Auburn is ranked as one of the top-five NCAA gymnastics programs in the nation for good reason as NC State never held a lead over the Tigers in its second road meet of the season on Friday, Jan. 27.
The Tigers (3-3) won the meet with a score of 197.175 to NC State’s 196.125, besting the Wolfpack (2-3) in all four events. NC State performed to expectations as the No. 20 team in the nation but will hold itself to higher standards going forward after posting its second-lowest score of the young season.
The Pack started its night on the uneven bars, racking up a score of 49.025 led by a 9.850 from senior Alexis Ortega. Meanwhile, the Tigers completed the vault routine with a team score of 49.250 to take an early lead in the meet.
The teams switched sides for the second event of the night with the Pack completing the vault and the Tigers completing the uneven bars. NC State fell short again, posting a 49.025 to the Tigers’ 49.275 and trailed 98.525-98.050 at the halfway point. Auburn saw one of its best individual performances on the uneven bars as Sunisa Lee, an uneven bars bronze medalist in the 2020 Olympics, recorded a 9.950.
NC State then headed to the floor exercise for its third rotation while Auburn went to the beam. The Tigers put up their best team score on the night with a 49.350, while the Pack looked to get back into the contest with the floor routine.
So far this season, the red-and-white has done well with the floor exercise behind senior anchors Emily Shepard and Chloe Negrete. Negrete led NC State with a team-high 9.875 and junior Krista Zultevicz fell in line right behind her with a score of 9.800. Not far behind them was Shepard and two other Pack gymnasts that all scored 9.775.
Sophomore Lauren Rutherford had an untimely mistake on her floor routine in a moment where the Pack needed high scores to match Auburn. Her 8.675 brought the team down to a season-low score of 49.000 on the floor exercise, shutting the door on NC State’s hopes of a comeback.
The road environment likely didn’t assist the Wolfpack as Auburn hosts some of the most passionate fans in college gymnastics, which is something NC State has not experienced up to this point in the season.
Auburn finished the meet on the floor exercise while NC State saw its shaky night come to an end on the beam. Sophomore Macy Jennings fell off the beam, resulting in a team-low 9.050, while Auburn posted an overall meet-best score of 49.300 backed by a whopping 9.975 from Derrian Gobourne.
Despite another loss, the Pack’s gymnasts and coaches know this season is a marathon and not a sprint. The Wolfpack will clash with North Carolina for a second time this season, along with Western Michigan at Reynolds Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. for its second tri-meet of the 2023.
