AUBURN, Ala. – Coming off a loss at No. 9 Alabama, the No. 13 Auburn gymnastics team gets the rare opportunity to seek revenge this weekend when the two in-state rivals clash in Birmingham at the annual Elevate the Stage meet on Saturday.
But the Tigers aren't focused on revenge as much as they are focusing on posting a solid road score and competing on the podium for the first time this season.
"I look at it as no matter what happened last Friday, this meet was going is going to be about the away score," Auburn head coach Jeff Graba said. "It's going to be about getting on the podium. It's going to be about getting a little better on the road. I think the one thing you do take away from the sour taste in our mouth is hopefully we're a little bit more focused this week.
"But other than that, this meet has been on the calendar and on the agenda because it's at the end of the season, it's on a podium, and it's a rival. I look at it as that and that alone."
Auburn posted a season-high road score (196.900) on the podium at last year's Elevate meet in Huntsville. This year's meet, at the BJCC, is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.
INSIDE THE SERIES: ALABAMA
Since the Elevate meet began in 2015, Auburn has yet to beat Alabama. However, the Tigers have earned two of their better neutral-site scores in program history with a 196.900 last year and a 197.025 in the 2015 Elevate meet.
Auburn last beat Alabama in 2016 when the Tigers posted their fourth-highest score in program history (197.275) to win at home. Current seniors Abby Milliet, Samantha Cerio and Taylor Krippner all played a part in the historic victory.
AUBURN LINEUP
Bars: Auburn plans to utilize the same lineup they used last week with Drew Watson, Taylor Krippner and Derrian Gobourne the first three spots. Next will be seniors Samantha Cerio and Abby Milliet, and then it's junior Gracie Day as the anchor. Led by Krippner, Gobourne and Day, who all earned a 9.875 last week, five of the six gymnasts scored a 9.825 or higher against Alabama. As a team, the Tigers are ranked No. 7 nationally on bars.
Vault: Leading off for Auburn is junior Katie Becker, who will be making her sixth appearance on the event this season. Sophomore Jada Glenn will follow and move up two spots from where she went last week. Then it's Day, Gobourne and Watson with Krippner serving as the anchor for the second time in the last three weeks. Watson has posted a 9.875 or higher in each of the last five meets, including a 9.925 last week.
Floor: A week after the Tigers earned a 49.000 on floor, they will welcome back juniors Emma Slappey and Skyler Sheppard to the lineup. Slappy, a late scratch last week, will lead off, and then it will be Sheppard in the second spot. They will be followed by Watson, Gobourne and Milliet with Day once again closing out the event. Day scored a team-high 9.900 on floor last week in Tuscaloosa.
Beam: Watson has been a mainstay in the leadoff spot all season and will continue that role Saturday. She'll be followed by sophomore Allie Riddle, who delivered a career-high 9.875 in last week's meet. And then it will be Gobourne, Sheppard and Milliet before sophomore Meredith Sylvia, the team's anchor, wraps up the event. Milliet won the individual title last week, matching her career high with a 9.925.
UP NEXT
Auburn will return home next Friday to face Air Force in the Hometown Heroes meet. The meet, scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, will be the last one inside Auburn Arena. The Tigers are currently 4-0 at home this season and hoping to secure a perfect home record.