BELMONT, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey acrobatics and tumbling team closed out the home schedule with its third win of the season at home with a 259.670-247.810 victory over Lander in a Conference Carolinas meet Friday evening at the Wheeler Center. It is the fifth straight win for the Crusaders who won their program-best eighth meet of the season.

The Crusaders moved to 8-1 overall, 7-0 in the conference and also clinch a bye to the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Tournament April 15-16 in Greenwood, South Carolina.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Event 1 – Compulsory
The Crusaders took a slim 35.50-35.05 lead after the first event. The top scores for Belmont Abbey came in the Pyramid Heat and Toss Heat at 9.7 and 9.55, respectively.
 
Event 2 – Acro
Belmont Abbey extended its lead with a 27.20-26.70 margin in the event. The 5-Element (Heat 1) Acro team of Erena Chaples, Maddie McCauley, Kristin Fary, Blythe Terrell and Lauren Phillips finished with a score of 9.3 out of a 9.8 start value. Additionally, the team of Bella Schrout, Gracie Grady, Bri Camp, Lauren Pipes and Emily Wuested scored a 9.45/9.9.
 
Event 3 – Pyramid
Belmont Abbey took a 91.40-90.20 lead into halftime after scoring a 28.70 in the event. The Crusaders scored a pair of 9.45s in Heats 1 and Heats 2 and a 9.8/10 in Heat 3.
 
Event 4 – Toss
Lander edged Belmont Abbey in the toss event with a score of 26.05 compared to a 25.9 for the Crusaders. Belmont Abbey's best score came in Heat 3 with an 8.95/9.3.
 
Event 5 – Tumbling
The Crusaders gained some separation in the tumbling event by scoring an 8.45 or higher in five of the six heats. Amiya Shazier competed in Heats 1 with Kaity Highfill (duo pass) and 4 (aerial pass) scoring an 8.45/8.95 and 9.45/9.6, respectively. Highfill and Anna Davis also earned strong scores in Heats 5 (6 Element Pass) and 6 (Open Pass). Highfill earned a score of 8.75/8.9 and Davis finished with a 9.35/9.5.
 
Event 6 – Team Event
The Crusaders earned another score of 90 points or better in the team event to close out the meat with a 90.57. Lander finished with an 83.06.

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders close the regular season against No. 9 Limestone at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Gaffney, South Carolina.
• The winner of Wednesday's meet will clinch the No. 1 seed in the Conference Carolinas Tournament April 15-16 in Greenwood, South Carolina.