Auburn Gymnastics posts season-high 197.750 in top-10 win over LSU

After No. 5 Auburn took a narrow defeat at No. 11 Alabama last Friday, head coach Jeff Graba said, “I think you’ve got to be a 198 team to win the national championship. Clean some things up and just keep going.”

His team took a giant step forward in reaching that goal Friday night by posting a season-high 197.750 in a win over No. 9 LSU in front of a sellout crowd at Neville Arena.

After taking a 49.325-49.275 lead through the first rotation, Auburn suffered a setback as LSU’s Aleah Finnegan scored a 10.0 on vault. It would not take long for Auburn to respond, as suni lee closed the rotation by posting a 10.0 of her own on bars, which was her third perfect score over the last two meets and her first 10.0 on bars in front of the home crowd at Neville Arena.

“I didn’t even know it was my first time getting a 10 here at Neville Arena on bars,” Lee said following the meet. “(It was) a super-amazing feeling.”

At the halfway point, Auburn led LSU, 98.825-98.625.

The second half of Friday’s meet got off to a great start for Auburn, as Lee and Olivia Hollingsworth each grabbed a 9.9 on beam to stay ahead of the upset-minded Tigers from Baton Rouge.

“I was most impressed with beam,” Graba said following the meet. “That says a lot about our mentality and focus.”

Auburn already held a lead over LSU heading to floor, but a dominating performance by Auburn in the event solidified the impressive win.

Hollingsworth and Sophia Groth started off with 9.9’s, which boosted the already electric atmosphere for Cassie Stevens, Suni Lee, and Derrian Gobourne to close out the meet with great performances.

The trio did just that, as Stevens scored 9.900 while Lee and Gobourne scored 9.975.

“The energy was crazy tonight. It’s always so special every time I end on floor,” Gobourne said of Auburn’s floor performance. “We wanted to be strong and get it done. It was special to see everyone go out there and show out and not be afraid of the crowd, the judges, or the scores. Everyone really shining their light was so special to see.”

As for the goal of reaching a 198 overall score? Graba says that his team’s preparations are setting a favorable path to achieving the target.

“We’re proving that we’re a 198 team if we can put all four events together,” Auburn coach Jeff Graba said. “We’ve got to refine some stuff but we’re also pressing really hard to get to that 198. It’s a balancing act right now.”

Next up for Auburn is a trip to Columbia to face Missouri. Auburn and Missouri will meet next Sunday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m. CT.

Vault Scores

Bars Scores

Beam Scores

Floor Scores

Friday's SEC scores

Story originally appeared on Auburn Wire