MJ Rott sets a new career high on beam at the Baton Rouge Regional. (Maggie Bowles photo)
BATON ROUGE, La. - No. 13 Auburn gymnastics stumbled on uneven bars early in Saturday's NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, couldn't recover and finished fifth with a total score of 195.050.
No. 3 LSU won the meet with a total of 198.325 and No. 10 Stanford was second (197.275) as both advanced to the NCAA Gymnastics Championships on April 18 in Birmingham.
"It's an unfortunate result. You have to hit at regionals to advance and we didn't do that," Auburn head coach Jeff Graba said. "Now it's time to get the girls healthy and start preparing for 2015."
Auburn opened the meet with a 49.075 on vault led by a 9.875 from sophomore Caitlin Atkinson. Freshman MJ Rott added a 9.85 and sophomores Lexus Demers and Kait Kluz both scored 9.8.
The Tigers struggled with four falls on uneven bars in the third rotation after a bye and totaled 47.650. The top scores on the apparatus came from Megan Walker (9.85) and Kluz (9.800).
Auburn scored 49.225 on balance beam as it rallied from a tough third rotation. The Tigers were led on the event by career high scores from Lexus Demers (9.925) and Rott (9.900). Walker added her score of 9.925 and Caryn Kadous scored 9.800.
After another bye, Auburn closed the meet on floor. Kadous led off with a 9.85 to equal her career high and Walker equaled her career high with a 9.85. Kluz added a 9.8 as the Tigers totaled 49.050 in the final rotation.
Auburn's lone all-arounder Rott scored a season high 38.925 to finish ninth.
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