MARSHALL, Texas – Azusa Pacific broke into the win column for the first time in 2023, taking down East Texas Baptist by a final score of 265.200-221.435 Thursday evening inside the Ornelas Gym.  The Cougars won all 20 heats in the meet.

How It Happened:  This was the Cougars' first visit to East Texas Baptist, having had their first planned meet canceled in 2020 by the COVID pandemic.  For the first time this season, the Cougars won the compulsory event, sweeping all four heats.  This included a season-best 9.95 in the toss heat and a 9.80 in the pyramid.  The Cougars ended up taking a lead of more than six points, at 36.25 to 30.00.  Azusa Pacific continued to pad their lead in the acro heat, with Jacie Van de Zilver and Madiha Morris again leading the way on both the 5- and 7-element heats, posting a 9.85 and 9.75 on those heats, respectively.  The Cougars lead after two events was already into double figures.  

Van de Zilver and Morris then teamed up with the base duo of Shaelyn Marlborough and Maggie Carstens to put up a 9.80 on the inverted pyramid and a 9.85 on the open pyramid as the Cougars added another two points to their lead going into halftime, 93.5-80.3.  Azusa Pacific continued with a 9.90 in the 450 Salto toss and grew their lead to nearly 17 points.  The third-ranked Cougars continued to add on to their advantage with a nine-point victory in the tumbling event, taking all six heats and earning both a 9.80 from Van de Zilver on the 6-element pass and a 9.90 courtesy of Sarah Lang in the open pass.  That, combined with a score of 88.45 in the team event, was more than enough to secure the Cougars' first victory of the season, improving to 2-0 against the Tigers all-time.

Up Next:  Azusa Pacific (1-2) will complete their Texas two-step with a three-way meet on Saturday when they face both Hawai'i Pacific and meet host Texas Lutheran.  The meet is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (11:00 a.m. Pacific) and can be seen HERE.