In a close competition at the Kidney Care Championship on Saturday, Auburn earned second, placing closely behind Kentucky with a 197.575. Ohio State followed with a score of 196.250, while Fisk rounded off the competition with a score of 191.525.
Auburn started off strong in the first rotation on the beam. Cassie Stevens and Gabby McLaughlin set the tone for the team, each earning a 9.925. Junior Sophia Groth's steady performance added to the team's strength with a 9.900. Freshman Paige Zancan's debut started with a 9.875, and Aria Brusch capped off the rotation with a 9.850, contributing significantly to Auburn's early lead.
Auburn continued the strong performance transitioning to the floor, earning a total score of 49.525, marking one of its season's best. McLaughlin and Groth once again showcased their talent, each earning a 9.925. Seniors Olivia Hollingsworth and Brusch added to the team's tally with 9.900s. Stevens and freshman Julianne Huff both contributed 9.875s, further solidifying Auburn's position.
The Tigers tackled the vault in the third rotation, delivering a performance resulting in a score of 49.175. Stevens stole the spotlight, and received the event title with a remarkable 9.950, her season's best. Hollingsworth's consistent performance earned her a 9.850, while senior Sydney Schumaker and junior Sara Hubbard then added to the team's tally with strong 9.8s. Despite this score, Auburn fell slightly behind.
The final rotation saw Auburn set a new record on the bars, finishing the meet with a season-best score of 49.400. Brusch led with a 9.950 to tie her career high. Stevens and freshman Olivia Greaves both achieved near-perfection, each earning a 9.900, while Hollingsworth, McLaughlin, and Groth contributed solid 9.825s, ensuring a strong finish for the team.
“To basically go 49.5 on the first two events is huge for us,” said head coach Jeff Graba. “We still have some room for improvement on vault, but to have six 10.0 vaults was a big goal for us. And to finish on bars like that was big and I’m just really excited that our bars team is starting to believe in themselves.”
Stevens stood out this meet, earning a tie for first place in the all-around with a score of 39.650. Stevens' set her self apart this meet from the beginning, securing a tie for second on beam with a formidable 9.925, and claimed the vault title with a season-high 9.950. She also delivered consistent performances on bars and floor, earning scores of 9.900 and 9.875.
“That was probably the most fun we’ve had all season,” Stevens said. “Our energy was really good and we were able to build on each event. We’re really starting to get in our groove and just believing in ourselves and trusting it. I just can’t say enough about the people that lead off our lineups because we can’t build momentum without them hitting for us.”
Brusch delivered an outstanding performance, contributing significantly to the team's success across all her events. Brusch's routine on bars culminated in a stellar 9.950 and an event title.
“I’m really happy with the grit and determination of this group,” Graba said. “All the hard work is really starting to pay off. We started strong, which is something we’ve been working on.”
The Auburn Tigers will go into the 2024 postseason next as the team will travel to to New Orleans for the Southeastern Conference Championship. The meet will take place on March 23 in the Smoothie King Center.
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Grace is a Sophomore majoring in Speech Language Hearing Sciences. She joined the Plainsman in the spring of 2024.
