The No. 15 Auburn gymnastics team came up short Friday against No. 7 Missouri with a total of 196.7 on Senior Night at Neville Arena. The Tigers delivered a close match-up with many strong individual performances. Alex Irvine delivered the meet’s top routine, and Julianne Huff claimed the all-around title. Missouri’s consistency across all four events secured the road victory with a close 197.325.
This meet marked the 10th time this season Huff competed in the all-around. She delivered another high-quality performance, scoring 39.25 to win the title.
The Tigers opened on vault, building momentum with a string of powerful performances. Paige Zancan landed her one-of-a-kind vault to earn a 9.9, Auburn’s top score. She shared the event title with Missouri’s Hannah Horton. Olivia Greaves and Mia Leverton led the charge with 9.8s, and followed up with 9.85s from Marissa Neal and Huff.
The bars featured Irvine’s standout routine, in which she closed out the event with a career-high 9.95. This was the highest score of the night for both teams. Despite this routine, Missouri took the lead with two 9.9s and a 9.925 on bars, heading into the second rotation with a 49.425-49.2.
“I knew coming into this meet that I had to rev it back up again,” said Irvine. “Attack the same way I do in practice. It hasn’t done me wrong yet. It felt good seeing the score.”
Auburn regrouped after a fall in the third spot, responding with a 9.875 from Greaves, tying her season high, and 9.8 from Emma Grace Boyd. Huff opened the rotation with a 9.8, followed by Charlotte Booth with a 9.725, totaling to a 49.15 bar score.
“Good approach at the end. You’re seeing a team that’s putting a little too much pressure on themselves. They feel some doubt, especially bars,” said Auburn head coach Jeff Graba.
Missouri continued its steady performance on vault, scoring a 49.325 to take a lead of 98.75-98.35 halfway through the meet.
Irvine once again excelled on beam, leading Auburn with a 9.9 to share the event title. Olivia Ahern opened beam with a 9.875, and Huff matched the score in the third spot. Hanna Hagle, Auburn’s sole senior, contributed a 9.75. Neal earned a 9.65 to solidify the Tigers' position at 49.05 on beam and a total of 147.4 across the three rotations.
“She’s so mentally tough,” Graba said of Irvine, whose role in the lineup has steadily expanded throughout her two seasons on the Plains. “She’s really on her game. She’s enjoying the process right now.”
Missouri totaled a 49.3 on the floor, underscored by Horton and Kennedy Griffin both earning 9.9s. Greaves anchored with a 9.875, Irvine and Bryn Bartman led off with 9.825s, and in the middle of the lineup, Ahern scored a 9.85. Highlighting the event, Neal scored a 9.925, marking her third floor event title of the season and eighth overall, and resulting in Auburn matching Missouri’s 49.3.
“Her landings are great,” Graba said of Neal. “She’s healthy. This is what she’s capable of. Really impressed with Marissa.”
Missouri finished the meet with a 49.275 on beam, bringing its total to 197.325.
“The last two events were a pretty good representation of where we are. We’ve just got to eliminate some mistakes.”
“It’s a good way to wrap up a regular season,” Graba said. “We’ve had some really good runs and gotten close to putting all four events together. We need to do that at SECs because the very next meet, it’s all or nothing. At some point, you’ve got to eliminate doubt and go play the game.”
Now that the regular season has concluded, Auburn will prepare for the SEC Championships next Saturday, March 21, at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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