CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's gymnastics notched its first win of the 2018 season Friday evening in its home opener at Houck Field House. The Redhawks edged fellow Midwest Independent Conference school, Illinois State, 193.300-191.175 to claim the dual meet.
 
"Today went awesome," acting head coach Brittney Emmons said of Southeast's first victory of 2018. "I could not be more proud of these girls to be able to step up and be themselves in their second meet of the season. We are happy with this but we are not satisfied because we can continue to build."
 
Alexis Brawner and Lindsey Bates each notched their first victories of the 2018 campaign in the dual. Brawner won vault with a score of 9.775 and took the floor title with a 9.825. Brawner and Bates tied for the title on bars with Illinois State's Alyssa Wiggle with scores of 9.725. Bates also tied for first on beam with ISU's Gabrielle Cooke with 9.700 and took the overall all-around crown with a personal-best 38.950.
 
"Lindsey is doing amazing," Emmons said of Bates' first career collegiate all-around title. "She has had to battle this fall. She's had to learn to grow and be more confident in her self and her abilities. I really think that her hardwork is showing off and paying off."
  
The dual meet victory was also the first-career win for Emmons at the helm of Southeast.
 
SEMO started the dual on vault with a team score of 48.225. Bates was second on SEMO with a career-best 9.750 behind Brawner's score of 9.775. Gabrielle Adams added a score of 9.700 on the apparatus for third on the team.
 
In the second rotation, Southeast recorded a season-best 48.225 on bars. Bates and Brawner led the way on bars with identical scores of 9.725. The mark was a personal-best for Bates. Alana Fischer and McKinzie Jones then tied for third on the team with scores of 9.600.
 
The Redhawks notched another season-best on beam in the third rotation of the night with a 48.000. Bates added another personal-record with a team-best beam score of 9.700.
 
In the fourth and final rotation, SEMO continued the trend of improvement from the season-opener at Kentucky with a team score of 48.850. Led by Brawner's 9.825, Jones chipped in a season-best score of 9.800 and Bates followed with a routine of 9.775. Adams added a 9.750 and Mackenzie Slee rounded out the event with her first score of 9.700 in 2018.
 
The Redhawks continue their homestand with a dual against reigning three-time MIC Champion, Lindenwood, on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, Jan. 15 at 4 p.m., CT at Houck Field House.