April 14, 2007
MORGANTOWN, W.V. -
Junior Julie Dwyer finished in a tie for third in the all around with a 39.275, allowing her to advance to the NCAA Championship as an individual. As a team, the Tigers placed in a tie for fourth after totaling a 193.950.
"I wish the team were going to be able to be there with me," Dwyer said. "It is a terrific honor to earn an individual spot and I look forward to representing Auburn in Utah in two weeks."
Dwyer will advance to Salt Lake City, Utah, the site of Nationals, on April 26-28. This marks the third-straight year she has advanced in the all around.
"I've felt a little like MacGyver the past two weeks but the dental floss, coat hangers and duct tape finally came off on bars tonight," head coach Jeff Thompson said. "I was really proud of the way the girls finished on beam. It could have been easy for them to give up, but they ended by putting together some of the best beam routines of the season."
In team competition, UCLA took first place with a 195.975, followed by LSU with a 195.950. Each of those teams will advance to Nationals, representing the Southeast Regional. Host West Virginia took third with a 194.775, while Auburn and NC State tied for fourth with 193.950's. North Carolina placed sixth with a 193.875.
In addition to her all around honor, Dwyer finished in a tie for first on vault with a 9.950 and a tie for fifth on floor with a 9.825. Lindsey Puckett came .075 shy of representing AU in the all around with a 39.025. The Lilburn, Ga., native tied for third on beam with a 9.800.
In the first of six rotations, Auburn had a bye before going to floor.
In the second rotation, the Tigers recorded a 48.275 after having to count an out of bounds. Dwyer led the way with a 9.825, followed by Claire Seiffert's 9.725. Shanna Somero registered a 9.675, while Lindsey Puckett scored a 9.625. Krissy Voss stepped out of bounds on her first pass and finished with a 9.425.
After all the teams had completed its first event, Auburn's score of 48.275 on bars was fifth.
In the third rotation, Auburn headed to vault where they totaled their third highest score of the season, a 49.200. Dwyer, who received a 10.0 from the head judge, tied her career high with a 9.950. Puckett followed with a 9.875, while Pinckney scored a season high 9.850. Seiffert registered a 9.800, and Voss and Somero each vaulted a 9.725.
Following the third rotation, Auburn's score of 96.850 after two events ranked third, .150 ahead of LSU.
In the fourth rotation, Auburn had a bye before going to bars.
In the fifth rotation on bars, the Tigers scored a 48.100, while recording a fall. Dwyer and senior Jackie Smith, competing in her final event as a Tiger, each scored a 9.750. Aimee Goheen and Puckett each totaled a 9.725, while Alicia Lenkiewicz, who fell on her landing, registered a 9.150.
After the fifth rotation, Auburn sat in comfortably in fourth.
The Tigers headed to their final event, beam, where they totaled a 48.375. Puckett led the way with a 9.800, while Dwyer, who needed a 9.575 to advance to Nationals in the all around, scored a 9.75. Somero recorded a 9.625 and Goheen registered a 9.600. Voss rounded out the scoring with a 9.425.