Arkansas is coming off a double meet weekend in which it had home and away meets. Now, the Razorbacks are once again back in Barnhill Arena for what should be a close contest with Kentucky. It’s clear it knows how to put on a show at home, with last week’s debut earning the highest score in program history for a home opener. Tonight will be an important test to judge if that spiked score was a result of Jordyn Wieber Coming Out Party Mania.™️
They’ll need that and more to keep up with the resurgent Kentucky Wildcats, who have been putting up impressive numbers despite a huge routine loss from last year. Freshman Raena Worley has lived up to expectations as the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week, but we haven’t seen much from her classmates other than Raina Albores, who’s done a few events here and there. Tonight could be a tough one for Kentucky, so it will be interesting to see if any new freshmen are brought out to reinforce the ranks.
Follow along with the SEC stream and stats.
Rotation 1: Arkansas VT / Kentucky UB
Yamzon (Arkansas): Yfull, some legs in the air, pikes it down a bit but just a small step and decent landing overall. 9.750.
Angeny (Kentucky): Big Jaeger. Short on the last handstand into a stuck DLO, good leadoff. 9.800.
Gianfagna (Arkansas): Yfull, lots of air and a bigggg hop back. 9.675.
Nixon (Kentucky): Pretty Pak and Maloney. Great handstands, full-in dismount legs a little apart but a stick, really good! 9.850.
Hickey (Arkansas): Yfull, more good distance and a hop to the side. 9.800.
Luksik (Kentucky): Pretty toe point on the piked jaeger, stuck DLO. That’s 3/3 sticks for Kentucky…hope I didn’t jinx anything. 9.875, dang.
Rogers (Arkansas): The January joinee brings another good yfull, can’t stick it with a hop to the side. 9.750.
Worley (Kentucky): Tkatchev is a bit close, Pak with legs apart. Love that her nickname is “Worls” because it sounds like “Whirls” and idk I just like it. Full-in and another stick! 9.775.
Shaffer (Arkansas): Yhalf, very nice stuck landing. “If you’re telling me this is a 10.0 start…” She’s not telling you that, because it’s not? 9.900.
Warren (Kentucky): Biggest Jaeger so far, really nice. Into the bail, last handstand is nice, tiny tiny hop on the DLO but close. 9.850.
Hambrick (Arkansas): Yfull with a small hop back. 9.800.
Korth (Kentucky): Piked Jaeger, last handstand a little short. STUCK FTDLO. Should be a big score and Kentucky will get to drop a 9.7-range score for a nice total there. 9.900.
After 1: Kentucky 49.275 / Arkansas 49.000.
Pretty decent starts for both teams. Kentucky got stick after stick, but Arkansas had amplitude on its side to make up for the lack of difficulty in the lineup.
Rotation 2: Arkansas UB / Kentucky VT
John wearing the stick crown but on him it just looks like he’s trying to be Burger King. :/ You tried.
Angeny (Kentucky): Yfull, legs somewhat apart but a stick. 9.850.
Yamzon (Arkansas): Some weird legs on her Tkatchev…but gets it around. Last handstand good into FTDLO, small step back. 9.750.
Warren (Kentucky): Yfull, very close to a stick, might fool some. Piked down a bit though. 9.750.
Gianfagna (Arkansas): REALLY big Tkatchev, catches it pretty close. I don’t like the word “workhorse to describe athletes much. 🤢Full-in with a hop back. Good. 9.725.
Kwan (Kentucky): Yfull, tiny hop back with chest down. 9.625.
Garner (Arkansas): Gienger, misses her hands and falls but kinda twists and lands on her back? Different way to fall on that skill but still safe I guess. Finishes with double back. 8.975.
Patterson (Kentucky): Missed it but it’s a handspring pike half, looked like a good landing. 9.750.
Lovett (Arkansas): Nice Jaeger, stuck double back. 9.850.
Worley (Kentucky): Y1.5, first of the night, small step to the side but really controlled. 9.775.
Hambrick (Arkansas): 9.850.
Korth (Kentucky): Y1.5 messy with the legs but sticks it. 9.95. Uhh that’s a bit high…
Laird (Arkansas): Not the biggest Tkatchev. Hits her handstands. Finishes with a stuck DLO. 9.900, her third 9.900 mark in as many weeks. A consistency queen…
After 2: Kentucky 98.350 / Arkansas 98.075
Kentucky stalled a little on vault, but still some good landings and they have the lead. Arkansas started coming alive with some nice bars sticks, but they would’ve liked a Garner hit.
Rotation 3: Arkansas BB / Kentucky FX
Some Jordyn fluff but not much new there other than a chance to showcase some nice makeup under those SEC photoshoot lights. Carter’s lipstick was cute!
After 3: Kentucky 147.550 / Arkansas 147.125
Rotation 4: Arkansas FX / Kentucky BB
Warren (Kentucky): Just realized she shares a first initial and last name with a potential Democratic presidential nominee, the POWER THAT HAS. BHS LOSO nice…Ends with back full. 9.825.
Yamzon (Arkansas): Joins Nya Reed in the Lizzo “tempo” floor music club. Nice double back. Double pike even better. Always here for her choreo and faces. Front lay to front full. 9.850 will make for a nice AA score for her. 39.225, she and Warren will score the same.
Poland (Kentucky): Triple series, BHS BHS LOSO just a tiny check. Tucked Gainer full, wouldn’t really call it a “crazy” dismount like Bridget but it was a good one. 9.775.
Gianfagna (Arkansas): She loves the second spot like Yamzon loves the first. Double pike nice. Back 1.5 to front lay. Apparently Jordyn changed the arena layout so the floor is right in front of the student section, like that a lot. Double back with chest down. 9.875.
FINAL: Kentucky 196.750 / Arkansas 196.650.
It was truly down to the wire, but Kentucky pulled it out with a much-needed hit from Angeny. Arkansas will love this result if only to tell off the haters who questioned whether last week’s success was just a crack fest. A super fun meet to watch.
Live blog by Katherine Weaver
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