LOGAN, Utah — The Flippin' Birds were back on the road Monday night at the USU Quad meet. Southern Utah finished in second-place with a final score of 195.525. The Thunderbirds move to 4-7 on the season and grabbed their first MPSF head-to-head victories of the season, topping Alaska and Sacramento State.
Junior Niya Randolph won the all-around with a 38.650 and placed second in both bars and third on floor. Sophomore Mia Hampton tied with Randolph for third on the floor as well. Senior Kayla Pardue placed second on the vault with a 9.825. Freshman Ariel Collum posted a career-high and meet-winning 9.900 on the bars. Junior Elliot Bringhurst put together an incredible 9.875 beam routine that tied for the top spot in the event. Bringhurst and freshman Berlin Hall tied for third place on the vault with a 9.750.
Head Coach Scotty Bauman Said
"Ariel really came through for us tonight with a career-high on bars. She set the tone for the team and showed what she's capable of. It was a big night for us, getting our first MPSF head-to-head wins of the season over Alaska and Sacramento State. That could be important as we get closer to the back half of the season."
Meet Recap
Bars (49.150)
Southern Utah opened the meet on the uneven bars with a confident rotation, showing depth and composure across the lineup. Junior Alex Routsis got the team started with a smooth, controlled routine that caught some big air and scored 9.850. Following an uncharacteristic fall by sophomore Mia Hampton, freshman Ariel Collum brought the momentum up a notch with a poised performance, earning a new career-high score of 9.900. Junior Maria Ferguson added consistency in the middle of the order with a 9.800. Junior Niya Randolph contributed another reliable bars routine, scoring 9.850. Junior Rylee Miller competed her first bars routine of her Southern Utah career and anchored the event, finishing strong with a 9.750. The T-Birds finished the first rotation out front with a 49.150.
Beam (48.625)
Southern Utah moved to the balance beam with focused performances under pressure. Hampton opened the beam rotation with a 9.625 before junior Elliot Bringhurst showcased composure and strength with a big-time 9.875. Miller was next, picking up a 9.675. Sophomore Emma Nipper put together a solid performance, earning a 9.725. Maria Ferguson matched the energy with a reliable 9.725 of her own, keeping the Thunderbirds in a tight race, trailing Utah State by just one tenth.
Floor (49.050)
The Thunderbirds went to the floor exercise, keeping the crowd engaged throughout the rotation. Berlin Hall kicked off with a lively routine that scored 9.775. Rylee Miller followed with a 9.675. Sage Paladino energized the arena with a dynamic performance for a 9.800. Carilia Martinez brought some fun choreography, dancing her way to a 9.775. Hampton was up next, grabbing a big-time 9.850. Niya Randolph closed the rotation with a powerful routine that matched Hampton for the top rotation score of 9.850. Southern Utah jumped back in front with a 146.825 heading to the final set.
Vault (48.700)
Southern Utah wrapped up the meet on vault with confident, powerful performances. Junior Mackenzie Kelly opened the rotation with a clean effort that earned 9.700. Freshman Vinciane Le Pen continued the lineup with a solid vault, posting a score of 9.650. Bringhurst followed that up with a 9.750 before senior Kayla Pardue showcased her excellent Yurchenko one and a half for a 9.825. Niya Randolph scored a 9.675 before Hall anchored the rotation with an eye-catching vault that earned 9.750. The Flippin' Birds wrapped up the meet with a solid team score of 195.525.
Next Up
The Flippin' Birds are back in action on Saturday, February 14, in Corvallis, Oregon, where they will take on the Oregon State Beavers. The meet will begin at 3:00 p.m. MT, and fans can watch it live from the link on the schedule page at suutbirds.com. Live stats are available on virti.us.
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.
