01/05 at 12:04 AM

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Auburn’s Dan Mazzaferro and Kelly Marx posted a pair of top-five finishes Sunday as the Tennessee Diving Invitational wrapped up its second day of competition.

Freshman Anna Aguero led the AU women’s divers with a top-10 finish.

The men competed in the 3-meter competition Sunday with Marx posting the top score in the preliminary, finishing with a 378.90. He returned to finish fourth in the finals with a 375.95 while teammate Mazzaferro finished just ahead of him in third place with a score of 394.80.

Mazzaferro qualified for the finals after finishing fifth in the prelims with a score of 341.70.

Also competing in the men’s 3-meter for Auburn were freshman Adam Godzinski (15th, 297.20) and senior Scott Morgan (18th, 289.55).

In the women’s 1-meter, it was the freshman Aguero becoming the first Tiger to make a final. She finished fourth in the prelim with a score of 267.30 and finished off in 10th with a 237.85. Florida’s Kara Salamone won the event with a score of 392.10.

Also competing for Auburn in the event were freshmen Vanessa Dantin (18th, 232.15), Mary Catherine Cochran (44th, 181.60) and Lauran Mulqueen (48th, 175.70).

The three-day meet wraps up today as teams compete in the platform competition at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center.

Gymnastics pounds Illinois-Chicago
CHICAGO — The No. 15 Auburn (1-0) gymnastics team opened the 2009 season by defeating Illinois-Chicago (0-1), 196.375-193.850, on Sunday in the UIC Physical Education Building.

The Tigers captured all four event titles and four freshmen made their collegiate debut. The team score also marked the highest season-opening score in the program’s history.

The win gives Auburn a 7-1 all-time record against the Flames and three season-opening wins against UIC.

“I’m really excited for our team,” head coach Jeff Thompson said. “I knew they had the potential to perform like I knew we could for a first meet. Our gymnasts were awesome. We talked about each person doing their own job, whether it was going out and hitting one routine or four and everyone did that today. We hit 22-of-24 routines in a season-opener.”

Seniors Lindsey Puckett and A.J. Mills placed first and second on two events. On vault, Puckett brought home the title and Mills was second.

On balance beam it was Mills finishing first and Puckett second. Sophomore Rachel Inniss was the floor exercise champ, followed by teammates Puckett and Mills. Mills was the uneven bars titlist and Puckett placed third. In all-around competition, Puckett was first with a 39.475 and Mills followed with a 39.450 for runner-up honors.

“I thought I did really well,” Puckett said of her performance. “I felt confident and it’s something to defiantly to build on, but as far as this meet, it helps heading into the next one. I feel like I am playing a bigger role this year by encouraging everyone and making sure they have confidence in themselves. As seniors, Claire, A.J. and I look out for everyone.”

The Tigers opened the meet on uneven bars, scoring a 48.90, and were guided behind strong performances from veterans and rookies alike. Mills and Puckett led the way notching scores of 9.85 and 9.825, respectively.

In their first collegiate event, freshmen Allyson Sandusky Kendall Swartz provided big points, scoring a 9.8 and 9.75, respectively. Sophomore Leah Vining was in exhibition.

Following a rough first vault, Auburn rebounded to post three scores over 9.8 and finished with a 49.050. Sophomore Krissy Voss scored a 9.825 in the No. 3 spot and was followed up by a Mills’ score of 9.85.

Puckett, the sixth and final competitor, landed a 9.9. Freshman Kylie Shields was in action in her first of two events and registered a 9.725. Laura Lane, the fourth freshman in action for the Tigers, was in exhibition.

In the third rotation on floor exercise, sophomore Rachel Inniss tumbled to a career-high 9.9 to lead the Tigers. Behind Inniss was Puckett with a 9.850 and Mills registered a 9.825. The trio finished first through third as Auburn tallied a 49.075 on floor. Junior Krissy Voss was in exhibition.

Mills tied a career high in the fourth and final rotation on the balance beam, garnering a 9.925 en route to the beam title. Puckett notched a 9.9 to place second. Shields and sophomore Katie Hurley each posted 9.850s. Auburn tallied a 49.350 to tie the fifth-highest beam score, a mark that was set at the 2004 NCAA Central Regional. Voss was the exhibitionist.

“I’m proud of our freshmen,” Thompson said. “They didn’t get overwhelmed. They were confident and knew what to do. Rachel on floor today was awesome. She’s finally healthy. I am super proud of our ladies today. Mistakes were made early in the lineup and those that followed were focused and hit their routines unrattled so we didn’t have to count those scores. That’s what good teams do.”

The Tigers will make their home debut Friday against in-state rival and sixth-ranked Alabama at 7 p.m. in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

The meet has been tabbed as Auburn’s Pink Meet to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Schepperle wins Dixie Amateur
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Auburn junior Candace Schepperle got 2009 started off on a high note Sunday as she carded a 14-under-par 274 to win the 2009 Dixie Amateur Championship at the Heron Bay Golf Club.

The Birmingham native posted three of her four rounds in the 60s and led wire-to-wire in the four-day tournament. Carrying a five-stroke lead into the final round, Schepperle came in with a 2-under 70 to hold off Alexis Thompson, who finished one stroke behind at 13-over-par 275.

“I’m very happy, it has been a while since I have won and I am very excited to have that under my belt,” said Schepperle. “I have been in that situation a lot, so it is nice to come out on top.”

After taking an extended break following the completion of Auburn’s fall season, Schepperle said everything just fell into place for her at the Dixie Amateur.

“This whole week was simple for me, I can’t really pinpoint too many thoughts that went through my head,” said Schepperle. “I just tried to get back into the swing of things, back into golfing and playing tournaments.”

Schepperle was tied for the lead after the first day with a 3-under 69.

She extended her lead during the second round with a 6-under 66 and built it to five strokes following her third-round 69.

Also competing at the Dixie Amateur was Auburn signee Carlie Yadloczky. After posting a 1-over-par 73 in the first round, she tallied three straight rounds under par to finish third with an 11-under-par 277.

The 10th-ranked Tigers return to action Feb. 16-17 as the team travels to River Wilderness Country Club in Parrish, Fla., for the Central District Invitational.