Kaira Hammond finished fourth on the balance beam, fifth on the vault and sixth on the uneven bars against the Eagles.
Kaira Hammond finished fourth on the balance beam, fifth on the vault and sixth on the uneven bars against the Eagles.

Titans Defeated By Defending Conference Champion Eagles

Jessica Bernardo won the all-around competition, Olivia Keller finished third in two events and Kaira Hammond placed in the top six in three categories to lead UW-Oshkosh during its 186.750-184.675 loss to defending WIAC women's gymnastics champion UW-La Crosse on Friday (Feb. 8) in La Crosse.

Bernardo took first place in the all-around competition with 36.400 points. Her overall total included a season-best score of 9.20 on the uneven bars. Bernardo also compiled grades of 9.15 on the vault, 9.075 on the balance beam and 8.975 in the floor exercise.

Keller earned her third-place results with scores of 9.575 on the balance beam and 9.45 in the floor exercise.

Hammond finished fourth on the balance beam with a score of 9.55, fifth on the vault with a season-best figure of 9.375 and sixth on the uneven bars with a mark of 9.275.

Hammond shared her fifth-place finish on the vault with teammate Rahdea Jarvis, who also finished second in the all-around competition with 35.525 points and fourth on the uneven bars with 9.375. Both scores for Jarvis established season highs.

UW-Oshkosh also had Bailey Finin finish fourth and Amira Ali fifth in the floor exercise with scores of 9.375 and 9.275, respectively.

UW-La Crosse owned the highest finish in four events, including the vault where Savannah Farrell, Megan Hawkins and Sam Weyker posted winning scores of 9.425.

The Eagles also received first-place scores of 9.65 on the balance beam from Ally Blixt, 9.55 in the floor exercise from Emma Grant and 9.525 on the uneven bars from Breghan Kiloran.

UW-Oshkosh's overall team score included a season-best mark of 45.925 on the uneven bars. The Titans also tallied scores of 46.500 on the vault and 46.125 in the floor exercise and on the vault.

UW-La Crosse recorded team event scores of 47.050 on the vault, 46.850 on the uneven bars, 46.700 on the balance beam and 46.150 in the floor exercise.

UW-La Crosse entered the meet ranked third in the country by the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association and UW-Oshkosh eighth.

UW-Oshkosh travels to Seattle, Wash., for next Friday's (Feb. 15) quadrangular at NCAA Division II member Seattle Pacific University. Joining the Titans and Falcons in the meet are Division I member United States Air Force Academy and UW-Whitewater. Both UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater are Division III members.

Photo by Jim Lund