WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – A strong performance in the final Team Event allowed No. 7-ranked Fairmont State to escape with a hard-fought victory over West Liberty here Sunday on Senior Day for the WLU Acrobatics & Tumbling team.
The nationally-ranked Falcons (7-1, 4-1) and the host Hilltoppers (3-6, 2-2) had waged a back-and-forth battle throughout the first five events but a decisive five-point win in the Team Event helped Fairmont State slam the door on West Liberty’s upset bid, 261.660-252.065, in the final regular season match for both squads.
With the win, the Falcons locked up a second-place finish in the Mountain East Conference standings and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MEC Tournament. Coach Kelsey Kyle’s Hilltoppers will get another shot at Fairmont State in the MEC Tournament semifinals as they secured the No. 3 seed.
Fairmont opened Sunday’s meet with a 35.75-34.40 win in the Compulsory Event but West Liberty claimed a narrow win in the Acro Event, 27.60-27.55, thanks to a school record 9.65 score in the 7-Element heat. The Falcons returned the favor by taking the Pyramid Event, 28.70-27.60, to carry a 92.00-89.60 lead into the halftime break.
Fairmont was able to create a little separation when the second half got under way with the Toss Event. The Falcons swept all three heats in posting a 26.00-23.95 win, expanding their lead to 118.00-113.55 heading into the six heats of the Tumbling Event.
The Hilltoppers came up big in the Tumbling Event, setting or tying school records in three of the six heats, but Fairmont State did just enough to eke out a 52.350-52.215 win in the event, giving the visitors roughly a 4 1/2-point lead heading into the Team Event.
Fairmont State delivered with a 91.31-86.39 victory in the Team Event to end West Liberty’s upset hopes.
The Hilltoppers held their Senior Day festivities following the Team Event as the judges were compiling the final scores. Paige McGlothlin, Hanna Kalwarski, Sarah Le and student assistant coach Emily Matteson were honored by their coaches and teammates in a brief ceremony.
Next up for both teams will be a semifinal matchup in the MEC Tournament. Regular-season champion Frostburg State will host the tournament on April 14-15.
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