Feb. 13, 2009
AUBURN - The sixth-ranked Auburn gymnastics team's record-setting night on bars and a strong finish on floor lifted the Tigers over seventh-ranked Arkansas 196.175-195.400 Friday in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.
"For us, another 196, and counting a fall on beam, that's an awesome night," head gymnastics coach Jeff Thompson said. "If we can do that with really tough judging, then it's exciting what we can do."
The win improves the Tigers' record to 4-3, 2-2 SEC, while Arkansas was dealt its first league loss and is now 6-2, 3-1 SEC.
Senior A.J. Mills put on show that sent her into the record books of Auburn gymnastics. Mills won the all-around title with a score of 39.525, topping her previous career high of 39.500 that was established earlier in the season. Her mark also ranks among the best in the program's history, coming in fifth. She claimed victory on vault (9.9) and tied with senior counterpart Lindsey Puckett for the floor title with a career-high mark of 9.925. That 9.925 also ranks among the best in Auburn gymnastics history.
"I was able to calm my nerves a lot better than I had in previous meets and I'm just doing the same things I've been doing in practice," Mills said. "We've just been working really hard on putting ourselves in a meet setting at the gym, doing normal routines day-in and day-out and that's building our confidence a lot."
"She was off in practice all week," Thompson said of Mills. "She was struggling with everything. I told her after the meet, `You've got to put the trash behind you and concentrate on what you were able to do tonight because that was one of the most awesome performances I've ever seen from an individual.'"
Freshman Kendall Swartz won her first career title, winning bars with a personal best of 9.9. Puckett added a pair of titles by claiming beam (9.875) and tying with Mills on floor with a 9.925.
The Tigers rebounded from low scores early in the vault lineup behind a 9.9 performance of Mills and a 9.85 from Puckett. Auburn teamed together for a 48.925 in the opening rotation. Puckett's score earned her runner-up honors.
Arkansas, the nation's sixth-ranked bars squad, recorded a 49.100 in its first rotation for the early lead. It would be the only time in the meet that the Razorbacks would own the lead.
Everything came together for Auburn on bars en route to recording the second-highest score on the event in school history with a 49.275.
Junior Krissy Voss got things started for the Tigers by tying her career high of 9.8. In the No. 3 and 4 spots, rookies Allyson Sandusky and Kendall Swartz earned a 9.85 and 9.9, respectively, to establish career-high marks. Anchoring the bars lineup was the duo of Puckett and Mills who each were awarded 9.85s. Sandusky, Puckett and Mills each finished tied for second behind Swartz.
The Razorbacks teamed for a 48.800 on vault. Heading into the third rotation that sent Auburn to beam and Arkansas to floor, the Tigers held a 98.200-97.900 advantage.
Despite a solid 9.8 opening routine from sophomore Katie Hurley on beam, the second and third beam workers struggled and Auburn was forced to count its first fall of the season. The final three competitors rallied with high marks to maintain the lead over Arkansas. Shields tied a career high with a 9.85 performance in the No. 3 spot and Mills followed up with the same score in the No. 4 spot to finish in a tie for second. Puckett closed out the rotation with a winning score of 9.875.
Ranked as the No. 3 floor team, Arkansas faced tough judging and only had a single gymnast earn a 9.8 as the Razorbacks posted a 48.800. After a rough rotation from both teams, Auburn maintained a slight 146.875-146.700 lead on Arkansas.
The Tigers clinched the win and matched their best performance of the season on floor with a 49.300 behind career 9.925 showings from both Mills and Puckett. Tumbling second, senior Claire Seiffert was awarded a solid 9.825 and Voss followed with a 9.85 to finish in a tie for third.
Arkansas combined for a 48.700 in its final rotation on beam.
Auburn will be back in action in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 20, to entertain Kentucky at 7 p.m.
Vault
Allyson Sandusky 9.725
Kylie Shields 9.750
Krissy Voss 9.550
A.J. Mills 9.900
Lindsey Puckett 9.850
Claire Seiffert 9.700
Uneven Bars
Krissy Voss 9.800
Kylie Shields 9.825
Allyson Sandusky 9.850
Kendall Swartz 9.900
Lindsey Puckett 9.850
A.J. Mills 9.850
Beam
Katie Hurley 9.800
Krissy Voss 9.300
Rachel Inniss 9.300
Kylie Shields 9.850
A.J. Mills 9.850
Lindsey Puckett 9.875
Floor Exercise
Carmen Nelms 9.725
Claire Seiffert 9.825
Krissy Voss 9.850
Rachel Inniss 9.775
A.J. Mills 9.925
Lindsey Puckett 9.925
All-Around
A.J. Mills 39.525
Lindsey Puckett 39.500
Krissy Voss 38.500