MARSHALL, Texas -- Texas Lutheran Acrobatics and Tumbling, led by first year head coach Macie Searls and assistant coach and TLU A&T alum Gracen Bunch, made their 2026 debut Thursday night at Ornelas Gymnasium in Marshall, Texas as Searls faced her alma mater, East Texas Baptist. The freshman-laiden Bulldogs would drop their first meet to ETBU with the Bulldogs (0-1) earning a total score of 103.550 and the Tigers (1-0) earning a total score of 205.810.
Texas Lutheran would take the mat for the first time - scoring a 14.15 in the compulsory, including a 1.30 in acro, 6.25 in pyramid, and 6.60 in toss, out of the highest possible value of 10. ETBU outscored the Bulldogs in the compulsory, earning a 25.15 total score.
After the acro event, TLU continued to trail the Tigers. Texas Lutheran earned a total score of 20.90, consisting of a 7.60 in the fifth element, 6.30 in the sixth element, and 7.00 in the seventh element to win the acro event - outscoring the Tigers who finished with a score of 19.50. The win would mark the first event win for Searls as a head coach.
Texas Lutheran fell just short of overtaking the Tigers in the pyramid event with the Tigers outscoring the Bulldogs 26.40 to 24.00.
Leading into the half, TLU trailed ETBU 71.05 - 59.05.
The Tigers took the toss event, with event scores being 23.40 - 18.45. Texas Lutheran earned a 5.30 in salto, 6.60 in synchronized, and 6.55 in open.
East Texas Baptist also took the tumbling event, outscoring TLU 39.950 to 26.050. The Bulldogs earned their best score in the open pass heat, earning a 6.075 out of a possible 6.75.
Up next, Texas Lutheran have a few weeks to regroup before traveling to Belton, Texas, on Sunday, Mar. 1, at 3 PM to face 8th-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor.
For more information on Texas Lutheran Acrobatics & Tumbling, follow the Bulldogs on 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).
