LIVE BLOG: No. 6 Georgia at No. 13 Auburn

Event Coverage, NCAA WAG
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If I had to sum up tonight’s contest in Auburn Arena with one word, I’d probably choose “growth.” Because, wow, have Georgia and Auburn grown since last season. We have two teams competing who are doing considerably better than they were at this point last year. Georgia’s jump might be higher (it’s ranked five places higher than it was after week three of 2018, compared to three places for Auburn), but Auburn especially seems to be playing with a lot of depth and using it to its full advantage. The first week score might not reflect this, but the past few meets (particularly the LSU win) have shown a synergy among the team across almost every event that I haven’t seen from Auburn in some time.

The same goes for Georgia, whose freshman class has added similar depth it could have only dreamed of last season. The team’s double header last weekend brought solid results for the team, though nothing happened that the team should be seriously concerned about (except, you know, the beam breaking during the Monday meet). It even got to a 197 team score. I expect a slight dip in scores tonight now that the team has left Athens, but nothing more than usual. If anything, the scores should be especially on par with Auburn’s tonight, which should make the matchup all the more exciting.

I’ve mentioned this before, but it really seems that this year’s SEC matchups have been more exciting and unpredictable than they’ve ever been. These names might not signal the most high-profile contest tonight, but I can’t wait for it nonetheless.

Georgia leos and tentative lineups are already in!

Nothing from Auburn yet, but we do have John and Alicia commenting tonight. I wish I could be as happy in life as the cameraman in the back.

Hey to everyone tuning in! Finishing up Kentucky at Florida but we’ll be up and running soon.

Rotation 1: Auburn VT / Georgia UB

I mean I guess I’m grateful for that Florida/Kentucky recap because I didn’t get to watch it, but…I’m ready for this one to start now…

Here’s Auburn’s lineup at last:

Krippner VT (Auburn): Good block on the full with a little hop. The commentators see a 1.5 in the future for her and I agree. 9.875.

FYI- I’m calling Roethlisberger JRoeth because typing laziness.

Snead UB (UGA): Lovely handstands and a great Tkatchev release. DLO a little under-rotated and lands with her chest down and a step forward. Pretty good until that point 🙁 9.775.

Day VT (Auburn): 1.5. Veryyyyyy close to a stick but there was a tiny movement. Still an excellent landing and I wouldn’t be surprised if it fools the judges. 9.900.

Roberts UB (Georgia): Good shap. So much height on the DLO but it’s a little piked. But wow, she flies. Love seeing her have a better routine after last week’s debut! 9.850.

Philllips VT (Auburn): Full. Big hop on the landing but she gets lots of distance. 9.825.

Al-Hameed UB (Georgia): Sails on the Tkatchev as always. Close on that handstand but she makes it over. And a little hop on the double tuck dismount. 9.650 because of that handstand.

Gobourne VT (Auburn): 1.5 with a step and some crunchy knees. 9.825.

Schild UB (Georgia): Another big release in the Georgia lineup. Some legs on the Pak. A little late on the pirouette. DLO a little piked and a little step. 9.725.

Watson VT (Auburn): 1.5 with legs a little bent in the air. Landing good enough but another step. 9.825.

Dickson UB (Georgia): Great release. Missed some of the middle but going in for the FTDLO dismount…landed pretty deep with bent knees. 9.800.

Glenn VT (Auburn): 1.5 Bit of a crazy landing (lots of power) but she gets it around. Not her best. 9.750.

Lukacs UB (Georgia): Dickson anchoring because Oakley is resting. Tkatchev and…falls. Goes for it again, much better. Catches the Pak pretty close and seems to lose the flow in the routine. Sticks the DLO dismount though…that’s the way to end it, I guess! 8.725.

After 1: Auburn 49.250 / Georgia UB 48.800

Welp, some nerves to shake out. Georgia likely feeling the double meet last weekend and a short break in between meets; handstands just weren’t where they could be and dismount landings also suffered. Auburn had similar landing issues with those 10.0 vaults, especially. They’ll want a reprisal of their lights out bar rotation at home a few weeks ago.

LOL so we’re having the “J&A Academy” where JRoeth and Alicia explain us the importance of…landings? This will all be for naught if Carol makes a post-Florida appearance tonight. But props to SEC for the caricature graphics.

Rotation 2: Auburn UB / Georgia VT

We’ve seen these for a few weeks but I really appreciate these graphics. Do you need much more than this?

