Last week’s match up between this pair was a little underwhelming with beam errors from both teams holding them back from their potential, so we’re hoping for a more exciting competition today. Alabama is incredibly consistent in 2019 with all of its six RQS scores falling within two tenths, but it’s continually fallen just short of the 197 mark and could use a boost of confidence. Auburn has firepower to spare and is capable of stringing a full meet together, but its daring gymnastics comes at the cost of consistency. Alabama is definitely the favorite today, but in some ways Auburn is the better team, and it’s a treat to see the Tigers getting a second crack at the upset today.
We’re also excited to see Elevate the Stage’s meet director, Kayla Williams in action today. This rivalry meet must be special for the Alabama alum, and I’m hoping the stream shows some of her reactions.
ROTATION 1: ALABAMA VAULT, AUBURN BARS
Think I missed a few routines at the top! It started VERY suddenly at… half an hour past the scheduled start.
ARMBRECHT – ALABAMA: Nice full, bit pikey, stuck or as good as. 9.875
KRIPPNER – AUBURN: Maloney to bail, leg split on the backswing, toe on, FTDB dismount, coach in the way of the landing so I don’t know how good it was.
GASKINS – ALABAMA: Gorgeous full, great body position, big hop back. 9.7
GOBOURNE – AUBURN: Great Tkachev, love the feet… oh good the camera moved so the coach won’t be in the way any more. FTDB STUCK. Bit of leg stagger but still cool.
OLSEN – ALABAMA: Pretty much the usual. DTY, little bit of legs, small hop. 9.875
CERIO – AUBURN: Clear hip blind to pike Jaeger, really nice, blind full double back with a little hop.
Arena audio just kicked in thank goodness! It was super weird to hear the commentator shuffling papers all the time.
GRABER – ALABAMA: One and a half, opens up way too soon, it’s pretty but comes in short and takes a stumble back to keep her on her feet.
MILLIET – AUBURN: Toe on to Ray, beauuutiful, Pak. Blind full double back, step forward.
Auburn not getting the landings but these routines are so good.
GUERRA – ALABAMA: One and a half… tries to pretend it’s stuck but no way. Yelling at the crowd. 9.925
DAY – AUBURN: Toe on toe blind Jaeger to overshoot, lovely, double arabian and adjusts her feet to salute. So pretty.
Auburn exhibition – Moss maybe?? – does a clear hip to Gienger, great bail, double layout stuck.
ALABAMA 49.225 – AUBURN 49.175
This commentator is SO committed to the pronunciation of Guerra. Auburn bars technique is just incredible this year.
ROTATION 2: AUBURN VAULT, ALABAMA BARS
BECKER – AUBURN: Nice full, touch of pike, small hop back and to one side. 9.75
DICKSON – ALABAMA: Bail, toe on to Tkachev, this routine has an unbelievable number of giants. Half in half out, off balance with a step. 9.8
GLENN – AUBURN: Saw her bomb this in qualifying, hoping for the best now. One and a half, yeah it’s short… bounds back, keeps it on her feet with two big steps that almost take her off the mat. 9.575
GRABER – ALABAMA: Full turn to Gienger, BIG leg sep, bail is okay, full in dismount with leg form and a hop. 9.8
DAY – AUBURN: One and a half, quick step back. Looked like she landed on her heels but hung onto it. 9.675
CHILDERS – ALABAMA: Toe on to Maloney to bail, really clean, blind to half in double back messy but landed well. 9.875
GOBOURNE – AUBURN: Leg split on the block, one and a half with a big step forward. 9.75
GUERRA – ALABAMA: Blind to Jaeger, bail really solid, double lay with a fake stick. 9.85
WATSON – AUBURN: One and a half, gorgeous with a hop forward. 9.875
MAHONEY – ALABAMA: Bail, really pretty Tkachev. Full in dismount with a step. 9.8
KRIPPNER – AUBURN: Okay full, middling amplitude with a hop. 9.8
GASKINS – ALABAMA: Maloney to Pak, really nice. Double lay close to the bar, flexes her feet, but solid landing with hop. 9.825
Phillips in the exhibition for Auburn, Givens for Alabama.
ALABAMA 98.375 – AUBURN 98.025
I thought the gap would be bigger after Auburn’s mistakes on vault, but neither team got much joy out of the bars judges either. Could still go either way.
