It’s been a shockingly snowy week in Seattle, so let’s take a moment to be grateful this meet hasn’t been canceled.
OK, now that’s done, Washington has looked strong so far this season but has been scored fairly strictly—a familiar problem for the Huskies but a frustrating one when its closest Division I neighbor is able to score over 197 without doing markedly superior gymnastics. That said, UCLA attracts big audiences on the road, so hopefully things will be a little more lively in Alaska Airlines than usual.
The last two times UCLA visited Seattle, in 2014 and 2016, the Bruins were missing large chunks of their lineups from elective rest weeks and illness. Washington was a much weaker opponent in those days, so don’t expect too much lineup experimentation today, but UCLA should still feel fairly secure in its undefeated streak.
ROTATION 1 – UW VAULT, UCLA BARS
Lineup notes: Grace Glenn back in beam, no Margzetta Frazier on floor, Kristyn Hoffa back on vault for the first time this season.
CUNNINGHAM – UW: Really nice full, small step back. One of the Huskies’ best vaults.
FRAZIER – UCLA: Maloney to Pak, might have missed that handstand, van Leeuwen, double lay with a hop back.
RILEY – UW: Yurchenko Arabian, waits to twist, beautiful landing, holds it for a few seconds and then a tiny step. Gorgeous.
HANO – UCLA: Ray to overshoot, good amplitude but some leg sep, blind full double back stuck.
HOFFA – UW: We weren’t sure if she’d be back on vault period after an offseason wrist situation, so exciting to see her here. Okay full, underrotated with chest down and a step forward.
KOOYMAN – UCLA: In for Anna Glenn, ugly Maloney, empty swing, Pak with tons of leg split, missing handstands, full in deep with a step forward, almost dropped her knee. According to Kathy she’s coming in cold here, didn’t get to warm up.
COPIAK – UW: Yurchenko full, much cleaner on the table than I usually see, lands well with a baby hop. Great!
FLATLEY – UCLA: Short on first handstand, eagle grip to Jaeger really nice, double layout STUCK. Nice.
ROBERSON – UW: Great full, love her technique, small step back and steps together to salute so if they’re feeling unkind (they are) they’ll take both.
KOCIAN – UCLA: Chow to Pak, leg sep. Knee bend under the bar is really standing out today, FTDB stuck I think.
THOMPSON – UW: Huge full, piked down just a touch, small step.
ROSS – UCLA: Maloney to bail to toe shoot. Almost over on a handstand on HB, gets it back, DLO with an arm swing and a foot shift. Not her usual but still like a 9.925.
UCLA 49.375 – WASHINGTON 48.875
UW got trashed on vault there. That happens a lot at home but I still don’t like it. UCLA was a bit sloppy there, I have no idea why you’d pull Anna there, but what can you do.
ROTATION 2: UCLA VAULT, WASHINGTON BARS
TRATZ – UCLA: Her usual pretty full, big hop back.
NELSON – UW: Beautiful Jaeger, Pak to switch kip, blind full double back with a step. She’s just so pretty. Hoping she’s healthy enough for beam soon, she’s desperately needed there.
DENNIS – UCLA: Huge full, hop in place. Great position on the table, not the most distance I’ve ever seen from her.
WASHINGTON – UW: CH + Gienger + overshoot SO GOOD. Maybe short on a handstand, FTDB with a hop to the side. I feel like if she tucked that tighter she could get it around faster, it buckled a little on the ground.
WRIGHT – UCLA: Great one and a half, step forward that Kathy says was due to her head position. Slightly soft knees too.
THOMPSON – UW: Blind to Jaeger, catches it close and awkward, great bail, FTDB with a small step back.
HANO – UCLA: One and a half, not huge but around, hop back and to one side.
RILEY – UW: Toe on to Maloney to bail, really pretty, it’s so hard to tell handstands from this angle, double lay stuck. THANK YOU.\
ROSS – UCLA: One and a half, huge, stuck, wouldn’t be mad about a 10. THERE IT IS. Gym slam at 75%!
ROBERSON – UW: Had to start in the middle of the 10 madness, we don’t get those in Seattle very often, pike Jaeger to overshoot too low and loses her swing on the low bar. Double lay under with a big step.
POSTON – UCLA: Off from the block, bails out to a handspring front tuck and runs off the mat.
COPIAK – UW: She’s been great at following errors this year. Cast over to pike Jaeger to overshoot, FTDB pretty but close to the bar and hops back.
UCLA 98.675 – WASHINGTON 97.850
ROTATION 3: UW BEAM, UCLA FLOOR
ROSE – UW: Kathy’s fangirling. Wait apparently she tore her meniscus? Like this week? Front aerial front aerial, check, switch split BHS, cat leap side aerial back tuck full. Really good.
KRAMER – UCLA: Front double full front pike, lands a little hard but okay. One and a half front lay great, bounces out of her leap series, Rudi to arch jump the usual great.
