CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah gymnastics team picked up their second win of the season Friday night as they scored a 195.500 to best MRGC opponent Utah State.
At the end of the night there was a Flippin' Bird named event champion on every event except for vault. Becky Rozsa-Thompson scored a season-high 9.875 on bars to claim the Bars Event Champion title and Shylen Murakami set a new career-high on beam with a 9.900 to claim the Beam Event Champion title. Karley McClain was named both Floor and All-Around Event Champion for scoring a 9.875 on floor and a 39.175 in the all-around, both career-highs.
Utah State's Madison Ward-Sessions took home the title of Vault Event Champion.
The Thunderbirds had their best outing of the night on beam where they set a new season-high team score of 49.125. In addition to Murakami's 9.900, Hannah Nipp scored a 9.875 and McClain earned a 9.850. Alyssa LaDieu scored a season-high 9.800 and Karen Gonzalez rounded out the scoring with a 9.700.
The Flippin' Birds also set a season-high team score on bars where they scored a 49.000. Rozsa-Thompson had the high score, but Murakami and Stephanie Tervort were right behind her with a 9.850 for Murakami and a 9.825 for Tervort, a new career-high. McClain and Gonzalez both scored 9.725's to round out the scoring.
Over on vault, three Thunderbirds scored 9.775's with Morgan Alfaro, Molly Jozwiakowski, and Tervort all being awarded with the score. Rachel Smith earned a 9.750, her third of the season, and McClain and Caitlin Kho came away with 9.725's. As a team, Southern Utah scored a 48.800 on the event.
On floor the Flippin' Birds were led by McClain's 9.875, but also got solid performances out of Gonzalez, Madison McBride, and Jiang Braley. Gonzalez earned a 9.750 and McBride and Braley both scored 9.725's. Jozwiakowski rounded out the scoring with a 9.500.
The 195.500 is the Flippin' Birds' highest home score and their second-highest score overall this season.
The Thunderbirds will hit the road next week to take on the Iowa State Cyclones before returning home to host Temple University on February 15.
Tickets
Tickets for the Flippin' Birds' next home meet on February 15 against Temple University are available at tbirdtickets.com or the America First Event Center Ticket Office. Fans can also purchase a Women's Sports Pass for access to all 2019 regular season home meets.
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