Magee VT (Georgia): Full, elbows a little bent on the table and lands with her chest down a bit. 9.825.

Watson UB (Auburn): Nice release. Toe shoot to bail. Handstands aren’t quiteee there but nothing serious. Full-in with a hop. 9.750. Low?

Baumann VT (Georgia): Her debut on this event! Full with a sizable bounce back. 9.800.

Krippner UB (Auburn): Great Shap. Missed her feet on the toe circle…weird. Finishes nicely with the dismount but another hop. 9.700.

Vega VT (Georgia): Nice full. Stuck? Looked like a tiny hop to me but the commentators say so. 9.900.

Gobourne UB (Auburn): Tkatchev to Pak pretty nice. Handstands the tiniest bit off but good. Full-in landed pretty low and crunchy but it’s a stick. 9.800.

When you realize the commentator (Alicia) and the gymnast (Sabrina) were on the worlds team together in 2011…

Dickson VT (Georgia): Omelianchik. Landing goes a little forward but pretty nice. 9.900.

Didn’t mention the fact that Kupets did the Omelianchik too. Maybe because it’s a Georgia away meet.

Cerio UB (Auburn): Gorgeous handstand into the piked Jaeger. Double back almost a stick but she stumbles back out of it. 9.825.

“They’re not giving the college stick for that” -Alicia. Didn’t think people used that term outside of the Gymternet…but I guess she’s one of us?

Lukacs VT (Georgia): Only goes for the full tonight! Safety precaution? 9.875.

Milliet UB (Auburn): Tkatchev a little close. Pak is huge and great leg form! Went over a tiny bit on that last handstand and has essentially an identical landing to Cerio. Unfortunate ending. 9.800.

Day UB (Auburn): Big air on the Jaeger to bail. Pseudo-stick on the Arabian dismount but it’s nice nonetheless. 9.8750.

After 2: Georgia 98.300 / Auburn 98.200

We’re told it’s a season high for Georgia on vault. I’d agree with that scoring; much better than that bars rotation. Landings weren’t perfect but, again, made up for some of the bars dismounts. Auburn also made up for lost ground on bars, but the scores didn’t get as high as they’d have liked. But again, an improvement from rotation 1.

“The belly of the beast” is an unusual yet accurate place to describe a gymnastics arena.

LOL…JRoeth interviewing the guys in front of the student section who yell at the away team while they go on vault. Self-described as “obnoxious.” JRoeth wants to be a part of it, do you think they know he did gymnastics? Do they know men’s gymnastics is a thing?

That descended into chaos so quickly. Let’s see Bart do that next week and I’ll believe.

Rotation 3: Auburn BB / Georgia FX

I’m honestly surprised to hear JRoeth back in the booth…didn’t think he’d return after that XD

Watson BB (Auburn): Has to correct on her series but it’s good. Bang on side aerial. Switch to straddle, good. 1.5 landing with a tiny hop, but very graceful. 9.800.

Baumann FX (Georgia): Double back with a shuffle on the landing. Double pike, looked a bit awkward as she landed. Gorgeous switch ring to switch side. Finishes with a 1.5 to front lay, again a little hop. 9.600.

Alicia might be the first person I’ve heard describe gymnastics as “politically correct.”

Gobourne BB (Auburn): Has to correct her series too but she stays on..that was close. Crazy legs on the side aerial and another check. Leaps a little off. Sticks the double full dismount…decisive! 9.800.

Davis FX (Georgia): Weird false start? 2.5 twist. Double tuck very low. 1.5 to front lay to front tuck. Love punch passes like that. 9.700.

Can someone lmk whose elite music that was (at least the beginning)…Hundley?

JRoeth says Suzanne has “kinda stepped back” in this new coaching rule. Right, and the sky is green.

Krippner BB (Auburn): Missed the series but okay I think. Beat jump to Yang Bo. One of my fave skills. Sticks the 1.5 dismount. Here’s the landings Auburn’s been looking for. 9.850.

Snead FX (Georgia): Good double tuck. Straddle full with lovely extension. 1.5 to Shushunova, effortless! So close to being OOB on the double pike but she stays in. Nice one. 9.800.

If you’ve read my live blogs, you know I love to scout out the fashion…and Suzanne is serving as always with that dress!!

Sheppard BB (Auburn): A little off on the series but what a great cover with the flamingo legs. Doesn’t do the same on the side aerial though, but she stays on. 1.5 dismount with a hop. 9.775.

The landings are here for Auburn, but there’s an overall tentative vibe for the rest of the routines.