RILEY – UW: BHS LOSO, off to one side, steps back and hangs on. Full turn, split straddle quarter, split LOSO beat with a little bit of arm swinging but solid. One and a half stuck.
ROSS – UCLA: Whip double back, great control on the landing, one and a half front lay. She’s on her game today. Switch half Popa Shush, amazing again on the double pike. Fantastic.
WASHINGTON – UW: BHS LOSO great, switch side to straddle is beautiful. Full turn, side aerial back tuck full stuck and leans way forward to hold it.
TRATZ – UCLA: Full in, a touch deep but hops to lunge before it becomes a problem, one and a half front whatever, switch ring tour jete half. Double back, missed the set, underrotated and serious lunge forward.
BROOKS – UW: Kickover front BHS beautiful. Front aerial to beat. She’s got great presence these days, switch leap stag gainer full with a hop back and a fairly wide stance.
DENNIS – UCLA: Good on the PFI, hop forward out of the front combo pass, tries to pretend it’s dance but lol nope. Double back, lunge on the big side but keeps her front foot down.
COPIAK – UW: Full turn, BHS LOSO perfect. Switch half, awkward landing, switch to beat. Side aerial to beat, again a bit awkward but keeps moving, one and a half dismount with a little step back.
HANO – UCLA: Double lay looks like it’s coming in short but makes it work. Front full Barani running jump, so fun, the swimming cracks me up now that I know how much Val hates it. Tour jete half wolf full, double lay slightly chaotic landing but keeps it in place.
ROBERSON – UW: Switch leap switch split jump, misses a foot in the middle but makes it work, LOSO LOSO… oh my GOD lands it fully sideways but just turns back around like nothing. Gainer full massive and stuck as usual.
OHASHI – UCLA: Split leg DLO and the perm is back to go with it!! One and a half Barani split punch front. Switch ring switch half, think Chris Waller is dancing, front full Barani split drop. Nailed it.
UCLA 148.275 – WASHINGTON 146.800
We’re looking at a possible AA career high for Kyla. 29.8 after 3 is amazing. Good not great rotation for the Dawgs, really hoping to see Michaela Nelson back in there soon. Word is Grace Glenn might be pulled from beam.
ROTATION 3: UCLA BEAM, WASHINGTON FLOOR
NGUYEN – UCLA: Switch split beat, aerial LOSO great. Don’t love that combo on everyone but it works for her. Front full up on her toes, think she has to take a hop forward.
CUNNINGHAM – UW: Front thru double back, great, one and a half front pike. Is that a downgrade? Switch half wolf full, NAILED the double pike. Fantastic.
G. GLENN – UCLA: BHS LOSO, check, another check on the dance series, gainer full and bounce on her toes. Good to see her back, I’m sure she’ll settle in.
THOMPSON – UW: Double back, HUGE, holy crap. Has to pull her front foot. Front lay front full, great, so much energy. Great Rudi to close. Kathy loves her faces. Us too Kathy.
FLATLEY – UCLA: Front aerial LOSO, great side aerial. L turn full turn awkward but works through. Switch split, BHS one and a half… that thing always looks so short, hop back. Wish she’d do a RO into it instead.
WASHINGTON – UW: Double back, little shuffle, front lay front full so airy and dances out. Switch side Popa great, Bart thinks Elise turned up at Maya’s house and said “Hey your name is Washington, you have to come here.” Double pike STUCK YES GIRL.
DENNIS – UCLA: Front aerial, check. Repeats it, check. LOSO. No acro series. Double full stuck, but yeah no acro series.
ROBERSON – UW: Front double full punch front, few quick steps back. So unusual for her. Switch ring wolf full or something like that, Rudi LOSO great. She knows how to fly.
ROSS – UCLA: BHS LOSO normal. big smile, front aerial sissone. I smile every time I see an actual true sissone. Arabesque turn, switch split, side aerial back full STUCK.
HOFFA – UW: Sorry I’m too busy cracking up at the commentary but tumbling is huge with controlled landings thru two. Double back, naiiiiiiled. Fantastic.
OHASHI – UCLA: Layout nailed, switch split, front aerial… slow to connect… BHS LOSO back full stuck easily.
BROOKS – UW: Double back, pulls the front foot, tries a wolf 3/2 and it’s really awkward but it might be enough to get her up to level. One and a half front lay good, quick lunge and dances out, last pass was solid.
FINAL: UCLA 197.600 – WASHINGTON 196.000
Kyla Ross’ all around score is the best in the country this year as well as a career high! Super impressive. UCLA was great but still needs to work its lineups out, there’s no reason that Kooyman should ever ever make that bars lineup. Washington was okay not great. Roberson’s off day caused problems, but mostly we’re just waiting for people like Nelson and Ruttan to appear in the rest of their lineups.
VAULT: Ross 10.000
BARS: Kocian 9.925
BEAM: Ross, Ohashi 9.925
FLOOR: Ohashi 10.000
AA: Ross 39.775
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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