Ducks Finish Runner-Up at the NCATA National Championship

Saturday, April 27

Waco, TX

4:00 pm

University of Oregon

271.725

278.400

Baylor

Ducks Finish Runner-Up at the NCATA National Championship

04/27/19 | Acrobatics & Tumbling

Meet Results - Baylor

The No. 2 Oregon acrobatics and tumbling capped off an unforgettable season with a runner-up finish to No. 1 Baylor at the NCATA National Championship Finals on Saturday.

WACO, Texas – The No. 2 Oregon acrobatics and tumbling team came into the NCATA National Championship Finals with one goal in mind: to finally dethrone No. 1 Baylor and earn its first national championship since 2014. While they nearly pulled off the improbable, the Ducks could not knock off the four-time defending champion, falling 278.400-271.725, at the Ferrell Center on Saturday afternoon.

"Despite the loss, tonight was very fun!" head coach Keenyn Won said. "We came into this weekend with one day at a time in mind and did just that. We had different heats in every event that executed, and although we had some mistakes, this team worked hard all season long and we will be back. This team has captured my whole heart, and we are building something special in Eugene."

While finishing as the runner-up, the team claims nothing less than an incredible season. The Ducks reached the NCATA Championship Finals for the eighth time since the NCATA's inception in 2011, after missing the championship round for the first time in 2018.

The final meet capped off an exciting day for Oregon, as the Ducks won four event titles in the synchronized pyramid, open pyramid, open toss and trio tumbling pass during the individual event finals on Saturday morning. Three Ducks – senior Casi Jackson, junior Payton Coon and sophomore Addie Lacewell – also received NCATA All-American honors following the competition.

"I am beyond proud of our athletes," said Won. "Our three All-Americans honored could not be more deserving!"

How It Happened: Much like they have all season, the Ducks (7-3) and Bears (12-0) put on a show, scoring above a 9.50 in all but five of the 19 heats.

The two teams started out strong in the compulsory event. Baylor took the first three heats, until Oregon upset the Bears in the tumbling heat, 8.675-8.500. The Bears finished the event with a slim 37.685-37.600 victory over the Ducks, setting the tone for an extremely close meet.

Baylor won the acro event, 29.100-28.675, to extend its lead to just half of a point, 66.775-66.275. Jackson, senior Caroline Matos and junior Katie Bachman led the way for the Ducks in the event, registering a score of 9.650 in the six-element heat.

Continuing their momentum from the first two events, the rivals kept things close in the pyramid event. The Bears won the synchronized and inversion pyramids, but Oregon defeated Baylor in the open pyramid, 9.900-9.850. Ultimately, the Bears won the pyramid event, 29.400-29.200, for a 0.70 lead headed into halftime, 96.175-95.475.

After returning from the break, Oregon tied its second-best toss score of the season with a 29.000, while Baylor surpassed the Ducks by just one-tenth of a point with a toss score of 29.100. Bachman, Coon, Lacewell, Yeelena Faustino and Ashley Jamison overcame Baylor in the open toss, 9.800-9.775.

Oregon and Baylor left less than one point on the mat in three of the four events, with Oregon recording 124.475 out of 129.800 points possible, while Baylor earned 125.275 out of a possible 130.000 points.

The rivals continued into the tumbling event, where the Bears found victory in five of the six heats, 57.275-54.700. Oregon's national champion trio tumbling pass team- consisting of Jackson, senior Hannah Blair and junior MaKenna Jarman – upset Baylor, 9.175-9.025.

"Event nationals were tough this year with a lot of strong heats from teams across the country," Won said. "We are so proud of our trio pass – going from not qualifying last season to taking the national title this year."

The Ducks rounded out the meet with a score of 92.550 in the team event, while Baylor earned a 95.850 team score for a 278.400-271.725 victory and its fifth consecutive NCATA National Championship title.

Baylor may have taken the crown, but the Ducks left everything on the mat to finish a season they'll never forget.