TLU A&T Takes Down ETBU; Advances to NCATA Division-III Tournament Semis

MEQUON, WI -- The Texas Lutheran Acrobatics and Tumbling team opened the 2024 NCATA Division-III Tournament with a quarterfinal win in their first ever appearance as a team in the tournament, earning their second win of the season over East Texas Baptist with a final score of 238.715 to 222.990. Texas Lutheran improves to 2-3 all-time against the Tigers. The win is the second for head coach Cam Bryant and assistant coach Sophia Ranni and the first tournament win in the program's second season. The meet marks the sixth consecutive meet that Texas Lutheran (2-6) has eclipsed the 200-point mark and the fifth straight over 220 points.

TLU built a lead early - sweeping through the meet and winning all six events.

Texas Lutheran would score a 34.125 in the compulsory, including an 8.25 in acro, 9.45 in pyramid, 9.55 in toss, and 6.875 in tumbling out of the highest possible value of 10. TLU outscored the Tigers in the compulsory as they would earn a 29.7 total score.

After the acro event, TLU continued to maintain a narrow lead over the Tigers with Texas Lutheran earning a total score of 25.125 consisting of a 9.20 in the fifth element, 7.725 in the sixth element, and 8.20 in the seventh element. The 25.125 score is a new program-high as the Bulldogs raised the program-high across every meet this season.

Texas Lutheran would out score the Tigers in the pyramid event, 27.375 to 25.0, with the 27.375 also setting a new program record.

TLU would carry a 86.63 - 78.33 lead into halftime.

The Bulldogs extended their lead after halftime, narrowly outscoring ETBU 25.80 to 25.575 in the toss event. 

Texas Lutheran would outscore East Texas Baptist in four out of six tumbling heats to win the tumbling event, 47.35 to 42.25. The tumbling event was highlighted by an 8.9 out of 9.1 score from Phoenix Cosley (Round Rock/Hendrickson) in the open pass and a 8.675 out of 8.90 in the 6-Element Pass from Gracen Bunch (Georgetown/Georgetown).

The Bulldogs closed out the historic meet by taking the team routine, 78.94-77.84.

Up next, Texas Lutheran will continue tournament play tomorrow in Wisconsin, facing the No. 5 ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders in the NCATA Division-III Tournament Semifinals at 10 AM Friday morning. All streaming links will be available on tlubulldogs.com.

For more information on Texas Lutheran Acrobatics & Tumbling, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter and Instagram (@tluacrotumb) and as always you can find updates on all Texas Lutheran athletics on tlubulldogs.com and all official TLU social media channels (@tluathletics on Twitter, @tlu_athletics on Instagram and TikTok, and @tlubulldogs on Facebook).