Cape Girardeau, Mo. - The Centenary gymnastics team placed fifth on Saturday in the 2021 USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championships at the Show Me Center.
The Ladies, competing in the arena for a third time this season, earned an impressive team score of 190.875 on Saturday, their second-best score of the season. The meet wraps up on Sunday at 1 p.m. with Individual Event Finals. ESPN+ will stream the meet at the following link: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=5b1be8a2-e4e7-4b39-8398-afd29773f207
Host Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) won with a score of 195.025, Lindenwood University finished second (194.875), Air Force placed third with a score of 194.400 and just ahead of the Ladies in fourth place was Texas Woman's University at 193.700.
The Ladies, ranked 55th in the nation in the latest Road to Nationals rankings as the top ranked division III team in the country, earned a season-best 48.100 on floor on Saturday, besting the 47.750 which they posted on Feb. 13 at the Metroplex Challenge. Junior All-American Kendall Sanders (Spring Branch, Texas) led the way with a new career high 9.825.
Sophomore Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas) also earned a new career-high mark with a 9.725. Fellow sophomore Leilani Johnson (Wichita, Kan.) nearly matched her career high (9.750) as she scored a 9.700 on Saturday. Junior Xian Baumgartner (Albuquerque, N.M.) competed on floor for the first time in her Ladies' career and earned a 9.550.
Centenary was also solid on vault as five of six Ladies scored a 9.500 or better led by a 9.725 by Huff. Sanders recorded a 9.675 and Baumgartner set a new career high with a 9.525. The Ladies finished with a 47.975 total score on vault, their second-best score in any event on Saturday.
The Ladies recorded a 47.900 on beam led by a 9.700 by Sanders, which tied her season best score, Baumgartner earned a 9.675 and sophomore Kennedy Stephens (Bella Vista, Ark.) tied her career-best score of 9.650. Centenary scored a 46.900 on bars with its best score (9.725) going to sophomore Taylor Ann Wilson (Memphis, Tenn.) in her season debut as she set a new career high. Senior Sierra Ponder (Stone Mountain, Ga.) added a solid 9.700, the Ladies' second-best score in the event. Senior Jenny Jackson (Monticello, Fla.) earned a season-best 9.500 on bars
Sanders finished third in the All-Around with a score of 38.150 while Baumgartner placed fifth (37.350). SEMO's Dahlia Solorzano-Caruso won the competition with a score of 39.225. Daija Stevenson of Air Force placed second (38.550) and SEMO's Molly Maxwell finished fourth (37.975).
Sanders and Wilson advanced to Sunday's Individual Event Finals set for 1 p.m. Sanders earned the fourth position on floor and Wilson seventh on bars.
Centenary's complete 2021 schedule can be found here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/gymnastics/2020-21/schedule.
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