No. 24 BYU women’s gymnastics secured a second-place finish at the Utah Tri Meet on Saturday, posting a team score of 196.550 in Salt Lake City. The event featured three teams: BYU, No. 12 Utah, and West Virginia.
Utah won the meet with a total of 197.650, while West Virginia finished third with a score of 195.300.
Senior Kylie Eaquinto participated in the all-around for only the third time this season and achieved a personal best score of 39.350.
On balance beam, BYU gymnasts Alilah Alvarado, Scarlett Sonnenberg, and Brynlee Andersen-Broekman tied for the top spot alongside three other competitors by each earning a score of 9.875.
The Cougars began their competition on the balance beam. Freshman Scarlett Sonnenberg led off with her career-high 9.875. After an early fall from another competitor, Alvarado and Andersen-Broekman both posted scores of 9.875 as well. Eaquinto, making just her third appearance on beam this season, scored a 9.800, while Chloee Hoke closed out the rotation with a 9.850. This gave BYU a beam total of 49.275, marking their second-highest beam score this season.
Utah took an early lead after scoring 49.500 on vault in the first rotation; West Virginia earned a 48.700 on bars.
In the floor exercise rotation for BYU, Sonnenberg and Andersen-Broekman each scored 9.825s to start off before Eaquinto added a 9.875 and Mya Kirkham contributed a 9.800 to bring BYU’s team floor score to 49.100.
At halftime in the meet, Utah was ahead with a combined score of 99.000 points; BYU trailed at 98.375 and West Virginia followed at 97.475.
During vault in the third rotation for BYU, Kirkham started with a score of 9.800 followed by Sonnenberg’s mark of 9.825; Ava Jorgensen scored another strong routine at 9.800 before Eaquinto capped off with a team-leading vault at 9.850—BYU totaled a vault score of 49.025.
Going into the final rotation, Utah led all teams at 148.150 points; BYU remained second (147.400) and West Virginia was third (146.350).
BYU ended its competition on uneven bars where Kirkham and Addilyn Glazier opened with matching scores of 9.775; Deb Silva then posted a strong routine scoring at 9.850 before Eaquinto added a score of 9 .825 . Jorgensen matched her career high with a score of 9 .900 , while Alvarado finished out the lineup scoring a solid 9 .800 . This brought BYU’s bar total to 49 .150 , tying their season high on that apparatus .
Looking ahead , BYU will face No .14 Clemson next Friday , March13th ,at Littlejohn Coliseum ;the meet is scheduled for4 p.m.MTand will be streamed live on ESPN+.
