CEDAR CITY, Utah – Behind several career and season bests, the BYU women’s gymnastics team earned a new season high score of 197.000 against SUU Monday evening.
The Cougars 197.000 marks the first time BYU has earned a score of 197 or higher since February 2022.
The Thunderbirds took home the narrow victory with a 197.125.
BYU earned its second-highest bars score of the season, hitting all six routines and scoring a 49.350 on the apparatus.
Freshman Brynlee Anderson took home the highest beam score with a 9.925, while Anyssa Alvarado shared the top spot for the highest bars score with a 9.950. Heidi Schooley also shared the top spot for her career high floor score of 9.900.
The Cougars started their evening strong on the uneven bars, posting all six scores above a 9.800. BYU began with a 9.800 by senior Allix Mason and a career high 9.900 by freshman Alilah Alvarado. Sydney Benson and Kylie Eaquinto followed with a pair of 9.825’s, and bars queen Anyssa Alvarado matched her career high with a 9.950. Anna Bramblett closed out the first rotation with a 9.850, giving BYU its second highest bars score of the season at 49.350.
Southern Utah had a strong start on vault, posting a season-high 49.250 and trailing the Cougars by just .100 going into the second rotation.
For the second rotation in a row, the Cougars did not count a score below a 9.800 on the vault, earning a score of 49.225. Mason led off for BYU in the second rotation, scoring a 9.800 on the vault. Elease Rollins followed with a 9.800 of her own, a season best for the senior. Sophie Dudley tied her career high with a 9.850 and Melissa Earl scored a new career high with a 9.900. Benson anchored for the Cougars, earning a 9.875.
With both teams posting back-to-back scores above 49.000, the Cougars went into the third rotation with a narrow lead against the Thunderbirds, 98.575-98.500.
The Cougars opened their floor rotation with a pair of 9.850’s by Eliza Millar-Crossman and Dudley. Mina Margraf earned a 9.825 and Schooley matched her career high with a 9.900 with her floor routine. Competing on the floor for the first time this season, Rollins scored a 9.750 to close out the rotation as BYU scored a 49.175.
Following a strong beam rotation from SUU, the Thunderbirds took the lead heading into the final rotation, 147.825-147.750.
Allix opened the final rotation with a 9.875 on beam, tying her career high on the apparatus. Competing for the first time in tonight’s competition, Madison Raesly-Patton earned a 9.825, followed by another 9.825 by Margraf. BYU closed the competition with a 9.800 from Rollins and a 9.925 from Anderson for a team beam score of 49.250.
Both teams posted season high scores, crossing the 197 threshold for the first time, with SUU taking home the narrow victory, 197.125-197.000.
Up next, the Cougars return to the Marriott Center for their final home meet of the season against Ohio State. The meet will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. MT. Seven seniors will be recognized following Friday’s competition.