SUU gymnastics: T-Birds defeat BYU, Auburn

CEDAR CITY — Southern Utah University needed a 9.875 or higher in its final routine on Monday night to capture a win and Shannon Coughlin delivered, recording a career-best 9.900 on floor to give the T-Birds a 195.475 victory. Auburn finished in a close second with a 195.425, followed by Brigham Young University which had to count a fall en route to a 194.250.

"Our floor team did a great job to get us the win tonight," head coach Scott Bauman said after the meet. "Although, the thing that helped us the most was our great crowd and the atmosphere that is in the Centrum Arena every meet. Our fans really are the X-factor in every victory for us."

Southern Utah began on vault and competed only five gymnasts, scoring a 48.500. Lindsey Schultz led the way for the T-Birds, scoring a 9.800 as the senior finished fifth overall on the event.

Following the first rotation both teams trailed Auburn as the Tigers finished on bars with a 49.050 with BYU scoring a 48.700 on floor.

Southern Utah continued to trail both schools following the second rotation as the Cougars tallied a 49.075 on vault to take over first place. The Thunderbirds did make up some ground on Auburn as the Tigers finished on beam with a 48.675 with SUU scoring a 48.900 on bars.

Michaela Chernoch proved to be the biggest reason for the T-Bird success, scoring a career-best 9.850 on the event to finish in second place. Lauren Jeffrey wasn't far behind as the junior also scored a career-best 9.800 and was followed by Ari Lamb with a 9.775. Brooke Cersosimo returned to the line-up, despite an injury suffered at the University of Missouri, to also tally a 9.775 with Caitlin Kennedy rounding out the team score with a 9.700.

The team totals after the second rotation had BYU in first with a 97.775, Auburn in second with a 97.725 and SUU in third with a 97.400.

Southern Utah moved to beam in the third rotation and began the event, hitting its first five routines en route to a 48.800 on the event. Two Thunderbirds scored in the 9.8's with Lamb posting the top mark with a 9.850. Her mark was good enough for second place overall and she was joined in the top five by Shannon Coughlin with a 9.800, finishing fourth, and Alyssa Click with a 9.775, finishing fifth.