Blugolds Edge Titans In Regular-Season Finale

The UW-Oshkosh women's gymnastics team closed its regular season with a narrow 185.950-184.675 loss to UW-Eau Claire on Friday (Feb. 23) in Eau Claire.

UW-Oshkosh, which has surpassed a score of at least 183 points during its last five meets, now turns its attention to the WIAC Championship that will be held March 4 in St. Peter, Minn. The National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) West Regional will be held in conjunction with the WIAC Championship and that portion of the meet will help determine the team and individual participants for the NCGA Championship on March 23-24 in Springfield, Mass.

UW-Eau Claire led UW-Oshkosh, 138.600-138.450, after three rotations in Friday's meet. The Blugolds then scored 46.55 points in the floor exercise while the Titans tallied 46.375 on the balance beam during the fourth and final rotation to secure the victory.

UW-Oshkosh entered the rotation with scores of 46.55 in the floor exercise, 46.475 on the vault and 45.425 on the uneven bars. UW-Eau Claire previously marked 46.60 points on the vault, 46.375 on the balance beam and 45.625 on the uneven bars.

The Titans' Amanda McBrayer finished second among three participants in the all-around competition with 36.725 points. She also placed third on the vault with a score of 9.425 and sixth on the uneven bars with a value of 9.10.

UW-Oshkosh's lone event winner was Marisa Scholtens on the balance beam. She captured first place with a score of 9.525.

Baylee Tkaczuk gave the Titans a pair of second-place performances with her scores of 9.475 on the balance beam and 9.425 on the uneven bars while Amira Ali finished fifth on the vault and sixth on the balance beam with figures of 9.35 and 9.225, respectively.

UW-Oshkosh's Paige Mayhew ranked fourth on the vault with a score of 9.40. She also placed third in the all-around competition with 36.00 points.

The Titans had a pair of top-six finishers in the floor exercise as Bailey Finin placed fourth with a score of 9.50 and Naya Haynes sixth with a season-best mark of 9.375.

UW-Oshkosh also received a fifth-place score of 9.275 on the uneven bars from Bailee Hardy.

UW-Eau Claire acquired winning scores of 36.90 in the all-around competition from Tori Erickson, 9.55 on the uneven bars from Hannah Lewis and 9.525 on the vault from Ashley Benes. Blugolds Kiya Bjorge and Amelia Moorehouse shared the top listing in the floor exercise with scores of 9.60.

UW-Oshkosh finished sixth at last year's WIAC Championship/NCGA West Regional with 185.900 points. The Titans' Tkaczuk won the balance beam title with a score of 9.675.