University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Vs. Auburn Preview
January 18, 2012 | Gymnastics
Jan. 18, 2012
Gym Dogs To Take On Auburn
Sixth-ranked Georgia will be on the road for the second straight week as it travels to No. 20 Auburn for an 8:00 p.m. meet on Friday. The Gym Dogs are coming off a narrow 196.475-196.325 loss at Alabama last weekend, while Auburn fell on the road to LSU, 195.025-193.800. This will be Georgia's third-straight top-20 opponent to start the season.
Georgia-Auburn History
This marks the 73rd all-time meeting between Georgia and Auburn with the Gym Dogs holding a 69-3 advantage, including a 15-2 mark in Auburn. In 26 dual meets between the two schools Georgia is 24-2.
It was on Feb. 10, 1996 when Georgia set a school record with a 49.925 vault score against Auburn and Illinois State at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. The Gym Dogs got perfect 10s from current assistant coach Julie Ballard Clark and Karin Lichey, and a trio of 9.975s from Kim Arnold, Leah Brown and Lori Strong. In that rotation, a total of seven 10s were awarded to Georgia gymnasts. UGA won the meet with a 197.200, Auburn finished second with a 192.600, and Illinois State placed third with a 187.425.
Last year, the Gym Dogs won their dual meet against Auburn in Athens, 196.650-194.975. This marks Georgia's first meet at the new Auburn Arena.
Last Time Out
No. 9 Georgia led second-ranked Alabama at the halfway point, but the Crimson Tide came back to claim a 196.475-196.325 win in front of 14,501 fans last Friday at Coleman Coliseum. The Gym Dogs led by .15 entering the third rotation, but Alabama outscored Georgia 49.100-48.875 to reclaim a narrow lead.
The Gym Dogs would outscore Alabama in the final rotation with a 49.125 on beam, but Ashley Priess sealed the win with a 9.9 as the floor anchor for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama jumped out to an early lead on vault, thanks to a perfect 10 by Geralen Stack-Eaton and a 9.975 by Ashley Sledge. Georgia moved ahead with a 49.1 on vault in the second rotation, while the Crimson Tide was forced to count a fall on bars.
Four Georgia gymnasts tied for first on bars with a 9.875, and Shayla Worley posted a career-high 9.95 on the balance beam, the highest beam score in the country so far this season. Christa Tanella set two career-highs with a 9.875 on bars and a 9.85 on floor, and Cat Hires recorded a new career-high on vault with a 9.9.
Georgia's 196.325 was the second-highest road score in the country last weekend, behind UCLA's 196.675 at California on Sunday.
Gym Dogs Set School Record
For the first time in school history, Georgia has scored a 49.0 or higher on each vault, bars and beam rotation in the first two meets of the season. The Gym Dogs' lowest score in those six rotations is a 49.1 on vault against Alabama.
Three times Georgia has scored a 49.0 or higher on five of the first six vault, bars and beam rotations - in 2002, 2004 and 2008 - but the Gym Dogs had never reached the 49.0 plateau on all six until this year.
Rankings
Georgia moved up three spots to No. 6 in the latest edition of the GymInfo Top 25 released Monday. Current rankings are based on average team score, and the Gym Dogs have a 196.425 average after two meets.
In the team event rankings, the Gym Dogs are third nationally on bars (49.238) and beam (49.125), seventh on vault (49.163), and 11th on floor (48.900).
Georgia gymnasts have turned in the nation's highest scores on bars and beam so far, as Kat Ding posted a 9.975 on bars against Denver and Shayla Worley scored a career-high 9.95 on the balance beam at Alabama. Ding's 9.925 average is tied for the first nationally, while Worley is second on beam with a 9.913 average.
Up Next
After two weeks on the road, Georgia returns home to face No. 25 LSU Saturday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. ET. The Tigers, who beat Auburn last weekend, travel to third-ranked Arkansas this week.
