Acrobatics & Tumbling | 3/25/2019 8:24:00 PM

    BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Liberty University acrobatics and tumbling squad put together a strong second half here Monday night but it wasn't enough to escape with a win against West Virginia Wesleyan in a Mountain East Conference meet at Rockefeller Arena.
    Coach Treasure Fields' Hilltoppers (2-5, 1-3) won two of the final three events but the host Bobcats (2-4, 2-1) were still able to hang on for a 235.995 to 231.235 victory.
    Although the Black and Gold won five of the 11 heats in the first three events - highlighted by a 9.15 out of a 9.45 start value in the Acro event's 5-Element heat - Wesleyan built up enough of a point differential in its six heat wins to take a solid 84.90 to 80.55 lead at the half.
    The Hilltoppers swept all three heats in winning the Toss event when action resumed, pulling within four points at 109.05 to 105.05, but the comeback stalled when the Bobcats' higher start values helped them claim a 46.325 to 43.575 win in the Tumbling event.
    Now trailing by nearly seven full points, West Liberty responded with one of its strongest performances of the season in the Team event. Despite coming into the event with a start value more than two points lower than the hosts, WLU came away with an 82.61 to 80.62 victory in the final event to narrow the final margin.
    The Hilltoppers will be idle until April 4 when they close out the regular season with a 6 p.m. non-conference match against nationally-ranked Gannon (Pa.).