HAMDEN, Conn. -- In just its sixth-ever meet, the second-year Kutztown University acrobatics & tumbling team registered its highest meet score in team history during Saturday's season-opening 265.390-234.330 defeat at No. 4 Quinnipiac.
 
Head coach Karah Paull emphasized the desire for her team to focus on improving each meet in the offseason and the Golden Bears took that message to heart with their performance against one of the nation's elite programs.
 
Kutztown (0-1) scored a 9.150 in the pyramid heat of the compulsory event and was just a shade under 9.000 (8.950) in the toss heat, two of its better events last season. The Bobcats (1-0) were energized in front of their home crowd, however, and put up impressive 9.0+ scores in the first three heats, including scores of 9.750 in both the pyramid and toss.
 
In the pyramid event, the Bears scored a 9.000 in the open heat and posted their top heat score in program history in the synchronized heat with an 8.750.
 
The tumbling event is one where Paull expected a marked improvement and KU showed that, outperforming last year's average in the quad heat by more than two full points and the trio heat by nearly two points.
 
Kutztown closed the meet with its highest score in the team event, an 82.580.
 
The Golden Bears will return to action next Saturday on the road against NCATA preseason No. 2 Gannon.