Auburn gymnastics scores program’s 1st victory over Georgia

[RunInRed 16,409]

Congrats to the ladies!

Auburn gymnastics scores program’s 1st victory over Georgia

By ANDREW GRIBBLE

Even before Rachel Inniss stuck the landing, Rachelle Thompson was grabbing for anyone within hugging distance.

The 8,573 in attendance, most of whom were already on their feet, knew it, too.

Auburn’s clutch round on the floor Friday, capped by Inniss’ 9.825, served as the exclamation point on one of the biggest upsets in Auburn gymnastics history, a 195.225-194.900 victory over five-time defending national champion Georgia.

“We came out here to make a statement to the nation,” sophomore Allyson Sandusky said. “I’m pretty sure we did that tonight.”

The comeback victory marked the Tigers’ first win of the season and first-ever against Georgia, which beat Auburn the previous 64 times before Friday night.

“In a way, I feel bad for (Georgia) because they’re a much better team than they showed in the last event,” coach Jeff Thompson said. “But in a way I don’t feel sorry for them because they did it to us 64 times in a row.

“This is a milestone for us.”

The only thing that stopped Auburn from rolling Toomers’ corner was torrential rain. But the Tigers had no problem making do under the Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum roof.

“Celebration” blared over the loudspeakers as the Tigers ran to huddle in front of CSS cameras shortly after Inniss’ routine. With the team screaming and cheering in the background, the Thompsons conducted an interview with former Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan, who was in town to commentate the meet.

Yoculan, who retired last year after her 10th national championship at Georgia, now serves as an Auburn team consultant.

“That’s weird, isn’t it?” Thompson asked. “Using her strategy, we beat her old team. Maybe we ought to pay her more.”

Making Friday night’s victory all the more important was how the Tigers finished. One week after three gymnasts fell during the floor exercise at LSU, the Tigers notched a season-best 48.825 while the Gym Dogs picked up two crushing falls.

Auburn trailed by a slim 146.575-146.400 margin heading into the final rotation and appeared to almost instantly gain control when Hilary Mauro nearly fell off the beam twice. She recovered smoothly both times and scored a 9.675 to put the pressure back on Auburn.

The Tigers proved up to the challenge.

Justine Foster opened with a 9.725 and Lauren Brzostowski followed with a 9.750 before Georgia’s third gymnast, Kathryn Ding, fell and notched a 9.375. Ding’s score would have been wiped from the books if the rest of Georgia’s gymnasts avoided a fall, but Grace Taylor, the Gym Dogs’ anchor, fell twice.

That, coupled with a strong 9.775 from senior Krissy Voss in the fifth position, rendered Inniss’ meet-ending routine a celebration from the start.

“We knew it,” Voss said. “We kept little tabs in our head.”

Since the season began, Auburn gymnasts and Thompson have both cited the importance of focusing on “the process” of improvement instead of wins and losses, which, in gymnastics, carry little weight at this time of the season. It’s a strategy Yoculan introduced to the Thompsons and one they’ve completely absorbed.

A historic win of this magnitude, though, made the results just a bit more meaningful on this night – “our night,” Voss said.

“I like winning,” Thompson said. “We’re not result-oriented but when you get a result like this, it sure does feel good.”

http://www2.oanow.com/oan/oasports/comments/auburn_gymnastics_score_programs_1st_victory_over_georgia/126513/

[MDM4AU 332]

Congrats girls. Hopefully they can end the 0 for infinity streak v. UAT soon, too.

[Grumps 3,704]

War Eagle, gymnasts! Keep up the good work.

[Bottomfeeder 244]

Great job ladies. WDE!

http://blog.al.com/goldmine/2010/01/auburns_win_over_gym_dogs_in_p.html

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

Congrats to them. Very nice accomplishment for those girls as UGA has always been one of the best.

[autigeremt 6,631]

AUSOME!!!! It was a great atmosphere in BEMC Friday night! Totally AUsome!