CLEMSON, S.C. — No. 24 BYU gymnastics defeated No. 14 Clemson 197.225-197.175 Friday night at Littlejohn Coliseum behind the third-highest beam score in program history.
BYU’s 49.550 on beam ranks as the third-highest in program history.
Senior Kylie Eaquinto competed in the all-around for the second straight week, scoring a career-high 49.475 and earning her first all-around title. She also captured her third vault event title of the season with a 9.900.
Junior Brynlee Andersen-Broekman tied her career-high 9.975 on beam, featuring a perfect 10 from one judge. She took home the beam event title for the Cougars.
BYU opened the meet on bars in Littlejohn Coliseum. Mya Kirkham led off with a 9.800. Sophomore Deb Silva and senior Kylie Eaquinto each scored 9.825, followed by Ava Jorgensen’s 9.800. Alilah Alvarado anchored the rotation with a team-high 9.875, giving the Cougars a 49.125 event total.
With a solid opening rotation on vault, Clemson took an early lead with a 49.225.
The Cougar vaulters rose to the occasion in the second rotation, earning a season-high 49.250. Redshirt freshman Daisy Stephenson opened BYU’s vault rotation with a career-high 9.850. Silva added a season-high 9.875 before Jorgensen posted a 9.850. Eaquinto closed the rotation by tying her career high with a 9.900.
The Tigers matched BYU’s score with a 49.250 on bars, extending their lead to 98.475-98.375 at the midway point.
For the second week in a row, freshman Scarlett Sonnenberg opened BYU’s floor rotation with a 9.825. Stephenson scored her second 9.850 of the night before Andersen-Broekman notched a 9.850 of her own. Silva and Eaquinto rounded out the rotation with scores of 9.900 and 9.875, respectively.
With a 49.300 on floor, the Cougars tightened the gap with Clemson, but the Tigers held the lead heading into the final rotation, 147.725-147.675.
With the competition neck and neck, the Cougars shined on beam in the final rotation, notching five career highs and a season-high 49.550. Andersen-Broekman led the meet tying her career-high 9.975, being awarded a perfect 10 from one judge. Sonnenberg scored a new career high 9.925 before Alvarado added a career-high 9.9 of her own. Eaquinto added a career-high 9.875 before Chloee Hoke anchored.
With the scores going back and forth, the final decision came down to the last routine on both floor and beam. Hoke tied her career high with a 9.875 to secure the narrow victory against No. 14 Clemson, 197.225-197175.
Up Next:
The Cougars will compete at the Big 12 Gymnastics Championship on Saturday, Mar. 21 at the Maverik Center. There are two sessions for the Championship which will be announced next week. Both will be streamed on ESPN+.