team vault score," Watson said.
The junior from Tyler, Texas, has been a catalyst for the Tigers’ success on vault all season.
One thing to keep an eye on as the team gets into the late part of the season is how the Tigers move in the NQS rankings. The first rankings of the year came out this week with Auburn at No. 15.
"We have to stay in the top 16. I think if we stay in the top-16 we are in a really good position for the postseason," Graba said.
The Tigers have one more meet to perform in front of their home fans this season and that will be Friday night. The athletes are excited to see their home crowd come support the hard work of the team on Senior Night.
Aria Brusch talked about how the seniors have made her feel at home far away from her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.
"I’m thankful for them making me feel welcome here," Brusch said.
It should be an emotional night for many of the athletes as they get to perform at home for the last time with so many friends.
"I think that it's a sad night but it's really rewarding for them," Watson said.
The Tigers will look to put on one last strong home performance Friday night at 7 p.m. CST in Auburn Arena. The matchup against Texas Woman’s University will be a chance for Auburn to display its talent as the postseason inches closer.
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