DENTON, Texas – The No. 11 Auburn gymnastics team improved to 7-1 on the season after picking up another road win at TWU on Sunday with a score of 195.500.
"Another win," Auburn head coach Jeff Graba said. "I'm happy with some of the stuff. I really feel like we let some things go today. The (injury) delay in the middle of the meet was a struggle. But I thought the girls fought all the way through.
"I think we're better than the score reflects. I think this was a better performance than that. We have to be better than this in the future, but we got some kinks worked out."
It was another outstanding meet for freshman Derrian Gobourne who scored a 9.850 or higher on all four events and won the all-around title with a 39.425. Gobourne shared the individual title on vault with teammate and fellow all-arounder, Drew Watson, as the duo each posted a 9.875, and she also set a new career high on beam with a 9.850.
Watson followed her career-best performance last week with a 39.275 in the all-around.
The focus now turns to this coming week and Friday's meet at No. 9 Alabama. Auburn (7-1, 5-1) is currently tied with Florida for first in the SEC, and with a win in Tuscaloosa, the Tigers can clinch a share of the regular-season conference title.
If nothing else, Auburn will be prepared. This team has been battled-tested all year, and after Sunday's meet, they are now 3-1 on the road this season with wins at Missouri, Kentucky and TWU.
"They've been through everything now," Graba said. "They've been through a little crazy environment here and an injury in the middle of it that slowed everybody down. They've been through the Florida meet with a lot of chaos and a lot of energy there. We don't have any excuses for this next Friday against Alabama. We have to bring our 'A' game, and I think we're ready."
Next Friday's meet is at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised on SEC Network.
Bars
Auburn got off to a strong start on bars as all six gymnasts scored a 9.800 or higher to give Auburn a 49.275 on the event. Taylor Krippner and Gracie Day shared the individual title with a 9.875. It was the second straight individual title for Day, who won it last week with a 9.975. Following those two was Gobourne and Samantha Cerio, who each stuck their landing to earn a pair of 9.850s. Senior Abby Milliet was next with a 9.825, and Watson added a 9.800.
Vault
On vault, it was the two all-arounders, Watson and Gobourne, who led the way and shared the individual title with a 9.875. Both stuck the landing on their Yurchenko 1.5s. Junior Katie Becker returned to the lineup in the lead spot and stuck her Yurchenko full to score a 9.750, and then it was Day who followed with a 9.800. As a team, the Tigers finished with a 48.825.
Floor
Four of the six gymnasts in the floor lineup posted a 9.800 or higher for Auburn. Gobourne and Milliet went back-to-back and each earned a team-high 9.850. Cerio, back in the floor lineup for the first time since Feb. 1, scored a 9.800, and Watson also added a 9.800. However, with two falls, the Tigers finished with a 48.325.
Beam
It was a strong finish on beam as Auburn scored a 49.075, its third-highest score of the season on the event. Gobourne paced the Tigers with a 9.850, a new career high for the freshman. Competing for just the second time this season, Allie Riddle just missed her career high with a 9.825. Sophomore Drew Watson led off the event with a 9.800, and fellow sophomore Meredith Sylvia closed it out with a 9.825.