The Concordia University Irvine STUNT team had an action-packed weekend taking on four teams in a two-day tournament.
 
The first opponent the Eagles faced on Saturday was Vanguard. This rivalry is one that is no joke as both teams were very energized at the beginning of the match. Right out the gate, these two teams exchanged point after point through the first two quarters. Late in the second quarter, the Lions challenged the Eagles on a modification of a stunt or technique. Vanguard lost the challenge, which put the Eagles up by two points late. Vanguard cut the lead down to one at halftime on a lost challenge by the Eagles on the technique of a stunt. Freshman Adriana Rodriguez, who had been practicing her full-twisting layout all week, surprised Vanguard (from a previous scrimmage a few weeks back) and stuck the landing giving the Eagles the early lead in the second half. Concordia started to pour it on in the fourth quarter and extended its lead to five points. The Eagles were victorious at the end of their first match, successfully beating the Lions 16-11.

The second opponent the Eagles faced on Saturday was Arizona State (ASU). The Eagles came out strong in the first half shutting out ASU 4-0 at the end of the first quarter. Standout performances by juniors Brandi Agans and 2018 Second Team All-American Kayce De Leon helped lead the Eagles to extend their lead 7-1 by halftime. Entering the second half with a cushioned lead, the Eagles poured it on in the third quarter limiting ASU to zero points. Topped by a dominant performance in the Jumps and Tumbling part of the fourth quarter, the Eagles soared to a statement victory over ASU. The final score was Eagles 20, Sun Devils 1.
 
Concordia was unstoppable in its first two matches, outscoring both opponents 36-12 before facing their first opponent on Sunday, which was Riverside City College (RCC). The Eagles got out to an early lead 4-2 in the first quarter and both teams kept exchanging points or both receiving the point in each of the different routines. RCC pulled ahead late in the third quarter by two points due to almost perfect routines. The Eagles and Tigers were very even throughout the whole match until the Tigers got their biggest lead 12-9 in the fourth. A controversial call by RCC at the end of the fourth quarter left a confusing loss for the Eagles. The final score was RCC 12, Concordia 9.
 
The second opponent Concordia faced on Sunday was Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The Eagles looked to bounce back against the Mustangs. Cal Poly jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first quarter calling levels as high as 6. This extended their lead 6-3 at halftime. The Eagles looked to come back strong in the second half erasing their three-point deficit early in quarter 4. With the score tied up at 8, the Eagles were electrified and ready to finish the game. With standout performances near the end of the game by freshman tumbler Mackenzie Garman and two-time Second Team All-American junior tumbler Joanna Rivers, the Eagles were able to pull ahead by two points going into the final routine. With the Eagles up 11-9, the outcome of the game came down to the final routine. Level 2 was called by CUI head coach Amy Haney and the Eagles looked to clinch the win. A tie was elected for the partner stunts making the score 12-10. The second category being graded was Jumps and Tumbling and that point went to the Mustangs, bringing the score 12-11. The final category was Pyramids and Tosses, and the Eagles received the point to secure their victory over the Cal Poly Mustangs 13-11.
 
This was a huge win for the Eagles as this was the first time in program history that they have beaten Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  CUI Head coach Amy Haney recapped the whole tournament after the victory.
 
"This weekend was a great weekend for CUI Stunt and a great way to start our season," explained Haney. "I am so proud of our team for the way that they played. They have trained hard this offseason, and it showed on the mat this weekend."
 
It was a successful weekend for the Eagles as they open up their season with three wins and one loss overall.

"This past weekend was a major accomplishment," said junior standout tumbler Joanna Rivers. "Every game we played, we improved. The love and support we have for each other is what caused a 3-1 weekend and it was such a great way to kick off our season."
 
The Eagles will take a trip out to Riverside next as they have an away tournament on March 14 and 15 where they will face California Baptist University, Riverside City College and Brigham Young University.
 
For the full CUI STUNT schedule, click here.