DENVER - No. 18 Denver finished with a season-high score of 195.700 to place first overall at the Burnsley Invitational on Friday night in Hamilton Gymnasium before a crowd of 1,391.

Senior Kelley Hennigan (The Woodlands, Texas) won the overall competition with a career-high score of 39.300. Boise State finished in second place with an overall score of 195.425, while Southeast Missouri State and Seattle Pacific took third and fourth place with scores of 192.925 and 188.800, respectively. 

Denver took the lead in the first rotation with a season-high 49.075 vault score after sophomore Louise Mercer (Nottingham, England) posted a career-best 9.850. Senior Lauren Garan (Cos Cob, Conn.) had to be replaced in the line-up due to injury. Boise State held the second position after posting a 48.800 on the bars, while Southeast Missouri State and Seattle Pacific followed with scores of 48.250 and 47.125 on balance beam and floor, respectively.

After career-high scores from Hennigan and freshman Simona Castro Lazo (Santiago, Chile), the Pioneers posted a 48.700 on the bars to maintain a 97.775-96.725 lead over BSU.

Hennigan and Castro Lazo posted two more career-highs on the beam with scores of 9.875 and 9.775, respectively, but Boise State posted a 48.925 on the floor to narrow the Pioneer lead to 146.650-146.150 entering the final rotation.

Sophomore Brianna Artemev (Arvada, Colo.) secured the Pioneer win with a career-best score of 9.875 on the floor exercise, contributing to an overall 49.050 team score. Boise State finished with an impressive 49.275 on the vault, while SEMS and SPU posted scores of 47.600 and 46.32 on the bars and beam, respectively.

"I thought the team showed tremendous character tonight," head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. "Even after losing Lauren to an injury and having to make substitutions, our team stepped up and rose to the occasion."

Olympian Alexander "Sasha" Artemev was the guest of honor at the meet, the second Olympian that the Pioneers have hosted this season after Alicia Sacramone was featured at the Mile High Gymfest on Jan. 23.

The meet also marked the annual Link to Pink fundraiser, as all proceeds from the sale of pink t-shirts and water bottles will go to the Komen Foundation.

Denver returns to action on Monday when they host in-state rival Air Force at Hamilton Gymnasium at 6:30 p.m.