For the fourth time in program history, the Missouri Tigers are headed to the NCAA Gymnastics Championship Semifinal after beating No. 15 Auburn by just .100 to place second in the Seattle regional Final on Sunday.
Headed into the final rotation, the Tigers trailed No. 2 Oklahoma, but led Auburn by .200 for second.
The Tigers took to the beam, led by Helen Hu who has recorded three perfect 10s this season, including in the regional semifinal on Friday.
And Hu came through once again, posting a 9.925 to lock up the second-place finish.
Hu’s near-perfect mark became necessary after Amy Wier fell off the beam to leave the Tigers at 49.275 on the apparatus.
It was the lowest score the Tigers posted on any apparatus as Missouri scored 49.300 on both the vault and uneven bars and 49.550 on the floor in the opening rotation.
Hu’s scored tied for second on the beam behind Oklahoma’s Faith Torrez in first. The tying second place, plus two of three tied for fourth and two of seven tied for seventh all came from the Sooners.
Railey Jackson and Addison Lawrence scored 9.850 on the beam to enter that seven-way tie for seventh, then Amari Celestine and Olivia Kelly were part of a four-way tie for 14th at 9.825.
Weir ended up at 8.925, the lone competitor under a 9.650.
The Tigers kicked off the meet with the floor exercise in the opening rotation.
Jocelyn Moore posted a 9.950, tying for third as two Sooners scored perfect 10s. She also tied with another Oklahoma gymnast as the Sooners claimed five of the top eight spots.
Hannah Horton and Celestine tied for ninth at 9.900, while Rayna Light and Kaia Tanskanen both scored 9.875 for a tie for 14th.
The second rotation took the Tigers to the vault, where Horton led Missouri with a 9.950 to tie for second as Oklahoma’s Jordan Bowers posted the second of her three perfect 10s.
Celestine was next for the Tigers at 9.875 to tie for seventh, then Tanskanen posted a 9.850 for a tie for 10th.
Moore posted a 9.825 for a tie for 14th, then Kennedy Griffin and Elise Tisler tied for 16th at 9.800.
The third rotation took the Tigers to the uneven bars, where Oklahoma’s Bowers posted another 10.
Mara Titarsolej led Missouri in a tie for second at 9.950, helping lead the Tigers to their narrow lead heading into the final rotation.
Kelly and Celestine tied for ninth at 9.850, Kyra Burns and Moore tied for 15th at 9.825 and Horton tied for 23rd at 9.750.
This will be the second time in four years the Tigers are headed to the National Semifinal.
Oklahoma led the meet at 198.450, Missouri took second with a 197.425, just ahead of Auburn at 197.325, while Arizona placed fourth with a 196.250.
The Tigers join the final field of eight along with Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama, Florida, Utah, UCLA and Michigan State.
The Tigers will face Oklahoma, Alabama and Florida on April 17 in Fort Worth, Texas, in Semifinal I.
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