SEATTLE, Wash. — BYU women’s gymnastics earned its second-highest score of the season with a 196.750 for a second-place finish at the Washington quad meet Friday evening.
Host Washington took home the win with a 197.175, followed by BYU’s 196.750, Southern Utah’s 196.550 and Sacramento State’s 195.300.
BYU held the top spot on two of the four events in tonight’s competition. Freshman Brynlee Andersen snagged the podium for beam with a 9.925 while Kylie Eaquinto shared the podium with Washington’s Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, notching floor scores of 9.975. The Cougars notched a new season high floor score of 49.475 in tonight’s quad meet.
BYU opened the quad meet on the uneven bars. Seniors Anyssa Alvarado and Anna Bramblett anchored for the Cougs, earning a pair of 9.850’s. Lindsey Hunter-Kempler added a 9.800 to help the Cougars finish with a 49.000 on bars.
Following rotation one, Washington led with a 49.150, followed by BYU at 49.000, Southern Utah with a 48.900 and Sacramento State with a 48.750.
The Cougars found their rhythm on the beam in the second round. Allix Mason opened with a 9.825, followed by a 9.850 from Eliza Millar-Crossman. Reigning Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Andersen closed out the rotation with a team-high 9.925 as BYU earned a team score of 49.050.
With the Thunderbirds earning six floor scores above a 9.800, they moved ahead of the Cougars in the rankings. Washington held its lead with 98.300, followed by SUU with 98.175, BYU at 98.050 and Sac State at 97.550.
The Cougars earned a season-high floor score with a 49.475 in rotation three. Millar-Crossman opened BYU’s floor rotation with a 9.850, followed by Olivia Matern’s 9.850 to tie her career high. Sophie Dudley also posted a 9.850 and junior Heidi Schooley notched another 9.800 for the Cougars. Senior Sydney Benson notched a new career high with a 9.950, followed by a new career and team high 9.975 from Kylie Eaquinto to close out the rotation.
Washington held the top spot heading into the final rotation with a 147.750, followed by BYU’s 147.525, SUU’s 147.375 and Sac State’s 146.350.
BYU ended the night on vault with a 49.225, tying the team's season high on the apparatus. Mason earned a 9.825 in the leadoff spot for the Cougars, followed by a new career high 9.900 from freshman Ava Jorgensen. Dudley also earned a 9.825 and Benson scored a 9.875. Eaquinto closed out the competition for BYU with a 9.800 on the vault.
Up next, the Cougars head to their first-ever Big 12 Championships on Saturday, Mar. 23 in Norman, Oklahoma to compete in the Lloyd Noble Center. BYU will take on Iowa State, No. 1 Oklahoma, West Virginia and No. 9 Denver in the conference meet, which will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.