EDMOND, Ok. -- The 2023 STUNT NAIA Division National Championship Tournament finished up early Sunday and the Lions could not knock off the Jessup Warriors in the championships match.  VU had defeated Hope International 16-10 to get to the title bout, but Jessup outscored the Lions in three of the four quarters to take the crown 17-11.  VU will end the year at 13-5.
 
What Happened?  The Royals once more played well in the first half and pilfered points from the Lions, drawing even on two routines and winning one routine outright in the first quarter of partner stunts to lead 3-2.  HIU then repeated that feat in the second quarter of pyramids and tosses, as the two foes entered the break with the Royals ahead 6-4.  The jumps and tumbling of the third quarter continued to be the bread and butter of the Blue and Gold, as the Lions conquered the period 3-0 to emerge with a 7-6 advantage.  With confidence growing, VU put on some more polish for the long routines of the fourth quarter.  The Lions earned a 9-4 decision win in the fourth to take the match victory 16-10, putting Vanguard in its third-straight championship match.
 
Jessup had been waiting in the wings and both teams returned to the mat for the fifth time against each other this season.  The tournament trend of first-half lows again struck the Lions, who were blanked 4-0 in the first frame and scrapped by with a lone point in the second to trail 7-1 entering the second half.  The Blue and Gold scored four points in the third quarter this time around, but Jessup tied VU three of those times, limiting the comeback potential.  Trailing 10-5 entering the fourth, the two teams locked horns in the long routines and the programs earned almost even points.  Jessup would cement its hold on the title by narrowly winning the final period 7-6 to claim the match 17-11 to become back-to-back title winners.