SEATTLE – The No. 15 Auburn gymnastics team’s run in the postseason came to an end Sunday as the team finished third with a 197.325 in the NCAA Washington Regional Final held in Alaska Airlines Arena on University of Washington’s campus.
Oklahoma won the meet with a 198.450, while Missouri edged Auburn for the final spot at the NCAA Championships with a 197.425. Arizona finished fourth with a 196.250.
“This team has been through so much and I can’t express how genuinely proud I am of this group of young people,” head coach Jeff Graba said. “For them to make this such a tight, competitive meet after all we’ve been through this year is amazing. We had a shot all the way down to the last routine or two. That’s all you can ask for.”
The battle for the top spots was tight from the start as the Sooners opened the meet with a 49.650 on bars, Missouri went 49.550 on floor and Auburn kicked things off with a 49.450 on vault.
The team’s 49.450 to start off the meet tied a program record vault total in NCAA postseason as four Tigers stuck their landings. Sophomore Paige Zancan led the way with yet another beautiful vault, scoring a team-best 9.95. Sophomore Sophia Bell and fifth year Sydney Schumaker each tied career bests with 9.9s on their stuck landings and senior Sara Hubbard stuck her Yurchenko 1.5 to score a 9.875. Sophomore Julianne Huff chipped in a 9.8 to the team score.
“It was great to see vault start off so strong and get us going in the right direction,” Graba said. “We have known for awhile that this is a very good event for us and they showed that today.”
Auburn moved on the bars and scored a 49.275, while Missouri went to vault in rotation two and put together a 49.3 to go ahead 98.850-98.725.
Senior Sophia Groth led the charge, tying a season best with a 9.9 for the squad. Senior Caroline Leonard and sophomores Alex Irvine and Olivia Greaves each had 9.85s, while sophomore Emma Grace Boyd earned a 9.825 for the team.
The Tigers went to beam in rotation three, scoring a 49.225 to Missouri’s 49.3 on bars.
Groth once again led the team with a 9.9 in the fifth spot for the squad. Three Tigers in Zancan, freshman Marissa Neal and fifth year Gabby McLaughlin scored 9.85s and senior Sarah Zois put together a 9.775.
Missouri held a .200 lead on Auburn going into the final rotation where AU closed things out on floor and the other Tiger team headed to beam.
Freshman Olivia Ahern kicked off the rotation with a 9.8 and Zancan followed with a 9.85. Bell had a team-best 9.925 to tie a career high and was followed by two 9.875s from Greaves and McLaughlin. Groth sealed a solid rotation with a 9.85 to give Auburn a 49.375.
Missouri, however, put together a 49.275 on beam to hold off Auburn’s final surge and best AU by .100.
Greaves and McLaughlin secured a spot at the NCAA Championship as individuals based on their scores from Thursday’s meet. Greaves, who shared the uneven bars title, will represent the Tigers in the event. McLaughlin earned a place with her 9.925 on beam.
“I’m very proud of Liv and Gabby,” Graba said. “This is a well-deserved opportunity for the two of them. It was a tough meet to qualify out of and it’s amazing that we have two of the four event qualifiers going. I’m very proud of them and looking forward to representing Auburn in Fort Worth.”
Greaves and McLaughlin will compete in the NCAA Championships Semifinals, April 17, in Fort Worth, Texas. The national meet will be held at Dickies Arena.
