Feb. 17, 2006
BATON ROUGE, La. - Buoyed by a school-record score on vault and season-high scores on bars, beam and floor, Auburn posted its fourth-highest score in school history as it defeated LSU 196.700-196.550 on Friday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Auburn (6-7, 1-3 SEC) tied or set 17 individual career or season highs en route to halting LSU's win streak over Auburn at seven, as the Tigers picked up their first SEC win of the year. Auburn recorded its highest team score since recording a 196.725 at Centenary on Feb. 29, 2004, as it claimed its first win in Baton Rouge since March 6, 1992. Auburn was able to hold off LSU (8-5, 2-2 SEC), despite the host Tigers posting their highest score of the year.
"Our goal was to focus on hitting all routines and having fun, which we obviously did extremely well tonight," head coach Jeff Thompson said. "Having A.J. Mills back in the bar lineup helped us get off to a great start and also lifted the spirit of the team, giving us great confidence even before the meet began."
Auburn posted a school-record score of 49.375 on vault, besting the 49.350 scored on Jan. 30, 2004 at Kentucky. Auburn also posted season-high scores of 49.050 on bars, 49.075 on beam and 49.200 on floor.
"We knew from seeing the LSU's scores, that if we vaulted like we have all week in practice and stuck our landings that we could put up a really high score" Thompson said. "I didn't imagine that it would be a new school record."
Leading by .100 (147.500-147.400) entering the fourth and final rotation on beam, the Tigers did not crumble under the pressure, as they posted a season-high 49.100 to secure their first win over LSU since Jan. 24, 2003.
"At the end the meet, our beam team was incredible and managed to hold on to our slim lead for the victory," Thompson said. "I am extremely proud of the girls' performance tonight."
Auburn's victory is its second in a row, after winning the Hearts Invitational on Feb. 10.
Individually, Julie Dwyer scored a career-high 39.500 in the all-around, which tied for the second-highest score in school history, but was unable to secure her sixth consecutive all-around title, as she finished second behind LSU's April Burkholder, who won the crown with a 39.600. Also turning heads in the all-around was Lindsey Puckett, whose score of 39.475 tied her sister, Courtney (2001-05), for the third-highest score in school history, finished third.
The Tigers outscored LSU in three of four events and shared individual titles on beam and bars. On beam, Dwyer and Puckett tied LSU's Burkholder for first with scores of 9.900. Dwyer's first-place finish was her 12th of the year, and fifth on beam. Puckett's first-place finish was her third of the year and first on beam.
On bars, Alicia Lenkiewcz tied for first with a career-high 9.850, which gave the Littleton, Colo., native her first first-place finish of her career.
Opening on bars, Auburn recorded a season-high 49.050, topping the 49.025 it scored at the Super Six Challenge. Auburn's score marked the second meet in a row where the Tigers recorded a season high in their opening event. At the Hearts Invitational on Feb. 10, Auburn notched a season high on floor in the first rotation. Alicia Lenkiewicz tied Auburn's season-high score on bars and set a new personal best with a 9.850 to lead the Tigers. Aimee Goheen tied her season-high with a 9.825, matching her score at the season-opening Super Six Challenge. Competing for the first time since the West Virginia meet, due to a leg injury, A.J. Mills matched her career high with a 9.825. Mills has now scored a 9.825 on bars in all three meets she has competed in. Performing second, Julie Dwyer scored a 9.775 and Lindsey Puckett matched her second-highest score of the year by also recording a 9.775.
Despite posting a season-high on bars, Auburn trailed LSU 49.325-49.050 after the first rotation. LSU's score on vault of 49.325 was also a season high.
After recording a season-high 49.050 on bars, the Tigers upped the ante by setting a new school record with a 49.375 on vault. Auburn's score topped the previous school record of 49.350 last accomplished on Jan. 30, 2004. In the process of setting the record, five of the six Tigers set or matched season or career highs.
Dwyer made history on vault by matching the second-highest score in school history with a 9.925 to pace Auburn. Dwyer's vault surpassed her previous high of 9.875 and matched the Tigers' season-high with Puckett's vault at Kentucky. Puckett scored the second-highest score of the year on vault for Auburn with a 9.900. Claire Seiffert posted a career-high 9.850 in the No. 2 position for Auburn. Karmen Pinckney matched her season high and Seiffert's score with a 9.850. Kayla Gies tied her career high with a 9.850, matching her score at Alabama. Leading off for Auburn, Danielle Holtz set a season high with a 9.750, topping the 9.725 scored vs. Florida. The Tigers previous high on vault this season was a 49.100 vs. Alabama.
Following Auburn's season high on bars and school record on vault, the Tigers took a 98.425-98.300 lead over LSU entering the third rotation.
In the third rotation on floor, the Tigers continued their record-setting trend by posting a season-best score of 49.200. The Tigers' score marked the second meet in a row that the Tigers have set a new season high. Puckett and Dwyer paced the Tigers with career-best scores of 9.900. Dwyer's 9.900 matched her career high, which was last accomplished on Jan. 27 against Alabama. Puckett's score topped her 9.850 last scored vs. Florida. Competing on the floor for just the third time in her career, Nicole Barnett matched her career high for the second meet in a row with a 9.850. Holtz opened the event by scoring her second-highest mark of the year with a 9.775. Performing second, Seiffert matched Holtz's score with another 9.775. Pinckney scored a 9.700, while performing third in the lineup.
Following the third rotation, Auburn held a 147.625-147.400 edge, while posting two season highs and one school record in the process.
On the fourth rotation on beam, the Tigers once again set a season high with a 49.075. Anchoring the Tigers lineup, Dwyer matched her second-highest score of the year with a 9.900 to secure the meet win for Auburn. Performing fourth for Auburn, Puckett set a career high with a 9.900. Gies set a new career high with a 9.800, surpassing her previous high of 9.775. Somero led off for Auburn with a season-high score of 9.825. Barnett matched her season high with a 9.650.
Auburn returns to action on Sunday, when they travel to Shreveport, La., to face Centenary College at 2 p.m.