COLUMBIA, Mo. - Feb. 25 - Southern Utah University gymnastics swept first and second in the all-around on Friday night as Ari Lamb and Lauren Jeffrey finished one-two at the University of Missouri. The duo finished the meet scoring a 38.950 and 38.625, respectively as the Thunderbirds finished behind the Tigers 194.925 to 193.750.
SUU began the night on bars scoring a trio of 9.725's from Brooke Cersosimo, Lamb and Jeffrey, but were led on the event by Caitlin Kennedy with a team-high 9.750. However, the Thunderbirds encountered a pair of falls on the event as Michaela Chernoch's 9.100 rounded out the team score of 48.025. Meanwhile, the Tigers opened the meet on vault with a 48.775 to take the early lead.
The Thunderbirds chipped into the Missouri lead during the second rotation as the Tigers had to count a fall of their own on bars, scoring a 48.475. Lindsey Schultz' 9.825 on vault powered the team to a meet-high 48.625 on vault and also helped the senior share the individual title on the apparatus. She was followed on the team by Shannon Coughlin with a 9.750 and Cersosimo with a 9.725. The margin between the two teams following the second rotation narrowed, but Missouri continued to lead 97.250 to SUU's 96.650.
Southern Utah moved to its strongest event of the season in the floor exercise during the third rotation and was led by Coughlin and Lamb with matching 9.750's. Jeffrey followed with a 9.725, but the story of the rotation came when Cersosimo was injured during her routine in what could be a season-ending setback. The season-ending injury would be the third so far for Southern Utah this year with seniors Jenna Vogt and Bailey Pendley already out for the year.
A 9.675 from Chernoch and 9.625 from Alyssa Click rounded out Southern Utah's team score of 48.525 and even though Missouri encountered a fall on beam, the rest of the team hit, scoring a 48.775. The final marks perpetuated the Tiger lead, 146.025 to 145.225.
Despite the deficit, Southern Utah finished strong with its second-highest team score of the night with a 48.575 on the balance beam. Lamb led the way with a second-place mark of 9.825 and was joined in the 9.8's by Kennedy as the sophomore scored a 9.800 to finish tied for fourth overall. Chernoch bounced back from her mishap on bars to finish third on the team with a 9.700 with Coughlin and Jeffrey rounding out the team score with matching 9.625's.
Missouri finished its night with a 48.900 on the floor exercise to clinch the meet 194.925 to 193.750. Lamb and Jeffrey finished ahead of the Tigers' Alex Gold and Mary Burke who finished the all-around with a 38.350 and 38.225, respectively.
Southern Utah will return to action next weekend when the Thunderbirds travel to Boise, Idaho to face the Boise State Broncos. The meet is anticipated to begin at 7:00 p.m.
