The 2019 USAG national team final featured Bridgeport, UIC, Air Force and Lindenwood. The stands were packed and the atmosphere in the arena was electric for the final USAG team competition of the season. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Possibly the biggest Lindenwood fan in attendance was alumna Kiersten Sokolowski. Who didn’t appear to sit down for the entire meet. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Junior Breanna Franklin got Lindenwood off to a strong start on floor, tying for the team high score on the event with a 9.850. Franklin has been a rock solid lead off for the Lions this year, missing on just one routine all season. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
The Lindenwood fans went crazy for the Lions’ floor rotation as routine after routine hit. The event total of 49.025 put them into the lead after the first rotation. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Bridgeport also started the competition off well on beam with only its second rotation without counting a fall since February. A hit routine from Maya Reimers, tying her career high of 9.900, allowed it to crucially drop an earlier fall from Gabrielle Kistner. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
The Purple Knights continued to dominate on floor in the second rotation to take the lead from the Lions. They were led by scores of 9.850 from Crystal Gwinn (pictured) and 9.900 from Reimers. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Emotions ran high for UIC the entire night, and some nerves on beam resulted in shaky routines that dropped the Flames to fourth after two. The team was lead by a 9.825 from sophomore Kayla Baddeley. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
The Purple Knights’ vault rotation was led by a 9.900 from freshman Julianna Roland. Bridgeport posted a 48.950 on the event, placing it in second going into the final rotation. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Three falls on beam from Air Force in the third rotation knocked it out of title contention after starting the meet off strong on vault and bars. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Freshman Alisa Sheremeta’s score of 9.900 included a 9.950 from one judge. Sheremeta will also compete in the floor event final on Sunday. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
In senior Mikailla Northern’s final floor performance of her career, with all of the teams looking on and clapping along to her music, she posted a career high 9.925 to cap off the Flames’ stellar third rotation and give them a fighting chance at a national title heading into vault. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Katie Bailey posted an enormous 9.975 on beam for the Lions, a career high for the junior. Bailey’s score included one of two perfect 10s shown for the Lions’ beam rotation—the other going to fellow junior Franklin. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
UIC fought hard on vault, posting a 49.000, the highest score on the event of the competition, but came up just short of one of the best rotations in USAG history on beam from the Lions. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
The Lions totaled a 49.500 on beam, besting their team record. They are only 10th team out of all NCAA programs to hit 49.500-plus on the event in 2019. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
The competition ended on an emotional note for the Flames, as at this point it is believed to be their last together since the school cut both men’s and women’s gymnastics in the fall. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Following the conclusion of the competition, the entire audience rose to its feet, joining all of the teams on the floor in a chant of “UIC, UIC, UIC” that shook the floor of the arena. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Lindenwood’s 196.375 fell just short of a program record but was good enough to win it the championship. This culminates a record-breaking season for the 7-year-old team and its third title since 2013. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
Under the guidance of head coach Jen Llewellyn and her coaching staff, the Lions made regionals for first time as a program, achieving their highest final ranking ever at No. 36. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])
