BELMONT, N.C. – In a closely contested Acrobatics & Tumbling meet on Saturday afternoon, West Liberty came up just short against Belmont Abbey, falling 237.405-234.535.

Despite a strong start in the Compulsory event, where West Liberty posted a 33.60 compared to Belmont Abbey's 34.50, the Hilltoppers found themselves trailing by 0.90 points after the opening event. The Pyramid event showcased West Liberty's precision, earning a total of 28.60, slightly ahead of Belmont Abbey's 27.55.

The Hilltoppers also had solid performances in the Acro and Toss events, scoring 27.10 and 24.50, respectively. However, Belmont Abbey edged them out in both categories, notching 24.75 in Acro and 24.90 in Toss. Tumbling remained a close competition, but West Liberty's total of 46.725 was not enough to overtake Belmont Abbey, which finished with 48.675.

The decisive moment came in the Team Event, where Belmont Abbey posted a score of 77.03, compared to West Liberty's 74.01, securing their victory.

West Liberty, now 2-4 on the season, will look to bounce back when they host a tri-meet with Kutztown and Wheeling next Saturday.