Cougars finish their 2023 season with a 196.125 at NCAA Regionals

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The BYU women’s gymnastics team fell to Boise State 196.700-196.125 in the NCAA Los Angeles Regional competition at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday afternoon. Anyssa Alvarado, Elease Rollins, Kylie Eaquinto and Sydney Benson advanced to the second day of competition as individual competitors.  

FINAL BOOK

Despite the loss, BYU earned a higher team score on both the uneven bars and floor in the dual meet against conference foe Boise State. Putting up the second-highest beam score in the competition was senior beam specialist Rollins with a 9.900. Also putting up some big numbers for BYU, Rebekah Ripley and Sophie Dudley earned a pair of 9.850s on floor, the highest in today’s competition on the apparatus. 

The Cougars started their NCAA Los Angeles Regional competition on the vault. Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Co-Vault Specialist of the Year Benson opened with a 9.800 for BYU. Freshman Eaquinto, MRGC Freshman of the Year, earned a 9.825 as the Cougars tallied a team score of 48.875 on vault.

The Broncos took an early lead of 49.025-48.875 following the first rotation.

Eaquinto shined again in the second rotation, earning a 9.850 on the uneven bars. Senior Lindsey Hunter followed with a 9.850 of her own, while Alvarado earned a 9.825. Anna Bramblett closed out the second rotation with a score of 9.800.

Despite a strong bars rotation for BYU, Boise State held onto its lead, 98.250-97.950.

Eliza Millar started off strong for the Cougars on the balance beam, notching a season-high score of 9.800. Freshman Madison Raesly-Patton followed with a 9.825, while Mina Margraf and Dudley earned a pair of 9.800s. Rollins, MRGC Beam Specialist of the Year, recorded a team-high 9.900 on the apparatus for the Cougars. 

With all five beam scores above a 9.800, the Cougars improved on their bars score by .05. The Broncos momentum continued as they held a 147.275-147.075 lead entering the final rotation.

Millar scored a 9.800 in the lead-off position on floor in the final rotation. A pair of 9.850s by Dudley and Ripley helped the Cougars earn a team floor score of 49.050 to finish the competition. 

Despite three team scores above a 49.000, the Broncos won the dual meet 196.700-196.125. Boise State will compete in the second round of the Los Angeles Regional competition tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. PT against No. 4 UCLA, No. 14 Missouri and No. 20 Stanford. 

Although not competing as a team in day two regionals, several BYU gymnasts qualified as individual competitors and are slated to compete in tomorrow's evening session: Rollins (beam), Benson (vault), Eaquinto (vault) and Alvarado (bars).