Alabama Gymnastics Travels to Auburn for In-State Action
1/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. The No. 3 ranked Alabama Gymnastics team returns to action this Friday, taking on the Auburn Tigers in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum starting at 7 p.m.
For the Crimson Tide, it will be the first road and first Southeastern Conference meet of the season after opening at home with a win over Illinois last Friday. It is the Tiger’s first home meet of the year after falling to Kentucky last weekend in their season opener in Lexington, Ky.
Alabama puts its nearly three-decade long streak against the Tigers on the line once again Friday. The Tide has won 92 consecutive outings against Auburn dating back to the 1979 season, Sarah and David Patterson’s first coaching Alabama.
“I’ll have some butterflies in my stomach when we walk into their arena,” Sarah Patterson said. “There’s certainly pressure involved, to keep things going against Auburn. I know that we’ll get their best meet and we’ll have to be at or near our best to win. There’s too much talent in the SEC right now to think you can have an off meet and still win.”
The Tide will be led by sophomore Kassi Price who opened up her second Tide season the same way she started out her first, by winning the all-around. She also won the uneven bars and shared top honors on the floor exercise with a career best score. Freshman Kayla Hoffman opened up her collegiate career in a big way, winning her very first event, the vault and then coming back and tying for first on the floor exercise. Sophomore Casey Overton also enjoyed success against the Illini, winning the second balance beam title of her collegiate career.
Senior Kaitlin White showed that she’s ready to close out her Tide career with a flourish, posting scores near her career best on the uneven bars and floor exercise.
“Kaitlin really had a great meet against Illinois,” Patterson said. “I think she’s already ahead of where she was at the end of last season.”
Competing against their in-state rival also gives the Tide a chance to see a different element of its fan base.
“This is a chance for our fans in the southern part of the state to be able to come and see us compete,” Patterson said. “We always have a good group of fans when we travel to Auburn and I think Friday will be the same way.”
--UA--
For the Crimson Tide, it will be the first road and first Southeastern Conference meet of the season after opening at home with a win over Illinois last Friday. It is the Tiger’s first home meet of the year after falling to Kentucky last weekend in their season opener in Lexington, Ky.
Alabama puts its nearly three-decade long streak against the Tigers on the line once again Friday. The Tide has won 92 consecutive outings against Auburn dating back to the 1979 season, Sarah and David Patterson’s first coaching Alabama.
“I’ll have some butterflies in my stomach when we walk into their arena,” Sarah Patterson said. “There’s certainly pressure involved, to keep things going against Auburn. I know that we’ll get their best meet and we’ll have to be at or near our best to win. There’s too much talent in the SEC right now to think you can have an off meet and still win.”
The Tide will be led by sophomore Kassi Price who opened up her second Tide season the same way she started out her first, by winning the all-around. She also won the uneven bars and shared top honors on the floor exercise with a career best score. Freshman Kayla Hoffman opened up her collegiate career in a big way, winning her very first event, the vault and then coming back and tying for first on the floor exercise. Sophomore Casey Overton also enjoyed success against the Illini, winning the second balance beam title of her collegiate career.
Senior Kaitlin White showed that she’s ready to close out her Tide career with a flourish, posting scores near her career best on the uneven bars and floor exercise.
“Kaitlin really had a great meet against Illinois,” Patterson said. “I think she’s already ahead of where she was at the end of last season.”
Competing against their in-state rival also gives the Tide a chance to see a different element of its fan base.
“This is a chance for our fans in the southern part of the state to be able to come and see us compete,” Patterson said. “We always have a good group of fans when we travel to Auburn and I think Friday will be the same way.”
--UA--
Players Mentioned
All-Around
/ Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Gymnastics
All-Around
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