Big Al Swings Aubie By The Tail To Victory #39

The Alabama Crimson Tide saw a much more competitive and confident Auburn Tigers Gymnastics Team in Coleman Coliseum this past weekend.  But fortunately the outcome was the same as in years past (#39 of 39 for Sarah Patterson), as Bama posted their season best (197.975) to defeat the Tigers (196.600).  Along the way the Tide celebrated the return of Alexis Brion and Ashley Miles, just in time to help post a vaulting season record.

Vault

The Tide competed six 10.0 vaults against Auburn and exhibited an additional one (Lauren Holdefer).  As Auburn Coach Jeff Thompson later commented, it was as if the Tide gymnasts were landing their vaults in glue, they were sticking them so well.  Starting with Jeana Rice's Yurchenko 1/1 (9.95) and the return of Alexis Brion's pike ½ twist (9.875), the fans sensed something great was about to occur.  Kristin Sterner's Yurchenko half off front layout (9.875), Dana Pierce's Yurchenko 1/1 (9.925) and Shannon Hrozek's debut of a Yurchenko half off front layout (9.850) paved the way for the stupendous Coleman Coliseum debut of Ashley Miles' Yurchenko 1/1 (10.00).  A new star at Alabama was immediately born.  Team total on vault: 49.625.

On the uneven bars, Auburn had five of six gymnasts dismounting with double layouts.  Freshman Natica Johnson (9.875) threw a Shaposhnikova and a Jaeger (pike position) release while senior Cheryl Lancaster (9.875) had the best extension and toe-point of the Tiger six. 

Uneven Bars

Shannon Hrozek (9.90) finally got the score on bars she's been seeking by throwing another terrific routine this week.  Her Gienger release move gained so much amplitude we thought she was going to disappear into the Roll Tide Jumbotron!  Michelle Reeser was having trouble during warm-ups with her Tkatchev release but nailed it in competition for a 9.825 (slight separation of feet and one step on the dismount).  Dana Filetti was looking great with her pirouetting and huge Gienger release but had too much reverse energy on the 1 ½ pirouette to double front dismount, leading her to just brush one knee slightly down to keep from falling (9.475).  Kristin Sterner rocked her two release moves and her handstands, as well as the double front dismount for a 9.90.  Larissa Stewart performed admirably with two inverts, a Tkatchev and a stuck double layout (9.875).  Jeana Rice pulled a Stephanie Woods on the low bar (a needle handstand that she held for about 2 seconds), enroute to a stuck full in dismount for a 9.925.  Team total on bars: 49.425. 

While Bama was on the bars, the Tigers performed on vault.  Five of their six vaults had 10.0 start values, a major improvement over years past.  The highlight was sophomore Kayce Stein's pike half twist, which she rocketed to a 9.925.

Balance Beam

Having earned the lead-off position on the beam early in the season, Michelle Reeser was super confident with her flight series this week (bhs, layout, Korbut) and leaps showed great amplitude as well (9.875).  Dana Pierce aced her flight series (two-footed bhs to layout) but bent at the shoulder on her switch leap (two different spots) before nailing the cartwheel to gainer layout dismount cold (9.775).  Perhaps Shannon Hrozek was a tad nervous about Pierce's routine not going as well as hoped, because she fell on the third element of her flight series (bhs, layout, bhs) and struggled a bit on her subsequent leap series for a 9.175.  Larissa Stewart met with a few balance checks of her own while executing her two front aerials but nailed the running front full dismount for a 9.800.  Kristin Sterner performed her best double pike dismount of the season (awesome landing) for a 9.925 and Jeana Rice sweetened the deal with a stuck double twist of her own following a superb set (9.925).  Team total on beam: 49.300.

Auburn had solid scores on the floor as well, anchored by sophomore Courtney Puckett's 9.925 and senior Mary Nell Pate's 9.900.  PBAs were impressed with the mature dance skills of freshman Danielle Holtz and the exhibition by freshman Olivia McDaniel (opened with a double front) holds promise for more difficult tumbling down the road for the Tigers.

Floor Exercise

Leading comfortably by over a full point at this juncture, Bama still chose to unleash one of their strongest line-ups on floor in preparation for the post-season.  Michelle Reeser once again took the lead off position with her electrifying routine to "Devil Went Down to Georgia", executing all three passes with super confidence for a 9.90.  Shannon Hrozek was equally on fire, throwing a double pike, front, front full, front tuck, and ending with a high and tight double tuck for a 9.95.  Alexis Brion had amazing air-time on her opening double tuck but had a little too much on her second pass and just managed to stay in bounds. However, her third pass (front, front full, front tuck) was perfect for a final score of 9.825.  Jeana Rice debuted her pike full in (landed just a little low and forward) and polished the set off with a super whip to 2 ½ twist and a whip to double full for a 9.900.  Stephanie Kite (9.90) gains more confidence each week with her new opening pass of a front through to a double full to a punch front combination and Kristin Sterner was just shy of perfection with her opening and closing double pikes (9.975).  Team total on floor: 49.625. 

First up on the balance beam for the Tigers, junior Kristi Boyte suffered a fall during her flight series (9.275) but the remaining gymnasts posted solid routines, including Puckett (9.850) and Stein (9.850).