FLORENCE, SC – The first-year Francis Marion University Acrobatics & Tumbling Team hosted its first-ever home meet and the Patriots came up short against Wingate University 225.885-199.815, Thursday (Feb. 22) evening.
 
The Patriots (0-4) return to the mats on Saturday, March 2, against King University and Limestone University in the Smith University Center. The tri-meet will begin at 3 p.m. with live streaming available on www.fmupatriots.com.
 
Thursday, the meet began in the acro portion of compulsory event with junior base Mikayla Brown, freshman bases Alyssa-Naomi Pippins and Jaliyah Douglas, freshman tumblers Hailey Gaither, Olivia Blanda, and Priscilla Vega, sophomore base Emma Barnes, sophomore top Alexandria Mitchell, and freshman top Alyssa Durrans being the first Patriots to take to the mats.
 
With a 10.0 start value, Francis Marion recorded a 7.10, while Wingate followed with a 7.15.
 
Francis Marion listed additional scores of 9.45 during the pyramid heat and 8.90 during the toss heat. During the tumbling heat, Vega, Mitchell, Gaither, Blanda, and Durrans earned a 3.50 out of 10.00 start value.
 
After finishing all four heats (acro, pyramid, toss, and tumbling) of the compulsory event, the Bulldogs led Francis Marion 30.65-28.95.
 
FMU earned a 7.05 in heat three (7 element) with athletes Mitchell, Gaither, Pippins; the highest score recorded by the Patriots during the acro portion. In heat one (5 element) and two (6 element), Francis Marion registered a 7.00 and 6.45.
 
Durrans, Brown, Barnes, Dykes, Gaither, Pippins, Mitchell, Vega, senior base Arianna Williams, junior base AJ Lunn, Douglas, Rowell all competed in the second heat of the pyramid event, performing a straddle hold. Scoring an 8.85 out of 9.50 start value, Francis Marion continued to close the gap on the Bulldogs (2-2).
 
The Patriots finalized all three pyramid heats with a cumulative score of 26.250, compared to Wingate's 26.900.  The Bulldogs held an 80.60-75.70 advantage at halftime.
 
Francis Marion tallied a 7.30 out of 8.80 as Brown, Douglas, Dykes, Durrans, and Pippins took part in the synchronized toss. In heat one (450 Salto), the Patriots scored 7.65 points, while registering 7.90 points in heat three (open).  Wingate tallied 67.025 points between both the toss and tumbling events, leading FMU by 4.80 points.
 
Blanda, competing in the six-element tumbling pass, registered a score of 8.250 with a 9.15 start value. Following the six-element tumbling pass, Vega executed the open tumbling pass to earn a score of 9.050 out of 9.50.
 
During the final portion, the team event, Wingate totaled 78.26 points, while Francis Marion posted 58.89 points.
 
FMU's 199.815 final tally was a program-best for the first-year squad.