BELMONT, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey acrobatics and tumbling made the most of its return home as the Crusaders earned their third win of the season with a 263.965-259.6 victory over Saint Leo Wednesday at the Wheeler Center. It was the first home meet since the season opener February 10 against Limestone and the win moves The Abbey to 3-2 overall. 
 
The Crusaders opened the meet by setting two more program bests in the Compulsory event, scoring a 9.7 and 9.0 in the Toss and Tumbling heats, respectively. Belmont Abbey also scored an 9.5 in the Pyramid Heat. The 36.6 total score in the Compulsory is a new program high as well.
 
Belmont Abbey scored a 9.1 or better in all three heats from the Acro meet with the best score coming with a 9.45 in Heat 2 from Desi Yordanova, Anna Davis, Deanna Woolard and Lauren Pipes.
 
The Crusaders followed that up with a strong performance in the Pyramid event by scoring a 29.1 total out of a possible 29.8 start value. The Abbey earned a 9.9 for the second straight meet in the Open Pyramid Heat.
 
Belmont Abbey also earned identical scores of 8.8 in the 450 Salto Toss heat and the Open toss. Competing in the first heat was Madison Quinlan, Kristin Fary, Aspen Terrell, Emily Wueste, Davis and Molly Hanley.
 
Participants in the open toss included Yordanova, Blythe Terrell, Bri Camp, Woolard and Tatianna Hogan. The Crusaders also earned a progam best 8.75 in the synchronized toss heat.
 
Yordanova and Hanley led the way for The Abbey in the Tumbling event, scoring a 9.425 and 9.4 in the aerial pass and the 6-element pass, respectively. The Crusaders closed out the night with a 91.34 in the team event.
 
The 263.965 once again surpassed the previous best overall score set Monday at Presbyterian.
 
UP NEXT
The Crusaders host a Conference Carolinas tri-meet with Emmanuel and King beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday back at the Wheeler Center.