Auburn gymnastics sets season best against No. 2 LSU

The Auburn gymnastics squad faced a tough opponent in the top-ranked LSU Tigers, and though they fell to the No. 2 team it was a record-setting night in Auburn Arena.

The Auburn squad earned season-high scores in Beam, Vault, and Floor, keeping them neck and neck with LSU down to the wire.

In the first rotation–Vault–Payton Smith tied her career-best score with a 9.775, and Derrian Gobourne and Cassie Stevens tied their season-best scores with a 9.9 and 9.8 respectively. Drew Watson set a new season-high score with a 9.875.

Next Auburn moved to Bars, and all five competitors with counted scores marked new season or career bests. The Tigers finished the event with a 49. 450 and Piper Smith, Adeline Sabados, Cassie Stevens, and Aria Brusch all earned career-high scores.

Auburn gymnastics took on the beam in the third rotation and found similar success to the first two–all five counted scores either tying or beating season or career bests. Gabby McLaughlin led the pack with a 9.925, a career-high, while Drew Watson, Meredith Sylvia, and Cassie Stevens beat their season bests.

The Tigers hit the floor for the last rotation, and the 49.200 total score was a season-best for the team. Derrian Gobourne, Drew Watson, Cassie Stevens, and Olivia Hollingsworth all tied or beat their career-high scores.

Overall, 19 season or career-highs were reached for the Auburn gymnastics squad and they earned a total score of 197.075, falling right below the LSU Tigers at 197.550. Gobourne won the Vault and Floor event titles, and McLaughlin won the Beam title.

Auburn’s next gymnastics meet will be at No. 27 Missouri on February 12.