No. 7 Mizzou gym opened up its season with a win against Iowa State in the Ameritas Masters Classic. On Friday, the squad welcomed No. 2 Oklahoma to the Mizzou Arena. After a hard-fought meet, Mizzou fell to Oklahoma 197.425-196.925.
The Tigers shined on their signature event, the floor exercise. They brought in their highest total of the night in the event, scoring 49.425.
Graduate Elise Tisler opened the rotation with a 9.850. Sophomore Ayla Acevedo made her 2026 floor debut and earned her second 9.900 of the season Friday.
Junior Hannah Horton brought the crowd to their feet with her dynamic tumbling that earned a 9.925. Griffin’s season high of 9.925 gave the Tigers a 49.425 total. Tisler is able to bring the energy to the floor in the leadoff position.
“As a floor lead off, I feel like that is your job to not only get your team ready and going, but also get the crowd engaged,” Tisler said. “I just think it’s such a fun spot to be in.”
Mizzou began its meet on vault. Sophomore Railey Jackson, freshman Kimarra Echols and Tisler earned three straight 9.850. Horton anchored the rotation with a solid Yurchenko 1.5 vault that scored a 9.900, giving Mizzou a 49.300 to tie its season high. Missouri coach Shannon Welker says improving on vault was one of its main goals entering 2026.
“We worked pretty hard on it over the summer and in the preseason,” Welker said. “A lot of it’s just putting in some numbers and focusing on technique. We got some pretty good personnel over there that stepped up as well.”
Missouri saw some issues on bars in the second rotation.
Senior Addison Lawrence opened with a 9.500. Graduate Lauren Macpherson brought in a 9.725, followed by sophomore Olivia Kelly’s 9.750. Echols earned a 9.825 and graduate Makayla Green wrapped the rotation with a 9.725. The Tigers earned a total of 48.825 on bars, their lowest bars total of the season.
Through its vault rotation, scoring five scores of 9.900 or better and a 49.575 total.
Missouri was steady on the balance beam. Macpherson earned a 9.900 to tie her season high. Tanskanen followed with a career high 9.875. Kelly showcased a fantastic routine capped with a stuck dismount for a 9.900. Lawrence anchored the rotation with a stuck dismount of her own, earning a 9.875. The Tigers scored a beam total of 49.375.
The Sooners continued their momentum on floor, totaling a 49.275.
Mizzou enters the next part of its season with one goal in mind: “Control what we can control,” Welker said.
Missouri will hit the road for their next meet against No. 4 Alabama on Friday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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