CEDAR CITY, Utah — Southern Utah wrapped up its last regular-season home meet, honoring the seniors with a 196.900-195.550 win over Washington. The Flippin' Birds improve to 3-2 at home on the season. The Thunderbirds will host the MPSF Championships on Saturday, March 21, for your last chance to see them compete this season in the America First Event Center.
It was a record night in the AFEC as junior Niya Randolph set a program record on the floor with a 9.975, taking first place. Randolph placed first on the vault and bars as well en route to a top finish in the all-around with a 39.575. Senior Kayla Pardue placed second on the vault, while the Flippin' Birds secured the entire podium on beam, Mia Hampton and Rylee Miller tying for the top spot at a 9.900, and Maria Ferguson coming in third. Carilia Martinez placed second on the floor with a new career-best 9.925, and Berlin Hall took third with a 9.900. The floor team posted the second-highest score in program history with a 49.525. The beam team tied the season-high with a 49.300.
Head Coach Scotty Bauman Said
Meet Recap
Vault (49.125)
Southern Utah opened the meet on vault, and Junior Mackenzie Kelly got things started with a 9.775. Junior Elliot Bringhurst followed with a solid 9.750, and senior Kayla Pardue kicked the intensity up a notch with a 9.875. Niya Randolph opened her all-around effort with a strong 9.900 to match her career-high. Freshman Vinciane Le Pen was next with a very strong effort to grab a 9.825. Sophomore Sage Paladino added a 9.750. Senior Ellie Thomson's exhibition in the meet earned a 9.700. The T-Birds grabbed a tenth lead with a 49.125 for the first rotation.
Bars (48.950)
The Thunderbirds headed to the second rotation looking to build momentum. Junior Alex Routsis opened the rotation with a 9.700. Sophomore Mia Hampton turned in a consistent 9.800, and Freshman Ariel Collum contributed a 9.650. Randolph added another powerful routine, scoring 9.925, a season-high, to continue her consistent night. Junior Rylee Miller put in a good routine, earning 9.750 to move the rotation along. Kendall McGuire was next with a 9.775. Senior Trista Goodman performed an exhibition routine, earning a 9.625 and sending SUU into the third rotation with a total of 98.075.
Beam (49.300)
Southern Utah approached the beam with confidence and delivered a collection of competitive routines. Randolph opened with a 9.775, and Hampton followed with a beautiful routine, earning a 9.900. Sophomore Emma Nipper was next with a 9.625. Miller continued the rotation by matching her career-high, scoring 9.900. Maria Ferguson was next, adding a polished routine for a 9.875. Junior Marisa de Groot added a beautiful routine for the team, earning a 9.850. Senior Amelia Rieder also got the chance to exhibition a routine, scoring 9.825. The Thunderbirds headed to the final event, leading with a team total of 147.375.
Floor (49.525)
The Flippin' Birds closed out the meet on the floor with a solid set of routines that scored well. Hampton led off with a solid 9.850, and Miller followed with another great routine, earning a 9.875. Junior Alyssa Fernandez was next, adding an impressive 9.850, while junior Carilia Martinez delivered a high-energy routine to grab a career-high 9.925. Freshman Berlin Hall chipped in a 9.900 before Randolph wrapped up her all-around night with a program-record 9.975. The final rotation brought Southern Utah's team score to 196.900 for the meet.
Next Up
The Flippin' Birds will be back on the road next week at Boise State on Friday, March 13. Southern Utah will take on the Broncos in a meet that begins at 7:00 p.m. MT. The meet will be streamed on the Mountain West Network, and live stats are available on virti.us.
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