CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Flippin' Birds opened the home slate with a big win over conference opponent Sacramento State on Friday 196.150-192.725. The T-Birds nearly matched the season high with this incredible performance.
Junior Trista Goodman and sophomore Brinlee Christensen tied for the top score on the bar with a 9.850. A trio of T-Birds swept the podium for the beam, with sophomore Rylee Miller leading the pack at a 9.875. Senior Ellie Cacciola and Freshman Mia Hampton earned the best scores on the floor, tying with a 9.875. Christensen set a new personal best in the all-around with a massive 39.250 to take the top spot. Sophomore Niya Randolph was not far behind, putting up a 39.100.
Head Coach Scotty Bauman Said
Meet Recap
Vault (48.700)
Southern Utah began the meet on Vault, with senior Ellie Cacciola leading off and scoring a 9.775. Sophomore Mackenzie Kelly followed, earning a 9.650, while freshman Mia Hampton got her meet started with a 9.725. Junior Trista Goodman matched that score with another 9.725. Sophomore Brinlee Christensen contributed a solid 9.775, and sophomore Niya Randolph wrapped up the rotation with a 9.700. After the first rotation, the T-Birds secured an early lead.
Bars (49.100)
The Thunderbirds moved to the bars for their second rotation. Christensen led off with a strong 9.850. Senior Isabella Neff followed with an impressive 9.775, while Hampton contributed a solid 9.800. Goodman delivered a steady routine, scoring 9.850. Randolph had a great routine, finishing with a 9.825. The rotations boosted the team's overall score to 97.800 following the second rotation.
Beam (49.050)
The Thunderbirds transitioned to the beam for their third rotation. Sophomore Elliot Bringhurst opened the lineup with an 8.975. Next up, sophomore Brinlee Christensen delivered a 9.775, followed by Randolph, who secured a 9.750. Once again, Cacciola shone bright with an impressive 9.850. Sophomore Rylee Miller recorded the team's top score for the event with a 9.875 before sophomore Maria Ferguson closed out the rotation with a 9.800.
Floor (49.300)
The Flippin' Birds took to the floor to close out the meet. Holding a significant lead over the Hornets, Hampton kicked off the rotation with an impressive 9.875. Sophomore Alyssa Fernandez followed with a solid 9.850, while Christensen kept the momentum going with a dynamic 9.850 of her own. Randolph added to the team's strong showing with another 9.825. The two seniors stepped up next, as Cacciola delivered a stellar 9.875 and Taylor Gull tallied a 9.850. The T-Birds wrapped up their strong performance with a final score of 196.150.
Next Up
The Flippin' Birds will be right back in the AFEC on Monday, February 10, at 6:30 p.m. to take on Utah State University. The meet will be available to stream on Overnght.com, and live stats can be found on virti.us.
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