April 6, 2013
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - No. 12 Auburn gymnastics recorded an Auburn regional record score of 196.700 to finish third overall at the NCAA Gainesville Regional. No. 1 Florida was first with a 198.400 and No. 12 Minnesota was second with a total of 197.100 to earn the two berths to the NCAA Championship.
"Our goal has been that we have to be able to compete at the highest level when the pressure is on and we are doing that. We just got beat by a really good team," Auburn head coach Jeff Graba said. "Minnesota is for real and I feel like we are for real. I think our score shows across the country, that if we were in a different regional, we are going to nationals. I'm so proud of this team - each and every one of them. It was a good fight all the way through. Nobody can hang their head after tonight."
Third is the highest finish for Auburn in a NCAA Regional meet since finishing third in 2006. The Tigers' score eclipsed the 196.350 recorded in 2003.
Bri Guy finished fifth overall with an all-around total of 39.400. Caitlin Atkinson scored 39.275 to finish sixth and Petrina Yokay (38.775) was 14th.
As the top two All-Arounders to not qualify as a team, Guy and Atkinson will both advance to the NCAA Gymnastics championships in Los Angeles on April 19.
After a bye to start the event, Auburn opened its meet on floor exercise with a total of 49.100. Leading the way were Guy (9.85), Yokay (9.825) and Atkinson (9.825). The Tigers also counted identical scores of 9.8 by Toi Garcia and Brittany Webster.
Auburn produced its top vault score of the season on its second event in the meet's third rotation with a 49.375. Leading the way were career high scores from Kait Kluz (9.825), Guy (9.95) and Yokay (9.9). Additionally, Webster tied her career high with a 9.825 and Toi Garcia equaled her season best with a 9.875 as the Tigers tied for the third-highest vault score in program history.
At the midway point of the meet, Auburn stood in second place with a two-event total of 98.475.
Led by a 9.9 from Yokay, the Tigers scored 49.150 on uneven bars. Auburn also received a career-best 9.875 by Kluz and a 9.85 by Megan Walker on the apparatus. With one even remaining, Auburn led Minnesota by a half tenth, 147.625-147.575, setting the stage for the sixth and final rotation.
Minnesota posted a total of 49.525 on the final rotation to move ahead of Auburn, which scored 49.075 on its final event balance beam. Atkinson produced the top score on beam for the Tigers with a 9.9 to wrap the event and the meet. Auburn also counted a 9.85 by Megan Walker and a 9.8 from Bri Guy.
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TOTALS
Floor: Caryn Kadous - 9.75, Petrina Yokay - 9.825, Toi Garcia - 9.8, Brittany Webster - 9.8, Caitlin Atkinson - 9.825, Bri Guy - 9.85, TOTAL - 49.100
Vault: Kait Kluz - 9.825, Petrina Yokay - 9.9, Brittany Webster - 9.825, Toi Garcia - 9.875, Bri Guy - 9.95, Caitlin Atkinson - 9.825, TOTAL - 49.375
Bars: Kait Kluz - 9.875, Abbey Habicht - 8.8, Bri Guy - 9.8, Megan Walker - 9.85, Caitlin Atkinson - 9.725, Petrina Yokay - 9.9, TOTAL - 49.100
Beam: Petrina Yokay - 9.150, Caryn Kadous - 9.775, Abbey Habicht - 9.750, Bri Guy - 9.8, Megan Walker - 9.85, Caitlin Atkinson - 9.9, TOTAL - 49.075
All-Around: Guy - 39.400, Atkinson - 39.275, Yokay - 38.775