On Friday, Auburn gymnastics won its first meet of the season with a season-best score and set multiple records along the way. The No. 19 Tigers took home their first win of the season by a score of 197.050-196.100 against No. 12 Georgia. Auburn set a total of nine different career-bests or tied them over the duration of the meet. Auburn's Derrian Gobourne won three event titles, while teammate Cassie Stevens took home the all-around title.
“I told the girls I was really proud of them,” said head coach Jeff Graba. “They did what we asked them to do all week which was start fast and to stay as a group, as a team. They fought through some adversity as well.” Gobourne was on fire, winning three event titles, two of which were career-best. Gobourne anchored on bars, winning the bars title with a 9.95. She also produced a Yurchenko 1.5 tuck on the vault to secure her a 9.925 and the event title.
She rounded out on the floor with a 9.925, winning the event title. Stevens was also a powerhouse for the Tigers as she was the only one to compete in the all-around. Stevens finished with a 39.45 overall leading on bars and beam, both with a 9.875. She also hit a 9.9 on the floor to give her three career-highs off of her top scores.
Stevens took home the all-around event title to wrap up her evening.
“I thought it was a really good night all around,” Stevens said. “I thought our team did a really good job of staying together and having our own energy, but it being authentic energy. Sometimes it’s a little bit hard and you have to manufacture it, but tonight we were all there for each other, we all wanted it, we all wanted it for each other. Honestly, it was just really fun.”
The Tigers started strong on vault with a 49.225 to take the first lead over Georgia by 0.175. This is a season-high for Auburn that was built up by individual season highs.
Senior Drew Watson and Gobourne both produced back-to-back Yurchenko 1.5 tucks. This gave each of them season-highs of 9.9 and 9.925, respectively.
Rotation two put Auburn on the bars where they continued to break records with four career-best or ties for best. Sophomore Anna Sumners led and hit her career-high with a 9.85. Stevens tied her career-best with a 9.875 as she continued in the all-around.
Sophomore Aria Brusch pushed the Tigers average further with a 9.925 to complete her career-best as well.
These individual wins, plus Gobourne’s event title, gave Auburn another season-best 49.475 on bars. This also let the Tigers hold the lead over Georgia through rotation two at 98.700-98.375.
Auburn’s pace may have slowed on the beam, but it did not stop the Tigers from producing more career-bests. Freshman Olivia Hollingsworth and Stevens were the two to record a career-high on beam with a 9.8 and a 9.875.
The Tigers ended rotation three with an average of 49.000 and still led the Bulldogs.
“We went to beam and that wasn’t what we wanted to do,” Graba said. “We keep trying to find a clicking lineup on beam and we feel like we’re almost there, but that was a challenge. For a young squad to go to floor after that and suddenly be in a game again. I felt like they did a really good job of cutting loose and doing what they’re capable of on floor.”
The Tigers officially secured their win on the floor. The floor saw three career-highs. Sophomore Adeline Sabados tied her career-best with a 9.775. Hollingsworth continued her pattern with another career-high of 9.875. Following her was Stevens with a 9.9.
Gobourne anchored with the power she has been producing all season to solidify that Tiger win.
“I’m never really aware of any records we’re setting at the time,” Graba said. “I just feel like we’re doing a good job and improving. But it’s not surprising to me that we got on a roll like that. I really feel like that’s what we’ve been pushing. They’ve been getting close to that and there’s more in the tank. To me, that’s a really good step and I’m really excited to see that they did it.”
Auburn's next meet is on Friday as the Tigers will be on the road against No. 1 Florida. The meet will air live on the SEC Network and will start at 7:30 p.m. CST.
*Article was first published with The Auburn Plainsman
*Photos belong to Auburn Athletics
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