FLORENCE, SC – The Francis Marion University acrobatics and tumbling team won two competitions and tied in another, but the Patriots fell to King University (Tenn.) 232.895-219.460, Thursday evening (Feb. 26) in Conference Carolinas action.
Francis Marion (0-3) will return to action on Sunday, March 8, with a 2 p.m. meet at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Md.
Despite scores of 9.50 in the pyramid heat and 9.30 in the toss heat, FMU trailed 35.20 to 29.10 after the compulsory portion.
The Patriots rebounded to win the acro portion 24.85 to 23.75 and the pyramid segment 26.95 to 25.45 to trail by only three-and-a-half points at halftime (84.40-80.90). FMU posted a 9.75 tally in the third heat (open) of the pyramid competition with junior
Keirstyn Rogers, freshmen
Kaylah Knight and
Daijah Parrish, and sophomores
Taira Bentley,
Destiny Keve, and
JaLin Nelson representing the Patriots on the floor.
Both squads registered identical scores of 25.90 in the toss portion, so the King advantage remained the same. Francis Marion posted a near perfect 9.30 tally in the open heat behind the performances of senior
Jaliyah Douglas, freshman
Eilee Gonzales, sophomore
Jordyn Hines, Keve, Nelson, and Parrish.
The Tornado (4-0) widened their advantage by claiming the tumbling segment by a 48.425 to 45.900 decision, despite Gonzales recording a 9.300 score in the 6-element pass event.
King rounded out the evening by winning the team event by a 74.17 to 66.76 count.
