PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The West Liberty Hilltoppers acrobatics and tumbling dropped a road decision Thursday evening to No. 7 Duquesne Dukes acrobatics and tumbling, falling 255.130–217.645 inside the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

Competing in front of 512 fans, West Liberty (1-2) showed flashes of improvement but was unable to overcome Duquesne's consistency across all six events. The Dukes (1-0) built an early cushion in the Compulsory event and steadily widened the margin throughout the meet.

Compulsory Sets the Tone

Duquesne opened with a strong Compulsory round, outscoring West Liberty 37.10–33.20. The Hilltoppers' best scores came in the Toss (9.30) and Pyramid (9.20) heats, but Duquesne edged WLU in each segment to take an early advantage.

Acro and Pyramid Highlights

West Liberty posted a 25.60 in the Acro event, highlighted by a 9.05 in the 5-Element Heat. In Pyramid, the Hilltoppers earned 24.40 points, with their top mark coming in the Synchronized Heat (9.30). Duquesne capitalized in the Open Pyramid Heat to expand its lead.

Toss and Tumbling

The Hilltoppers totaled 24.00 points in the Toss event, led by an 8.30 in the 450 Salto Heat. Tumbling proved to be a decisive swing, as Duquesne outscored West Liberty 51.150–41.575. WLU's top tumbling score came in the 6-Element Pass (8.325), but the Dukes posted 9.0-plus scores in multiple passes to create separation.

Team Event

West Liberty closed the meet with a 68.87 in the Team Event, showing improved synchronization and energy to finish the night. Duquesne answered with an 84.33 to seal the victory.

The Hilltoppers return home Monday for their home opener against Wheeling at 6 p.m. inside the ASRC.




West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.