Cape Girardeau, Mo. – The Centenary gymnastics team came up short in its season opener on Friday night, finishing second to the host Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) Redhawks in a dual meet at Houck Field House.
Centenary earned a 181.325 score while SEMO posted a winning score of 192.350. The Ladies (0-1) and Redhawks (1-2-1) are both Midwest Independent Conference members and will see each other again at the annual MIC Championships set for March 23 in St. Charles, Mo.
The Ladies earned their best event score of the meet on vault (46.575) followed by a 45.625 on beam, a 45.125 on floor, and finally a 44.000 on bars. SEMO's best score of the meet was on vault (48.525) followed by a 48.325 on bars, then a 47.775 on beam, and a 47.725 on floor.
Sophomore Amy Foret (Bedford, Texas) recorded Centenary's best individual score of the night with an impressive 9.675 on beam to finish third, also the Ladies' highest finish of the meet. Sophomore Sophie Schmitz (Trophy Club, Texas) earned a 9.60 on bars to finish fourth and senior Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas) was the Ladies' top finisher on floor as she scored a 9.35 to finish fifth.
SEMO gymnasts won all four events as Lydia Webb won the beam competition with a 9.80, Lindsay Ockler claimed victory on bars (9.90), and Madison Greene won both the vault (9.80) and floor (9.85).
Three Rookies - Hayden Cagle (Austin, Texas), Brooke Murdock (Garland, Texas), and Olivia Williams (Cape Coral, Fla.) all made their collegiate debuts and junior Mylia Vidtor (The Colony, Texas) made her Ladies' debut after being sidelined by injuries in her first two seasons as did sophomore Claire Flores (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and sophomore Olivia Stratmann (Houston, Texas) as each missed their rookie seasons with injuries.
Senior Rylie Molina (Moss Bluff, La.) just missed matching her career high (9.65) on beam with a 9.60 to finish fifth and senior Isabel Plaza (San Antonio, Texas) tied her career high on vault (9.575) and made her collegiate debut on floor after having only competed on vault and bars in her first three seasons. Sophomore Sophie Schmitz (Trophy Club, Texas). competed on beam and vault for the first time.
The Ladies return to action next weekend for their home opener set for Sunday, Jan. 21 against Texas Woman's University at 2 p.m. inside the Gold Dome.
See the Ladies' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/gymnastics/2023-24/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests. Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests.
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