HAMDEN, Conn. – The Gannon acrobatics and tumbling team should be able to make a strong case for a high seed at the NCATA Championships.
 
Despite dropping their final two regular-season meets, No. 3 Gannon faced the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation in those two matchups. No. 2-ranked Quinnipiac topped Gannon in the regular-season finale on Saturday, but GU again posted a solid score. The Bobcats defeated the Golden Knights 277.610-270.345 at M&T Bank Arena.
 
In Gannon's previous match, the Knights faced No. 1 and eight-time defending national champion Baylor. Prior to that, Gannon had defeated four consecutive teams that had been ranked among the Top 10 in the NCATA's Preseason Poll.
 
So, when the NCATA goes to pick the top eight teams for the National Championship quarterfinals, Gannon should have a solid case for not only a selection but a high seed.
 
Gannon was seeded No. 5 going into last year's national quarterfinals where it lost to Quinnipiac, which was seeded No. 4.
 
 
Saturday's meet:
 
The showdown between Gannon and Quinnipiac was as advertised most of the way on Saturday. It was a close meet between two of the most talented teams in the nation.
 
Both teams won two of the first four events. Quinnipiac opened with a 38.200-37.850 win in the compulsory. Gannon bounced back with a 29.150-29.050 win in the acro event.
 
The Bobcats then won again in the pyramid, 29.100-28.450. That gave Quinnipiac a slim 96.35-95.45 edge at halftime.
 
The Knights regrouped and opened the second half by prevailing in the toss event, 28.950-28.600.
 
However, the Bobcats won the tumbling event 57.750-56.625 to take a lead of more than one point into the team event.
 
The judges gave Quinnipiac a strong 94.910 score in the final event, the team event. Gannon was awarded a total of 89.320 as the Bobcats secured the victory and moved to 6-0.
 
 
What's ahead:
 
The top eight teams in the NCATA's final rankings will advance to the NCATA quarterfinals on April 25 at Fairmont State in Fairmont, W.Va. The next set of rankings will be released on Wednesday, April 10, and the championship field will be announced on Monday, April 15.
 
 
Gannon's lineup from Saturday:
1 Kylie Brown (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem), sophomore
2 Ali Price (New Paris, Pa./Chestnut Ridge), junior
3 Charisma Felix (Las Vegas, Nev./College of So. Nevada High School West), junior
5 Ty Upton (South Amboy, N.J./St. Thomas Aquinas), junior
6 Nicole Pavia (Oxford, Conn./Oxford High), junior
7 Kat Rodriguez (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall), senior
8 Julienne Templeman (Lodi, Calif./Jim Elliot Christian), sophomore
12 Peyton Oliver (Vallejo, Calif./Jesse M. Bethel), sophomore
13 Bethany Schirz (Reno, Nev./Edward C. Reed), graduate
14 Annie Colantonio (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin), senior
16 Ashley Fallgren (Beaverton, Ore./Hillsboro), graduate
17 Layna Bergeron (Johnston, R.I./La Salle Academy), sophomore
18 Tori Soper (Sheffield Lake, Ohio/Ohio Connections Academy), sophomore
21 Courtney Solensky (Columbia, Conn./E.O. Smith), senior
22 Reagan McMahon (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic), junior
23 Alexandria DeAngelis (Audubon, N.J./Camden Catholic High School), freshman
24 Marissa Burge (Fairview, Pa./Fairview), sophomore
32 Lillie Fritz (Chandler, Ariz./Chandler), junior
34 Kathryn Rhine (Damascus, Ore./Clackamas), senior
35 Madison Rhine (Damascus, Ore./Clackamas), senior
37 Lauren Rupert (Central Square, N.Y./Paul V. Moore), junior
38 Montana Muller (Catasauqua, Pa./Catasauqua), senior
39 Megan Revell (Richland, Wash./Richland High), junior
42 Mikayla Kis (Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada/Silverthorn Collegiate Institute), sophomore
43 Ariana Fitzpatrick (Burlington, N.J./Northern Burlington County Regional H.S.), freshman
44 Alexis Tosado (Sparks, Nev./Edward C. Reed), graduate
45 Brianna Arre (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend), senior
47 Morgan Gilbert (Black River, N.Y./Immaculate Heart Central), graduate