CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Flippin' Birds took on Big Ten conference powerhouse Penn State Friday evening. Southern Utah came out with a win on Senior Night, scoring an impressive 196.850. The Nittany Lions also posted an outstanding meet, scoring 196.525.
The Thunderbirds continued to break records, setting a new program record with the bars rotation that scored 49.475. Sophomore Trista Goodman scored a first-place finish on the bars, setting a new career high with a 9.950. The score tied her for the second-best in program history. Junior Ellie Cacciola scored an incredible 9.950 on the beam to tie her career-high and place first in the meet. Freshman Niya Randolph secured second place in the all-around with an exceptional 39.450.
Head Coach Scotty Bauman Said
"This was an outstanding way to send off our seniors. The team went out and competed well and didn't let little mistakes keep them from finishing each routine. We are extremely proud of how we finished our last home meet of the season."
Meet Recap
Vault (49.075)
The Flippin' Birds commenced the meet on the vault, spearheaded by junior Ellie Cacciola, who set the pace with an impressive 9.825. Randolph followed suit, notching a 9.850. Sophomore Kennedi McClain contributed with a score of 9.750. Sophomore Kayla Pardue added to the momentum with a vault, earning her 9.900. Next up was Freshman Brinlee Christensen, who added a 9.150. Concluding the rotation for the Thunderbirds was sophomore Trista Goodman, who achieved a score of 9.750.
Bars (49.475)
The Flippin' Birds kicked off the second rotation with an impressive display on the bars. Freshman Brinlee Christensen started strong with a score of 9.850. Freshman Alex Routsis came next, scoring a 9.825. Sophomore Trista Goodman raised the bar even higher, achieving a remarkable 9.950, a career-best. Randolph contributed an incredible routine that scored 9.925 to up the team's score. Junior Isabella Neff added an impressive 9.875, further bolstering the team's performance. Senior Aubri Schwartze concluded the second rotation with a routine that earned her a score of 9.875, bringing the team total to 49.475, a new SUU program record.
Beam (49.100)
Fernandez set the tone for the third rotation of the T-Birds' performance with an exceptional score of 9.825, captivating the audience with her skill. Despite a minor setback, McClain delivered a solid performance, earning a score of 9.325. Cacciola continued to impress, captivating the judges with her beam routine, securing an impressive 9.950. Randolph maintained the team's momentum with a strong performance, scoring 9.800. Senior Aly Coutu further contributed to the team's success with a routine that garnered an excellent score of 9.825. Finally, Senior Anna Hartley concluded the rotation for the Flippin' Birds by scoring 9.700.
Floor (49.200)
Transitioning to the floor for the final rotation, the Thunderbirds held a narrow lead. Freshman Alyssa Fernandez ignited the momentum with a routine, earning her a score of 9.825. Junior Taylor Gull elevated the team's standing with a solid routine, securing a score of 9.800. Christensen captivated the audience with her stellar routine, earning a noteworthy 9.825. Pardue was next, scoring an outstanding 9.800. Cacciola followed that up to score 9.875 with her own polished performance. The energy soared even higher, with Randolph delivering an exceptional routine, garnering an outstanding score of 9.875.
Next Up
The Flippin' Birds will hit the road for a quad meet hosted by the University of Washington on Friday, March 15. The meet will include Washington, BYU, and Sacramento State. It will take place in Alaska Airlines Arena and begins at 8:00 p.m. MT.
Follow Us
For all the latest on Southern Utah gymnastics, follow @SUUGym on Twitter, @SUUGymastics on Instagram, and like the Southern Utah Gymnastics Facebook page.
Donate
To help support Thunderbird athletics, consider making a donation today! To learn more about how you can support, click here.
