The Kentucky Wildcats should be glad to have experienced such a close meet at Alabama last week because tonight’s matchup could be very much the same (these squads aren’t ranked right next to each other for nothing). Kentucky’s main issues in week one came on beam, while Auburn had a solid meet until it had to count some floor misses; look to see how that lineup scores on the road tonight.
Tonight’s all around contest will likely be made more crowded by Kentucky junior Josie Angeny, who made her four-event debut last Friday. It was good enough to rank her third in the country going into this weekend, so we’ll see how she stands against Auburn stalwarts Derrian Gobourne and Cassie Stevens, as well as teammate Raena Worley.
Auburn projected lineups, changes from week 1:
— College Gym News (@collegegymnews_) January 14, 2021
VT: Stevens out; Pa. Smith in
UB: Stevens, Brusch out; McLaughlin, Hollingsworth in
BB: Stevens, Brusch out, Hollingsworth Pi. Smith in
FX: Stevens, Brusch out, McLaughlan, Cheney in#NCAAgym pic.twitter.com/gtLWdRSt5f
Rotation 1: Kentucky VT, Auburn UB
Bunn (Kentucky): Full, good amplitude. 9.850.
Hollingsworth (Auburn): Weird legs on the Pak and she barely catches it. Doesn’t break momentum, Van Leeuwen, big height on full in. 9.550.
Magnelli (Kentucky): The GLITTER on this girl’s face rn, damn. Handspring pike half with chest low. A 10.0 for the Cats! 9.800.
Sumner (Auburn): Tkatchev a bit low but clears the bar. Another kinda messy Pak. DLO legs apart, small hop. 9.625.
Patterson (Kentucky): Another handspring pike half, really nice landing. 9.825.
Payton Smith (Auburn): Really crisp handstands into the Maloney. Pak, DLO really pretty. A very confident bars worker. 9.675. Seems…low?
Nixon (Kentucky): Gorgeous stuck full! 9.925.
Sabados (Auburn): Huge air on the Tkatchev, DLO looked good to start but legs came a little apart at the end. 9.725.
Gobourne (Auburn): Tkatchev a little low, big height on the full in, chest low but she holds on forrrr the stick? The stick. 9.825.
After 1: Auburn 48.400, Kentucky 49.250
Bit of a rough go for Auburn. It wasn’t the cleanest but they were a little lowballed on scores in my opinion. Kentucky’s vaults look pretty clean–though Nixon is known more for bars, I think she’ll be one to watch on that event all season long.
Rotation 2: Kentucky UB, Auburn VT
Payton Smith (Auburn): Yes I have to write her full name because there’s another P. Smith on the team and she already went. 9.700 for a pretty good full.
Howell (Kentucky): Career debut! Blind full, gienger and falls. Blind full to double tuck dismount with a slight step. Good for her for cracking the lineup. 8.725.
Hollingsworth (Auburn): Small hop to the side on her full, otherwise clean. 9.750.
Davis (Kentucky): Missed the first half, bail, small step on the DLO. 9.750.
Piper Smith (Auburn): Not the biggest air but a clean full. 9.750.
Nixon (Kentucky): Gorgeous lines, release looked good, gigantic full in. 9.850.
Sabados (Auburn): Nice distance on the full, small hop back. 9.775.
Worley (Kentucky): Tkatchev a little low, excellent form on the Pak, full in with an almost imperceptible hop. 9.850.
Watson (Auburn): Y1.5, landing looked good to start with some height but has to step back a few to save it. Not an ideal rotation for the Tigers. 9.525.
Luksik (Kentucky): Doesn’t quite get the first handstand, Tkatchev good amplitude, toepoint looking nice, stuck DLO to end. 9.875.
Gobourne (Auburn): Nice 1.5 to end the rotation, small hop back. 9.825.
Angeny (Kentucky): Jaeger to bail. FTDLO with a tiny hop forward. Beautiful form overall.
Absolutely adore Angeny’s dad’s shirt, just covered with cutouts of her face. The new “Mollie Korth’s dad” of Kentucky lore.
After 2: Auburn 97.275, Kentucky 98.475
In other cute news, Derrian Gobourne’s family has masks with HER face on them. These gym families know how to do swag.
