The Red and Black

Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: RICHARD HAMM Courtney McCool leaps during her floor performance at the Gym Dogs meet against North Carolina State University on Feb. 8. She scored a 9.925 on floor. [Click to enlarge]

Entering the second half of their regular season, the No. 1 Gym Dogs are looking to avoid a classic trap game in their road date with No. 16 Auburn today.

Auburn's (4-4, 0-4 SEC) season-high score of 195.925 is below the Gym Dogs' season-low score of 196.300, but head coach Suzanne Yoculan is far from ready to pencil in a victory.

"With execution of routines being the key to the score, if we don't execute and they do, they'll win," Yoculan said. "After so many teams in the top five in a row, you have to be aware of the mental letdown."

The last time the Gym Dogs (5-1, 3-0) ventured into the state of Alabama, it was to face the No. 4 Crimson Tide in a battle of historic powerhouses that had combined for 12 NCAA National Championships.

It is safe to say that Auburn rivalry, in which the Gym Dogs hold a 59-0 all-time advantage, has less fanfare surrounding it.

The Gym Dogs made a point of refusing to focus on their opponent before their win over Alabama, and the same introspective approach may help the team avoid disappointment on the plains.

"In the beginning, it was more feeling the situations out and competing," Kupets said. "Now we need to step it up a notch by competing with ourselves as a team, not really looking at the competition we're going against."

Kupets acknowledged the team has increased its intensity following a "good, but not great" performance last weekend in a 196.875-195.175 win over North Carolina State.

Yoculan had a stronger criticism of last weekend's meet and is hoping for a significant turnaround Friday, in the final two events balance beam and floor exercise, where Georgia recorded one score of 9.9 or above.

"Last week it was flat," Yoculan said. "To me it was one of our worst meets, way below our potential. We have an opportunity to come back strong and act like the No. 1 team, which we did not do last week."

Despite the disappointment, Georgia's score against N.C. State tied for the fifth highest in the country, but the top-ranked squad in the nation still is looking to bounce back.

The Tigers and Gym Dogs meet at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum at 8 tonight.

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