ROTATION 3: ALABAMA BEAM, AUBURN FLOOR
KLOPFER – ALABAMA: Wolf turn, front aerial BHS with a little form but nothing huge. Pretty leaps, hitch kick side aerial back full stuck-ish but pretty piked. 9.85
SLAPPEY – AUBURN: Front lay front Rudi, switch half split full stag. There’s some pretty interesting choreo here, I think she just mimed a tiger clawing something… double back, scoot back. 9.825
OLSEN – ALABAMA: BHS LOSO LOSO, touch of knees, switch to wolf. Front aerial, double pike, doesn’t set particularly high but pulls it around and sticks! 9.925
SHEPPARD – AUBURN: Triple full, has to keep her heel up to avoid an OOB, switch side Popa with absurd splits. One and a half front lay. 9.825
CHILDERS – ALABAMA: Switch to sheep, BHS LOSO. Kickover front… awkward on the swing through to arabesque but gets it done. One and a half twist, almost stuck. 9.9
WATSON – AUBURN: Double arabian, lunges backward but it’s pretty solid. Double back with pointed toes. Techno music. I really enjoy this routine. One and a half front lay. 9.825
ARMBRECHT – ALABAMA: Front aerial, check. Alabama beam choreo is really quality. BHS LOSO with an extra step, switch straddle quarter. Double full dismount with a hop. 9.725
GOBOURNE – AUBURN: Open double back, could so easily have run oob, plants her front foot again and stays in. Front full front lay, double pike with a bounce to lunge. 9.85
GASKINS – ALABAMA: Candle mount, never really holds the position, swings straight over. BHS LOSO, full turn, sideways split half. Switch split. Side aerial.. off to one side, swims and falls. Back up and right to the dismount, gainer full. 9.225
MILLIET – AUBURN: Front lay to Rudi, so easy. Switch ring switch half, double pike feels like it came in a little deep but lunges out fine. One and a half front lay. 9.875
GRABER – ALABAMA: Full turn. BHS two foot layout, piked but okay, switch straddle 3/4. Wolf to beat, kickover front with a check, gets it back, another check, gainer full up on her toes to hold. 9.875
DAY – AUBURN: Double arabian, one foot slides and she sits it. Right back with a double back. Impressive. Front full front lay is solid.
ALABAMA 147.650 – AUBURN 147.225
It felt like Auburn wasted a chance there with the fall from Day, but in the real world its drop score was a 9.825 so it wouldn’t have made that much difference if she’d hit. Beam scores were much more generous than floor ones. We’ll see if Auburn can pull any closer here.
ROTATION 4: AUBURN BEAM, ALABAMA FLOOR
WATSON – AUBURN: Full turn, BHS LOSO with a step. Cat leap side aerial. One and a half twist with a hop. 9.875
DESCH – ALABAMA: Double pike, one and a half Barani split punch front. Tour jete half punch front, double back great. 9.85
RIDDLE – AUBURN: BHS LOSO, touch of form. Switch straddle half, full turn, cat leap side aerial back full stuck. 9.95 OK CRACK but Auburn hasn’t had the benefit of the doubt through most of the meet.
OLSEN – ALABAMA: Double double GREAT, front thru double back with a hop back. She’s a really underrated performer. Double pike, hop to lunge, really solid. 9.9
GOBOURNE – AUBURN: BHS LOSO, leg up check but hangs on. Full turn, adjustment, great leap series. Hitch kick side aerial back full with a hop.
MAHONEY – ALABAMA: Double back, switch side, really high energy routine. Front lay front full is quality, tour jete half Popa or something like that. Double pike, little shuffle. 9.9
SHEPPARD – AUBURN: BHS, bails out but does it very elegantly, BHS LOSO great. Hitch kick side aerial, pretty turn, BHS one and a half dismount with a step back. 9.85
GASKINS – ALABAMA: Huge cheer for Sweet Home Alabama. Double lay, little hop, GIRL LUNGE. Front thru double back with another hop. Switch ring switch half I think, double pike stuck. 9.875
MILLIET – AUBURN: Punch front on, doesn’t even blink. BHS LOSO, great, split to sheep with a check. Cat leap gainer full. 9.95
ARMBRECHT – ALABAMA: Double lay, under, falls forward onto her hands. One and a half front lay, missed the rest.
SYLVIA – AUBURN: Full turn, front aerial to Rulfova a little wonky but keeps it on. Beat jump, double stag switch half. Cartwheel gainer full stuck. 9.925
GUERRA – ALABAMA: Double lay, solid, switch side Popa. One and a half front lay, double pike quality. 9.925
FINAL: ALABAMA 197.100 – AUBURN 196.775
VAULT: Guerra 9.925
BARS: Childers, Krippner 9.875
BEAM: Milliet, Riddle 9.950
FLOOR: Guerra 9.925
AA: Watson 39.400
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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