AUBURN, Ala. - Hot off their 196.700-196.250 win over the 17th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks, the Tigers are right back in action as they host No. 9 Oregon State on Friday night.
Just three meets in, Auburn is already beginning to find a rhythm. With an average score of 196.475, the Tigers have arrived at the 12th spot in the collegiate rankings. That puts head coach Jeff Graba’s team on pace for the second-best finish since the 2017 season.
The Tigers were tasked with replacing one of the best all-around gymnasts in the SEC last season after Cassie Stevens graduated. So far, stud freshman Katelyn Jong has been up to the task, winning the all-around competition in her last two meets. With scores of 39.500 and 39.475, it seems as though Auburn has found a gem. Jong has also produced three 9.900 scores on vault as well as a 9.9 on beam thus far.
Another emerging freshman is Marissa Neal. Neal started the season primarily on beam, but was thrust into action last week during the floor exercise. She did not disappoint, scoring a season-high 9.925 on beam, followed by a 9.850 floor routine to help the Tigers over the top. It will be interesting to see if Graba runs with Neal on floor again this weekend against the Beavers.
On the other side, Oregon State is coming off a season-high 197.600 in their matchup with San Jose State. There is no lack of talent, as the Beavers boast two-time U.S. Olympian and three-time Olympic medalist Jade Carey.
Carey is coming off a nation-best 39.800 all-around performance where she scored no lower than a 9.900 on any apparatus. In fact, she hasn’t scored lower than a 9.875 all season. There is no doubt that Carey will be a force for the Beavers on Friday night.
It will surely be a tough task for the Tigers, as Oregon State has improved their score in all four events each time they have competed this season. Going off high scores, there is almost a full point that Auburn will need to find to stay in the matchup. The Beavers give Auburn a great chance to play up to their competition and have a big night.
There will be star power all over the floor on Friday night when the top-15 matchup kicks off. The first rotation is set to start at 8:30 p.m. CT and will be covered live on ESPN2.
