The No. 1 Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling (9-0) defeated No. 4 Hawaii Pacific (4-4), Monday evening to advance to the program's second straight National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA) National Championship finals. The Bears downed the Sharks 284.800-278.310, at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas.
Baylor will face No. 2 Oregon in the NCATA National Championship final for the second straight year. The Bears defeated the Ducks, 286.690-282.870 in last year’s championship at Fairmont State's Joe Retton Arena in Fairmont, W.Va.
BU started the meet with a strong showing in the compulsory round 38.85-38.60. Hawaii Pacific edged Baylor in the acro round 29.60-29.55, but the Bears maintained their overall lead, 68.400-68.200. Before heading into the half, the Bears excelled in the pyramid event 29.80-29.60, and led Hawaii Pacific 98.200-97.800.
After the half, Baylor won the toss event, 29.35-27.85 and furthered its lead 127.550-125.650. The Bears continued to dominate in the tumbling round, 56.850-53.800, as Kiara Nowlin earned a perfect ten in her 6 element pass for the second straight meet.
Heading into the team event the Bears led the Sharks 179.450-184.400. Baylor soared in the team event, 100.40-98.86 and won the meet 284.800-278.310.
HIGHLIGHTS
• After posting a 10.00 in yesterday's meet against Azusa Pacific, Kaelyn Cowan, Molly Gibbons, Gigi Mendoza, Miranda Girouard, Lauren Sturm, Allie Alaman, Allie Williams, Kelci Ortiz, Kaylee Adams, Courtney Pate, Taylor Watson, Toni Bronisevsky, Shayla Kelley, Amanda Graceffa and Meredith Aldis nailed today's performance with a 9.95 in the pyramid heat of the compulsory event.
• The Bears scored a 9.95 in both heat 1 and 2 of the pyramid event.
• For the second straight day and for the fourth time this season Kiara Nowlin earned a perfect ten in her 6 element pass. Nowlin has earned a perfect ten in the 6 element.
• Lauren Sturm earned a score of 9.925 in her open pass.
STAT OF THE DAY
Baylor’s 38.85 in the compulsory event and 29.80 in the pyramid event were season highs.
TOP QUOTE
“I think Keenyn Won (Hawaii Pacific Head Coach) is phenomenal and what she has done at HPU is amazing,” head coach Felecia Mulkey said. “I never take them lightly, we did not come into today going oh this is a gimme meet, we never try to do that with any meet, but definitely not with HPU because they can take you down pretty easily.”
WHAT'S NEXT
The No. 1 seeded Bears will face No. 2 seeded Oregon in the NCATA National Championship finals at 7 p.m. (CT) on Tuesday, April 19 at the Ferrell Center.
