FLORENCE, SC – The Francis Marion University acrobatics and tumbling team concluded its home schedule as the Patriots placed third in a tri-meet with Coker University and the University of Montevallo, Friday evening (March 20) in Conference Carolinas action.  Montevallo registered a 248.105 team score to win the event, while Coker stood at 243.805 score and FMU 222.310.
 
Francis Marion's final two meets will be on the road, as the Patriots will travel to Belmont Abbey College on March 27 and Mars Hill University on Apr. 2.  Both contests will start at 6 p.m.
 
Francis Marion posted scores of 9.40 and 9.55 in the pyramid and toss heats of the compulsory round en route to a 31.40 team score.  Montevallo led with a 35.30 tally and Coker recorded a 33.75 mark.
 
Coker captured the acro portion with a 28.30 score, while Montevallo was at 27.65 and FMU at 24.35.
 
Buoyed by scores of 9.00, 9.50, and 9.60 in the three heats of the pyramid category, the Patriots posted a 28.10 team mark, second only to Montevallo's 28.75, while bettering the Cobras' 27.90.  Sophomores Taira Bentley, Destiny Keve, and JaLin Nelson; freshmen Kaylah Knight and Daijah Parrish; and junior Keirstyn Rogers represented the Patriots in the third heat (open) that produced the 9.60 tally.
 
The Falcons led at halftime with a 91.70 score, followed by Coker (89.95) and Francis Marion (83.85).
 
The team marks for the toss event were Coker 27.55, Montevallo 26.90, and FMU 25.25.
 
In the tumbling portion, Francis Marion was led by freshman Eilee Gonzales' 9.275 score in the 6-element pass and Rogers' 7.725 mark in the open pass.
 
Heading into the final category, the team event, Coker trailed Montevallo by less than a point.
 
In the team competition, Montevallo posted an 81.03 score, while Coker earned a 77.58 mark and Francis Marion 71.16.
 
FMU honored its lone senior, Jaliyah Douglas of Cheraw, S.C., prior to the announcement of the final scores.


                    senior Jaliyah Douglas and head coach Brittany Rueb