BATON ROUGE, La. — The Ave Maria University Ultimate frisbee team claimed victory at LSU's annual Mardi Gras tournament on Saturday, February 22nd, capturing their first regional Division 1 tournament championship despite facing travel adversity and elite competition.
The Gyrenes arrived in Baton Rouge at 2:30 a.m. on tournament day after encountering travel delays, but showed no signs of fatigue as they opened against Texas State. Ave Maria immediately asserted dominance, jumping to a 3-0 lead and never looking back. Their defense forced turnovers on nearly every possession while the offense converted with remarkable efficiency, resulting in a commanding 13-3 victory.
In their second matchup, the Gyrenes faced regional rival Mississippi State. Ave Maria's defense set the tone immediately, causing a quick turnover on the opening point that led to a score. The pattern continued throughout the contest as Ave Maria's offense proved impenetrable, propelling them to a decisive 13-5 win.
The semifinal round pitted Ave Maria against Tennessee Chattanooga, who entered the match following an impressive 12-10 victory over Texas A&M. The Gyrenes once again started strong, taking a 3-1 lead after another quick defensive break. Tennessee Chattanooga mounted a challenge as the Gyrenes began showing signs of fatigue, but Ave Maria's offense remained perfect, scoring on every possession to secure a 13-10 triumph.
The championship final featured a rematch against University of Florida, the reigning Division 1 Florida Conference champions whom Ave Maria had defeated 13-5 in the fall semester. The contest evolved into an offensive showcase with both teams trading scores until halftime, when Florida held a narrow 7-6 advantage. Florida extended their lead to 8-6 after halftime by breaking Ave Maria's offense for the first time in the tournament.
The Gyrenes responded with resilience as their defense elevated their performance, generating consecutive breaks to tie the game at 9-9 before taking a momentum-shifting 10-9 lead. Ave Maria maintained their composure down the stretch to secure a 12-10 victory.
"We give all the glory to God," Coach Middendorf remarked after the championship. "This is Our Lady's team and we are just so grateful we could glorify God through this incredible win today."
The Gyrenes' tournament victory marks their first regional Division 1 tournament championship, continuing their impressive spring season.
Both the Varsity and JV teams will be traveling to USF this upcoming weekend for their next tournament challenge.