Rotation 3: Kentucky BB, Auburn FX
Patterson (Kentucky): A little wobble on the full turn and another on the series. Seems to have set her on a bad course because the front aerial ends in a fall. Leaps look gorgeous, sticks the 1.5 dismount. 9.250.
Cheney (Auburn): Whip to double tuck. Whip half to rudi. I like the slower music. 9.750.
Haigis (Kentucky): She gives me Dakota Johnson vibes with her bangs. Wobble on the BHS LOSO series, cat leap to front aerial. 1.5 dismount with a step. Some nerves for sure. 9.700.
McLaughlin (Auburn): Sounds like a ringtone routine like Angi Cipra’s. Back 1.5 to front lay, funky legs on the lay. YES to the pop music, Level Up by Ciara! Switch half to wolf jump full, double pike chest super low. Oh well, a crowd pleaser of a routine. 9.700.
Nixon (Kentucky): BHS LOSO with a check. Switch leap to split jump, aerial to split jump. Fell on that skill last week. Beautiful 1.5 dismount. 9.825.
Hollingsworth (Auburn): Chest low on the full in but a nice big E pass to open. Switch to straddle full, pretty leaps. Love this video gamey music. Front through to double tuck and she has to put her hands down. 9.025.
Magnelli (Kentucky): Triple series NO hesitation, nice departure from the rest of the rotation. Unfortunately falls on her aerial. 9.250.
Sabados (Auburn): Punch front to front full. Back 1.5 to front lay no problems. 9.775.
Worley (Kentucky): “Balance beam was her event last year.” …was it? Front aerial into BHS LOSO, no hesitation. Full turn, back 1.5 dismount small hop. 9.850.
Watson (Auburn): Double pike with a weird step back. Also video gamey music but this time something that sounds like it’s out of Skyrim or Call of Duty. Back 1.5 to front lay. Double tuck very clean. 9.750.
Angeny (Kentucky): Lumineers music <3 Triple series has ZERO hesitation. Switch to split leap, side aerial to back full, gorgeous. 9.875.
Gobourne (Auburn): Her brother choreographed this routine, how cool! DLO. “This presence and energy is what they wanted to rub off on Hollingsworth” okay shade? Double pike nice form. 9.775…did I miss something?
After 3: Auburn 146.025, Kentucky 146.975
Neither team is having an ideal night, though Kentucky finished with some strong routines.
Rotation 4: Kentucky FX, Auburn BB
Watson (Auburn): BHS LOSO with some bent legs but she hits it. Side aerial small check. Switch full to switch half. Sticks the back full to end. 9.700.
Bunn (Kentucky): Nice double pike to start. Confident fun dancer. Handspring front Rudi. 9.875!
Hollingsworth (Auburn): First time seeing her here. Full turn, BHS to back pike, small hesitation. Check on the switch leap to switch half. Seeming a little shaken after floor. Back 1.5 to end, good landing. 9.650.
Haigis (Kentucky): She’s got Bridgette Caquatto’s floor music. FHS to Rudi to back stepout. Straddle leap combo good position. Double pike chest up, good landing. 9.925!
Piper Smith (Auburn): BHS LOSO with a check. Switch half another check. Missed the middle portion, back 1.5 small hop. 9.775.
Front full, gorgeous execution on the leaps. Love her lines on floor. Front layout to front full, front rudi.
Sylvia (Auburn): Front aerial to BHS LOSO. Switch leap to sheep. Back swingdown with no fall this time. 😉 Back full with a small hop. 9.775.
Angeny (Kentucky): Double pike slide back. Back 1.5 to front lay, saves it. Double tuck a little cowboyed but saves it. 9.650.
Gobourne (Auburn): BHS LOSO, no hesitation. Side aerial. Straddle not quite 180, back full chest down but holds for the stick. She’s been great at that tonight. 9.650.
Davis (Kentucky): Double pike chest slightly down, love this dramatic choreo. Double tuck overcooked a little and stumbles forward. Overall not bad. 9.700.
McLaughlin (Auburn): Big air on the leaps, BHS LOSO no hesitation, Gainer pike small step. Without the checks, she’ll be such a strong anchor going forward. 9.550.
Worley (Kentucky): STUCK full in. Double pike chest slightly down. Selling it, really strong anchor. 9.875.
Final: Kentucky 196.225, Auburn 194.575
Live blog by Katherine Weaver
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