In just its second meet of the season, No. 11 Auburn scored a 197.025, led by a big floor rotation. The No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats took home the win in the meet with their 197.475.
“Really proud of the team,” said head coach Jeff Graba. “Just really proud with the way they dealt with adversity and love the fact that we’re continuing to give new people opportunities and we will continue to do that. But the main job tonight was to fight and get a little bit better.”
As the home team, the Tigers competed in Olympic order – beginning on vault. Auburn scored a 49.275 on the apparatus, up from a 49.050 in its first meet. Sydney Schumaker led the way for Auburn with a 9.900 as the second gymnast to compete. Schumaker’s score, thus far in the young season, is the only 9.900 the Tigers have gotten on vault and tied for the highest vault score of the meet.
Every score the Tigers counted in the rotation was a 9.800 or better, with Auburn dropping a 9.775. After one rotation, the Tigers were up 49.275 to 49.175.
The Tigers’ second rotation brought them to the uneven bars. In Auburn’s first routine of the rotation, Hannah Hagle suffered a miscue on her transition to the low bar and scored a 9.200. The next five gymnasts, however, all hit their routines, allowing Auburn to drop the low score.
Each of Auburn’s five counted scores were in the 9.800 range, with the highest being a 9.875 by Gabby McLaughlin. With a good rotation on the vault, however, Kentucky surged into the lead halfway through the meet, with the Wildcats leading 98.550 to 98.475.
Auburn’s greatest struggle of the meet came on the balance beam. Aria Brusch suffered a rare miscue on her beam routine, with a big wobble on her second acro series resulting in a 9.650 score – unusually low for the senior. In addition, Julianne Huff suffered a fall on her routine.
“I know we’ve had a rocky start on beam,” said junior Sophia Groth. “And I think that was a struggle event for us last year. But I think it’s all mental at this point. And we physically can be there.”
Groth, having to follow a fall for the third time in eight routines this season, earned a much-needed 9.900, setting the tone for the Tigers to end the event strong. Cassie Stevens scored a 9.825 and Gabby McLaughlin scored a 9.900 to finish the Tigers’ third rotation, salvaging a score of 49.125 for the Tigers – their worst event of the meet.
“We had a couple of mistakes,” Groth said. “We had a couple of last-minute changes and we were able to adapt to that and really just finish out strong with myself, Cassie and Gabby.”
As the Tigers had their lowest score of the meet, the Wildcats had their best on their floor exercise, where they scored a 49.500. The Wildcats’ floor score was tied for the second-best by any team in the nation thus far this season, based on scores coming into the meet. Auburn trailed 148.050 to 147.600 after three rotations.
The Tigers saved their best rotation for last. They scored a 49.425 on the floor exercise, with three gymnasts getting scores of 9.900 or better.
The Tigers were led by Olivia Hollingsworth on the event, who scored a 9.925 in the Tigers’ anchor position.
“(Hollingsworth) is consistent,” Graba said. “Her strength has always been her consistency. And now she’s consistent at a higher level.”
McLaughlin and Groth received 9.900s. The lowest score Auburn had on the event was a 9.850, scored by three gymnasts, one of which was dropped.
Though the Wildcats also scored a 49.425 on their beam rotation and won the meet 197.425 to 197.025, the sellout crowd at Neville Arena had plenty to cheer for as the Tigers broke the 197 mark in just their second meet.
“I think it’s great,” Groth said. “To know that we got a 197 tonight is great…so I’m happy.”
The Tigers’ schedule does not get any easier, as they remain home to face Florida next week.
“I love it,” McLaughlin said. “I view it more as like a challenge, obviously, because we’ve got to step up our game and obviously keep on building from the previous meet. So I’m really excited for Florida next week and the energy is going to be crazy.”
The meet against the Gators will take place on Friday, Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. CST and will be televised on the SEC Network.
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Matthew is a senior from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in journalism. He started with The Plainsman in fall 2021.
Twitter: @mattwallaceAU
