In recent years, the LSU vs. Florida matchup has become the new Georgia vs. Alabama: two top SEC schools who want more than anything to beat the other.
Florida, of course, comes in as the favorite. The Gators are ranked second in the nation and overall look like the more polished of the two teams. Plus, their season low is higher than LSU’s season high. However, they are coming off a slightly disappointing result at Missouri last week, where they failed to break the 197 barrier.
Despite being the lower ranked team, LSU shouldn’t be counted out. The Tigers still have yet to put a complete meet together, and when they do, they have the potential to score high. Plus, they have history on their side: Three out of the last four times these teams met in a dual matchup, the visiting team won (but only by mere tenths).
This should be an exciting meet!
Rotation 1
Florida: vault, LSU: bars
ESPN 2 is showing boxing, so let’s see if this meet will be already started when it switches over…
Ok, good, here we go.
Alexander (UF) – huge y full with a step back – 9.825
Johnson (LSU) – beautiful maloney to bail HS, stuck DLO! – 9.85
Baumann (UF) – y 1.5 with just a small hop forward. Great improvement! – 9.85
Dean (LSU) – good ray, good bail – maybe a bit short, almost goes over but saves it, nearly stuck DLO – 9.85
Schoenherr (UF) – huge 1.5 – too much power and a large jump forward – 9.725
Rivers (LSU) – beautiful maloney to bail, good tkatchev, step forward on DLO – 9.85
Reed (UF) – nearly sticks y 1.5, just a small hop forward – 9.9
Durante (LSU) – beautiful jaeger, good pak, chest down on dismount and small hop forward – 9.85
Thomas (UF) – huge y 1.5 with a small hop forward – 9.9
Edney (LSU) – great hindorff, little short on bail, small hop on DLO – 9.9
Richards (UF) – nearly stuck y 1.5, with a tiny hop forward – 9.925
Harrold (LSU) – good on her-signature-release-that-I-can’t-spell, great jaeger, stuck double front dismount – 9.975
After 1: Florida: 49.400, LSU: 49.425
Great start for both teams. Florida controlled its landings much better this week, and LSU had its best bars rotation of the season thus far.
Rotation 2
Florida: bars, LSU: vault
Rivers (LSU) – stuck y full – 9.9
Richards (UF) – great maloney to bail HS, small hop on DLO – 9.825
Rau (LSU) – little short on 1.5 and a step to the side – 9.75
Gowey (UF) – beautiful ray, good pak, small hop on DLO – 9.875
Harrold (LSU) – stuck y 1.5 – 9.95
Hundley (UF) – beautiful maloney to pak, great van leeuwen, short on last HS, stuck half in half out dismount – 9.9
Edwards (LSU) – nearly stuck y 1.5 – just a small step to the side – 9.875
Schoenherr (UF) – beautiful jaeger, great bail HS, STUCK dismount – 9.975
Edney (LSU) – stuck y 1.5 – slight college salute out of it – 9.95
Skaggs (UF) – great tkatchev to pak, (almost) stuck DLO – college salutes out of it – 9.9
Johnson (LSU) – nearly stuck DTY just a tiny step – 9.9
Thomas (UF) – beautuful maloney, great pak, beautiful van leeuween, stuck DLO. Will this be the 10?
It was!
After 2: Florida: 99.050, LSU: 99.000
Both teams on pace for a huge total here. LSU really nailed those vault landings, and those last 3 routines for Florida were *flames emoji.* And Trinity FINALLY got that 10!
Rotation 3
Florida: beam, LSU: floor
Hundley (UF) – beautiful front aerial to sissone, great BHS LOSO series, beautiful switch side, stuck 1.5 dismount. Great start – 9.975
Harrold (LSU) – great front double full to open, good double pike, great leap series, good 1.5 to front lay to close – 9.8
Johnson-Sharpf (UF) – great front tuck, great BHS LOSO series, good full turn, great switch half, stuck dismount! – 9.925
Gunter (LSU) – good double arabian to open – just a small step, good front full to front lay, great leap series – maybe a bit short, huge double back to close – 9.85
Richards (UF) – great triple series, beautiful leap series, great side aerial to lay full – just a small hop – 9.9
Edwards (LSU) – good DLO to open – slight chest down, falls on front full to front lay, balks out of leap series, and looks like she injured her ankle – examining her calf – 2.0
Baumann (UF) – beautiful leap series to open, beautiful BHS LOSO series, switch half is flawless, nice side aerial, stuck 1.5 – 9.975
Campbell (LSU) – great 2.5 twist to open, front 1.5 to front lay, great position on leaps, short on double pike and a large step forward, good recovery after the injury – 9.725
Gowey (UF) – great leap series, beautiful triple series, great front aerial to sissone, great full turn, stuck gainer full dismount – 9.975
Edney (LSU) – good double arabian to open, great 1.5 to front lay, little short on leaps, slightly short on double back and hops forward – 9.9
Thomas (UF) – great leaps to start, good full turn, great BHS LOSO series, good front aerial to beat jump to swing down, slight hop on dismount – 9.9
Johnson (LSU) – great full in to open, 1.5 to front lay, great position on leaps, huge double pike to close – 9.975
After 3: Florida: 148.725, LSU: 148.250
Tied for highest beam score in Florida history! LSU had a good last 3 routines after the fall, which really shows their resilience. Hope Edwards is okay!
Rotation 4
Florida: floor, LSU: beam
Dean (LSU) – great side aerial to BHS, little bit short on leaps, good side aerial to split jump, nearly stuck dismount – 9.85
Richards (UF) – huge DLO to open, great leaps, little short on double tuck. Great debut on floor! – 9.85
Rivers (LSU) – wobble on BHS LOSO series, great switch half, good switch leap to switch 3/4, slight check on side aerial, stuck pike gainer – 9.85
Gowey (UF) – great front lay to rudi, beautiful leap to wolf jump, great double back to finish
Durante (LSU) – great front aerial to split jump, good BHS LOSO series, stuck side aerial to full
Baumann (UF) – great double back to open, great 1.5 to front full, great leap series, and a great double pike to open – slight slide back – 9.925
Edney (LSU) –Â slight check on BHS LOSO series, good full turn, great front toss, stuck 1.5 dismount
Reed (UF) – great DLO to open, good switch leap to wolf full, great front lay front lay front 1.5, great double pike to close
Johnson (LSU) – good full turn to open, good BHS LOSO series – small check, beautiful switch leap to switch 1/2, stuck dismount – 10
Thomas (UF) – beautiful DLO to open, beautiful 1.5 to front lay to split jump, beautiful leap series, great double pike to close. Can she get a 2nd 10!?
…another 9.975
Campbell (LSU) – good BHS LOSO series, great front aerial, great leap series, small hop on dismount
Hundley (UF) – great whip to double back to open, great double pike, beautiful leap series, great 1.5 to front layout
Final: Florida: 198.375, LSU: 197.775
Florida is the 2nd team to hit 198 this year. LSU gets a season high by over a point. Both teams should be pleased with how they did tonight.
Live blog by Mary Emma Burton
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