It’s Mary Emma here live from the Fitzgerald Field House to cover what should be an exciting matchup of similarly ranked opponents. Any of these four teams could come out on top! Pittsburgh is coming off an exciting 2018 campaign where it qualified for regionals for the first time since 2013, Utah State and Eastern Michigan will be looking for redemption after missing out on regional last year and West Virginia will looking to build upon its performance in Cancun last weekend.
Eastern Michigan posted its projected lineups ahead of time, and it looks like we have Emili Dobronics and Jada Rondeau slated for the all around. There will be two freshmen competing on beam and floor today: Caitlin Satler and Shannon Gregory. Another gymnast to look out for is Allie Smith, who has been training a Yurchenko one-and-a-half.
Utah State also posted its projected lineups, and it has Madi Ward-Sessions and Leighton Varnadore in the all around. The lone freshman competing is Grace Rojas (VT, UB), but junior Madi Tueller, who was on Utah State’s club team last year, is set to make her varsity debut on bars.
Another key fact to note is that Pitt’s 194.125 at its opening meet last season was a program record for the highest season-opening score in program history (and that was with counting a fall on beam), so that record could easily be broken again this time around.
Also, just so you know, this is my very first in-person live blog, and on top of that it’s a quad meet, so please bear with me! I will be doing my best to bring you the most coverage that I can!
Warmups just finishing up right now. Of note, Brechwald (Pitt) does not appear to be warming up floor.
Rotation 1
SPivey with a nice y full to lead off.
Miller – Another good y full
Herbine – Y half with a large step.
Beck (USU) – very nice bars! Looked a little close on her pak, but pulled it off
Haley – BIG yfull with a small hop. That should score well!
Petrikis – almost identical to Brechwald. Nice!
Bochenek (Pitt) – good full with a small step. Pitt should be happy with this roatation
Bullit – Hit a very nice bars routine. I missed the end, but the beginning looked great. Has very nice handstands!
Koshinski (WVU) – hit her series very well. Looked like a solid routine from what I saw.
Ward (USU) – with a very solid bars routine. Looks like USU had a miss on its last one.
Tueller (USU) – Nice jaeger! Just a small step on the landing. Nice to see her in the lineup!
Rondeau (EMU) – slightly short on double tuck but hangs on. Very nice second pass. I love this choreography. Little bouncy on rudi, but nice routine!
Stuck dismount for Galpin (WVU) on beam. That’s all I caught.
48.95 for Pitt on vault.
Oops, I think the last EMU was Rondeau. NOW we have Dobronics – only caught the end, but slight chest down on double back. She seems happy with it though.
Rotation 2
Chamberlain (Pitt) – she lives! nice jaeger, maybe a little close. And small hop on dismount. Nice lead off!
Harden (EMU) – small step on HS front pike. She crashed it in warmups so glad to see her hit!
Miller (Pitt) – great jaeger, little short on bail. Stuck dismount or at least close. 2 for 2
Dobronics nearly sticks her y full!
Bochenek (Pitt) – bars debut. little close on gienger. nice bail. stuck double back. Sophie is one to watch this year!
Stuck y half from Hultgren! EMU killing these vault landings!
Collins (Pitt) – She missed last season, but did bars in 2017 a few times. very short on first handstand but the rest of the routine was solid.
SMith just does her y-full, but nice with a small bounce back
Gresham (EMU) – BIG y full with a step.
Dugan (Pitt) – close on gienger and almost goes over on handstand and has to recast. small hop on DLO dismount.
Brett (Pitt) – huge gienger! little short on bail looks like. Stuck (or nearly) DLO. YES LUCY! Bit of a rocky rotation, but they did hit 6 for 6. Hopefully Brechwald and Tripp will be back in the lineup soon.
Tun (WVU) – missed the begining, but I saw two very solid passes. Nice rudi to finish!
USU had 5 hits but looks like Ward fell in the last spot
Koshinski (WVU) – Huge DLO! I love this choreography! and a great double pike to finish. Team is going crazy and chanting 10!
Rotation 3
Miller (Pitt) – slight wobble on back layout. Very solid series! nice front aerial. and hits dismount. Solid start!
Brechwald (Pitt) – looks confident on her series. font aerial is nice. Small hop on gainer pike. 2 for 2.
Robatin (Pitt) – ooh, she does a Liukin! Looks solid so far. and sticks dismount!
Hornung (WVU) slightly short on yfull. has to take a step foward.
Koshinski (WVU) – small bounce forward on y 1.5. Nice!
Brett (Pitt) – nice side aerial to BHS series. Love seeing an uncommon series wobbled on illusion turn. And stuck dismount to end!
Ceccarini (Pitt) – slight wobble on series, but saves it! looks a little nervouse, but no huge errors. And nice dismount with small hop to finish
West (Pitt) – First routine back after tearing her achilles last season. Looks very confident up there. No wobble at all n series. Nice switch 3/4. And small step on dismount. Pitt REALLY missed that routine last year. Glad she’s back
DeHarde (USU) – hit a nice double pike to open. That’s all I saw, but I think she hit.
Ward-Sessions (USU) – Only one on the floor, so everyone can enjoy this. Wow, huge roundoff to full in! HUGE front full! And perfectly stuck double pike to close. WOWOWOW
Golison (USU) in exhibition – big bounce on rudi but stays in bounds. Nice second pass with split jump to end it. and sits her last pass.
Rotation 4
Pitt just needs to go 48.25 on floor to break their record for a season opener.
Team is standing in front of the floor blocking my view, so I might not get a great look, but I’ll do my best
Ceccarini (Pitt) – Hits double tuck to open. Looks like it was a great routine from what I could see.
Golison just stuck her vault!
De Harde nearly stuck her y full. Just the slightest bounce.
Brett (Pitt) – slightly chest down on double back, but sticks it. I assume she hit her second pass based on the team cheers. And nice finish!
Miller (Pitt) – Opens with Sweet Caroline. Looks like she hit her first two passes. Stuck the double back! And a nice finish.
Tun with a great bars so far. And sticks her DLO!
Fall from EMU on beam. Gregory maybe?
Bochenek (Pitt) – slightly short on full in, but saves it! Nice front full to front lay. And nice double pike to close! Sophie is going to have a breakout year, I’m calling it now!
Petrikis (Pitt) – She always has such great choreography. Wow, great double pike! And great double back to close, team goes crazy!!
Spivey (Pitt) – Very nice opening pass! And sticks double back. And a great rudi to finish! Great routine!!
Final WVU 195.500; Pitt 194.750; Utah State 194.600; EMU 192.700
Live Blog by Mary Emma Burton
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