CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's gymnastics registered season-highs on bars and the team score to propel the Redhawks past Midwest Independent Conference rival, Lindenwood, 193.925-193.600, Friday at Houck Field House on Pink Out Night.
The dual win over Lindenwood, the five-time defending MIC Champions and 2019 USA Gymnastics National Champions, was the first for the Redhawks since Jan. 31, 2014 (193.900-190.600). The team total was the highest mark by SEMO since the team posted a 194.375 at the 2016 MIC Championship (3/19) in Cape Girardeau.
With the victory, Southeast improved to 2-0 at home in 2020 with their second straight MIC dual win.
Trailing 48.750-48.300 after the opening rotation, Southeast pulled ahead of the Lions for good after a season-best 48.725 on bars.
Lindsey Bates set the tone with a career-best 9.825 which was second overall at the dual.
Dahlia Solorzano-Caruso was third at the meet with her second career-high 9.800.
Jordan Jones and
Anna Kaziska added identical scores of 9.725 in the leadoff and fifth positions.
Alana Fischer chipped in a season-high 9.650.
SEMO started its Pink Out Meet with a 48.300 on vault in the first rotation.
Gabrielle Adams finished as the runner-up on the event with a 9.725. Kaziska was second on the team with a 9.700.
Molly Maxwell and
Mackenzie Slee hit consecutive 9.650s in the third and fourth lineup slots. Fischer (season-best) and Solorzano-Caruso rounded out the rotation with a pair of 9.575s.
In the third event of the evening, the Redhawks notched a 48.100 on beam. Kaziska captured the event title with her third 9.875 in 2020 and fifth career-best mark. Jones compiled a score of 9.775. Maxwell had a 9.675 and
Lindsey Moffitt added a personal-best 9.600.
Southeast secured the dual victory with a 48.800 on floor. Kaziska paced the Redhawks with a 9.850 for second at the meet. Moffitt finished third overall with a career-high 9.825 and Solorzano-Caruso was fourth, tallying a 9.750.
Maxwell posted a 9.725 while
Mallory Desch hit her second career-best 9.650. Slee also tallied a 9.650.
Kaziska won the all-around competition with her fourth career total of 39.00 or higher (39.150). Solorzano-Caruso was the runner-up with 38.300 and Lindenwood's Sydney Lopez was third (38.100).
Southeast edged the Lions on both the vault (48.300-48.000) and floor (48.800-47.800) Friday.
The victory came prior to head coach
Ashley Lawson's induction into the
Southeast Missouri Hall of Fame Friday evening at the Show Me Center.
The win was also special for Lawson and volunteer assistant coach
Andavea Alexander who both have connections to Lindenwood. Lawson previously served as an assistant at Lindenwood in 2018 under head coach Jen Llewellyn and Alexander was a standout gymnast at Lindenwood, helping the Lions win their fifth consecutive MIC Championship and third USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championship in the last five years in 2019.
Southeast next hits the road for three consecutive weeks (four meets). The Redhawks take a short trip to St. Charles, Missouri, for the GymQuarters Mardi Gras Invitational on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) at 2 p.m. SEMO will compete against Seattle Pacific, Centenary (Louisiana) and Bridgeport in the quad meet held at The Family Arena.
SEMO then competes in its second consecutive meet hosted by a private gymnastics club on Friday, Feb. 28 when they face Northern Illinois in the Tennessee Collegiate Classic held at the Wilson County Expo Center in Lebanon, Tennessee. The Redhawks then trek to Shreveport, Louisiana, for a dual against Centenary on Sunday, March 1.
Southeast closes out their road swing with a return trip to St. Charles, Missouri, for a tri meet against Air Force and host Lindenwood on March 6.