Lukacs FX (Georgia): Double layout with crunched knees. Chest down but it was controlled. Whip 1.5 front tuck, short on it but she got the front tuck…close though. Switch side to straddle. Better landing on the double pike but just a little low again. 9.825.

Milliet BB (Auburn): Punch front mount, right on. Some legs on the series and another check. Split to sheep jump nice, great amplitude. Landing seems almost stuck. 9.850.

Alicia praises the punch front mount and comments how “no one likes starting their routine with a fall.” Ouch…

Lukacs FX (Georgia): Double arabian, yikes landing on one leg. Stays in bounds. 1.5 to front lay. Double pike was redemptive but that first pass will cause a dent in the score. 9.675.

I like that we’ve heard that music before but it’s a different take on it.

Sylvia BB (Auburn): Nice full turn and great aerial to Rufolva. I thought this beam music was “Thank U, Next” but it’s some other song I don’t know. Gainer full dismount with a slight check. 9.875.

Vega FX (Georgia): Lovely double pike. Nice 1.5 lay to sissone, you don’t expect that last leap. Tour jete half not quite in position. Strong double tuck to end it. Good one. 9.925.

After 3: Auburn 147.475 / Georgia 147.125

Beam wasn’t perfect for Auburn but they’re still fighting back. Covering the checks scarily well, too. Georgia had some hairy first passes that kept the overall score below a 49, but you can tell the confidence is there that they’ll bounce back after a full week of rest.

Rotation 4: Auburn FX / Georgia BB

Another Florida/Kentucky recap?

Snead BB (Georgia): Great and unique triple series. Punch front pretty deep but she saves it. Double full is almostttt a stick but no, it’s a slight slide. 9.875.

Slappey FX (Auburn): I don’t care what other people say about the best names in the NCAA, this will always be it for me. First pass didn’t catch but it got cheers. Great switch to stag and ends nice double tuck. 9.825.

Dickson BB (Georgia): Aerial to straddle, nice. BHS LOSO perfect landing. Switch leap to split jump. She seems confident as heck. 1.5 dismount with a little hop. Okay, Georgia! 9.850.

Sheppard FX (Georgia): Switch side to straddle, gorgeous positions. Love this choreo in the middle. 1.5 to front lay almost out, but she keeps it in. 9.850.

Schild BB (Georgia): Love her press mount. Nice position on the leaps. Off on her series 🙁 pressure is on Georgia now. Beat jump to sheep jump a tiny bit off. Dismounts pretty close to the beam but it’s a good landing. 9.150.

I have this remix of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” on my Spotify!

Watson FX (Auburn): Double Arabian, great landing!! Double tuck a little shaky on the landing but so much height. 1.5 to front lay really nice too. A great score for the middle of the lineup. 9.800…a little low?

Magee BB (Georgia): Good series and leap combo. 1.5 dismount and one foot goes off the mat…she stays on though. Great routine up to that point. 9.750.

Gobourne FX (Auburn): Double tuck is sooooo big. Bringing the energy tonight, like usual…middle pass very controlled. Double pike perfect chest position. 9.950.

She gets the stick…stick. An actual stick. What a time to be alive.

Baumann BB (Georgia): Lovely series. Leaps are so on point especially considering the cheers in the background. So much poise. Double full dismount with that pseudo-stick…slides her feet together but a wonderful routine. 9.875.

Milliet FX (Auburn): She needs a 9.600 for the win. Double pike very nice. 1.5 to front lay, a little wacky landing with a leg up but she’s on her feet. Should be good enough. 9.850.

Vega BB (Georgia): Let’s see if she finishes out strong. Excellent position on leaps- a strength of Georgia’s tonight overall. Switch to Yang Bo. BHS LOSO LOSO on point and sticks the dismount.

Cerio FX (Auburn): A formality for her to go. She has a job lined up already for after graduation…damn girl! Double front deep but a very solid landing. Second pass under-rotated a little goofy with a leg up. Love the next LOSO as part of her choreo though. Very solid last pass. Came to slay nonetheless.

And with that, Auburn is 4 for 4 on wins this season! No 197 for them yet, but that’s an accomplishment nonetheless. As for Georgia, I’d say it wasn’t as yikes as it might seem. That double meet weekend had to have been a lot, and I expect they’ll build on the good moments from tonight in the meets to come.

FINAL: Auburn 196.775 / Georgia 196.400

Live blog by Katherine Weaver

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