FLORENCE, SC – In Thursday's (March 14) meet, the Francis Marion University acrobatics and tumbling team fell 245.075-204.115 to visiting Saint Leo University.
 
Francis Marion will face Converse University in their final meet of the 2024 regular season on Friday (March 29), with the first event set to begin at 6 p.m.
 
Junior base Mikayla Brown, freshman tumbler Olivia Blanda, sophomore top Alexandria Mitchell, freshman base Alyssa-Naomi Pippins, freshman tumbler Hailey Gaither, freshman base Jaliyah Douglas, sophomore base Emma Barnes, and freshman tumblers Priscilla Vega and Alyssa Durrans all took part in the acro portion of the compulsory event. FMU posted 6.90 out of 10.00 points.
 
The Patriots listed 21.950 points in the final three heats (pyramid, toss, and tumbling) of compulsory, while the Lions (2-1) scored 25.350 points.
 
In heat one (5 element) of the acro event, Brown, Blanda, and Vega scored an 8.00 out of 8.90; the highest score of acro. Following, heat two (6 element) scored a 6.70 while heat three (7 element) scored a 7.05.
 
Francis Marion trailed Saint Leo 88.15-76.15 at halftime, scoring a cumulative 26.150 points during the pyramid event.
 
Heat one of the toss events was executed by Brown, Douglas, Vega, Pippins, Durrans, and Gaither. With a 9.00 start value, FMU registered a score of 8.00 while heats two and three recorded a combined 14.55 points.
 
In heats one (duo) and two (trio) of tumbling, the Patriots claimed 12.45 points and trailed the Lions by 16.10 points.
 
Mitchell, Pippins, Diaz, and Dykes completed their tumbling pass to score 4.85 points for Francis Marion in heat three (quad pass) of the tumbling event. Gaither (6-element), Blanda (aerial), and Vega (open) also recorded an additional 25.525 points, bringing the event total to 42.825 points.
 
Saint Leo exited the team event final having posted 83.75 points out of 100.50 points, while Francis Marion registered 62.59 out of 92.38.