Gymnasts send seniors out by edging JMU in Flippin’ Flames home meet

Liberty University's women's gymnastics team won the Level 9 competition of Saturday's Flippin' Flames meet at the LaHaye Multipurpose Center by a slim margin over James Madison University, 105.6-104.55, highlighted by several strong individual performances. It was the Lady Flames' only home event of the season and served as a tune-up for the April 10-13 NAIGC National Championships in Albuquerque, N.M.

"It was so fun to have it on campus," Liberty Head Coach Jessie Lowe said. "The girls had a great time. They've been ecstatic all weekend and they competed really well, so that made it really fun."

In the Lady Flames' season-opening meet at JMU in February, the host Dukes won the competition by a 108.35-104.1 margin over Liberty.

"We hit a lot of our floor routines and we had a couple strong routines on beam and bar, so that helped us out a lot today," Lowe said.

Individually, the Lady Flames were led by sophomore assistant captain Annabella James, who placed second in the All-Around competition with a 34.9 total score, behind only JMU's Leah Nitzan (36.35). James didn't win any individual events, but showed tremendous consistency, tying for third on the vault (8.7) and fifth on the balance beam (8.6).

She also finished fourth on the uneven bars (8.4) behind first-place freshman teammate Anna Messerschmidt, a bars specialist who won that event with an 8.7, and Lady Flames senior Audrey Case, who placed third on bars (8.5), in the floor exercise (9.3), on the beam (9.1), and overall with her 34.7 total. James' lowest finish was on the floor (tied for sixth, 9.2), an event won by senior teammate Sophia Boone (9.6), who was making her return from a serious elbow injury suffered in the fall semester.

Lady Flames freshman Sarah Dyk came in fourth overall with her 33.45 total while sophomores Sarah Baugher (24.5), Kailyn Roland (24), and Isabella Sierra (18.3) placed seventh, eighth, and 10th, respectively. Sierra also finished second on the beam (9.2).

Boone, Liberty's defending national champion on the beam, was thrilled just to be back in competition mode for her final home meet, though she had to alter her routines due to the lingering injury.

"It was a little nerve-racking at first just because it was my first meet back, so I didn't know how it was going to go, but it was so much fun and I just tried to not let the pressure build and just have fun with my team," said Boone, who settled for 12th on beam with a 7.8. "Floor (exercise) today was a big hit. Beam was harder for me to find a new routine just because of my arm, but floor I found a new routine that worked really well. I had to eliminate some (flips) just because I can't really put pressure on my arm, so I took out a few things, but made it work. I didn't use any arms on floor, but on beam I did have to do a little dive cartwheel, so I did use my arm a little bit."

She looks forward to competing in the same two events while cheering on her teammates at nationals.

"That's the goal, that's the plan," Boone said. "I've just got to work hard at it. I feel pretty confident with the team we have this year that we have a good chance to place, which is exciting. It's looking different than I was expecting, but I'm just happy I can contribute the best that I can. I just hope that I can be the best leader, even if I can't contribute to every single event, just trying to be the best cheerleader that I can be for the other gymnasts on the team."

Last year in Memphis, Tenn., Liberty finished second in the Level 9 national competition for its first team podium finish in program history.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Kylee Lilge/Club Sports Video & Media Coordinator

Gallery: (3-25-2024) Gymnastics Flippin' Flames meet

Gymnasts send seniors out by edging JMU in Flippin’ Flames home meet

Players Mentioned

Sarah Baugher

Audrey Case

Sarah Dyk

Annabella James

Anna Messerschmidt

Isabella Sierra

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