Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room: So far, none of these teams have quite lived up to preseason expectations: Arizona State was ranked 25th, Oregon State was ranked 10th and LSU was ranked second in the 2020 Coaches’ Poll. [insert snarky comment about the validity of said poll]
Four on the Floor runner up LSU is hoping to have better luck against the Sun Devils than it did against the Wildcats. In their season opener against Arizona, the Tigers scored a paltry (by their standards) 195.725 and were nearly upset by the home team. Injuries have certainly played a part in LSU’s performance, but the team as a whole simply hasn’t looked as sharp this season (especially compared to its top ten counterparts). It’ll be looking to replace that low away score and move up the rankings once NQS kicks in.
Oregon State — the Cinderella story of the 2019 postseason — came into 2020 with high hopes that, so far, haven’t come to fruition. It has a long road ahead if it wants to reenter the postseason conversation. However, don’t bet against this team; since head coach Tonya Chaplin announced she’s taking a leave of absence for health reasons, her Beavers have rallied and posted 196.400-plus in their past two meets.
Arizona State only had three returning routines per event and is leaning heavily on freshman talent, so a learning curve is to be expected. Further complicating things, star all-arounder Cairo Leonard-Baker has been limited to vault and bars only. Up until last weekend, the Sun Devils performances have been solidly mid to high 194ish. Last weekend, though, the team’s posted an eyebrow-raising season-high 196.300 (over a point higher than their previous best. If they can repeat that level of performance, ASU could very well upset one (or both…) of their competitors.
All-in-all, this tri-meet has the potential for lots of drama, consequential scores and fabulous gymnastics! You can watch Saturday at 2:30 PM ET via free stream and find live scores here.
Rotation One: Oregon State vault, Arizona State bars, LSU
Apologies, folks. Had some technical difficulties and just getting started here as the first rotation is closing.
Campbell (LSU): Bhs loso with a large leg-up check. Another bobble after her full turn. Front aerial to Sissone, lovely. Switch split to switch half, good. Double twist with a tiny hop back, stuck-ish. 9.850 is high.
AFTER ONE: LSU 49.225, Arizona State 49.050, Oregon State 48.850
Mediocre vault rotation for the Beavers, just a hair under 49 (though they were able to drop a fall from Madi Dagen). ASU off to a strong start, breaking 49 for the second week in a row. That score allows them to hang on with the Tigers, who posted a solid 49.225 on beam despite a dearth of 9.9s.
Also, absolutely loving the hot mic situation the commentators have going on!
Rotation Two: Oregon State bars, Arizona State beam, LSU floor
Harrold (LSU): Aaaand they cut away right as she starts. Really nice One and a half to front lay, one of the cleanest she’s done all season. 9.875
Yamaoka (OSU): Good Maloney. A little archy on some of the handstands. Pirouette to a low double tuck with a step, but solid start. 9.700
Lowery (OSU): Beautiful handstands. Some leg sep on the Shaposh and Pak. Saves a half pirouette on the low bar. Nails her DLO. 9.850
Gunter (LSU): Slips back out of her tucked double Arabian. Front full to front lay, another iffy landing. 9.675
Bird (OSU): Small hop back after her FTDT.
Okay, this stream is garbage. It keeps freezing, but–even when it’s working–cuts away mid routine.
Minyard (OSU): Blind change to straddled Jaeger, lovely. Very nice handstand positions. Pretty DLO stuck. 9.825
Dean (LSU): Strong double tuck, a little staggered. 9.800
Briscoe (OSU): Straddled Jaeger, a touch close on the regrasp. Pretty bail. Good DLO with a step forward. 9.825
Redmond (ASU): Gainer pike with a hop. 9.750
Campbell (LSU): Leans out of her double pike but keeps it in bounds. 9.825
Gill (OSU): Shaposh to Pak, and comes off. She’s really struggled this season, and it’s a shame… DLO with slight leg sep, but stuck. 9.025
Reeves (ASU): Bhs bhs loso, flawless. Switch split leap to split jump, well done. Front aerial to maybe a botched bhs? Honestly, not sure if that was intentional or not. One and a half dismount with a hop. 9.750 seems low if that *wasn’t* a botched bhs, but high if it was… Hmm?
Wilson (ASU): Cat leap to switch half, but leg-up check and turn. Front toss to beat, good. Gainer full with a step. 9.625
Edney (LSU): Underrotates the tucked double Arabian, step and scoot back. Beautiful one and a half to front lay. Good amplitude on her leap series. Double tuck juuust short, has to hop forward. 9.900 is high for the mistakes on the first and last passes.
Scharf (ASU): Double wolf, well done. Bhs loso looked good, leg-up check after the fact. Side somi. Switch split to split jump, a hair shy. Round-off one and a half with a hop fwd.
AFTER TWO: LSU 98.525, Oregon State 97.875, Arizona State 97.750
Oregon State looked good on bars (dismounts were especially sharp overall). Really hoping Gill can find her rhythm, because she can absolutely be a difference-maker for this team. What I saw of ASU’s beam looked nice, a few wobbles here and there but nothing horrifying. LSU’s floor (at least what I saw of it) still lacks the energy and precision we’ve come to expect over the last few seasons. However, we also know the Tigers tend to peak just in time for postseason, so not too worried yet.
Rotation Three: Oregon State beam, Arizona State floor, LSU vault
Rivers (LSU): Her usual lovely Yurchenko full, nearly stuck but has to step forward. 9.750 is an appropriate score.
Davis (OSU): Front aerial to back tuck with a leg up; maybe too long of a pause to get the credit. Split to ring, good. Front toss, well done. Stuck gainer front full from the end of the beam, very nice. 9.775
Durante (LSU): When’s the last time Sami vaulted? Yurchenko full, piked down and swims on the landing, but stuck. 9.725
Lowery (OSU): Love her headstand mount. Bhs loso, overpowers it and falls off, bum. Switch split to split to straddle quarter. Transverse split half, good. Side aerial. Punch front full with a college stick. Too bad about the fall, otherwise a great routine. 9.200
Harrold (LSU): Yurchenko one and a half with the usual legs. Doesn’t quite get the height and lands in a deep squat, steps off to the side. 9.675
Johnson (LSU): Yurchenko double full (not a full like the commentators keep saying), nearly stuck. 9.900
My stream is frozen. Sorry.
Domingo (OSU): Sissone, great. Gainer full with chest forward, but stuck! 9.875
Reeves (ASU): Switch split to maybe a switch ring? Regardless, positions weren’t hit. Fhs Rudi, well done. 9.650
L. Dagen (OSU): Switch split to switch side, excellent. Front aerial, gorgeous. Bhs loso, well done. Tiny hip check after the full turn. Stuck piked gainer. Great routine. 9.900
Wilson (ASU): Switch full to wolf full, excellent. Fhs front lay to front full with a little leg form.
M. Dagen (OSU): Bhs loso, solid. Switch split to switch half to beat, very nice. Side aerial to full, stuck. Another great routine for the Beavers. 9.900
Scharf (ASU): Front tuck to double tuck, great! Fhs front full to front tuck, perfect. Tour jete half to wolf full, slightly low on the former. 9.800
Lazaro (OSU): Bhs pike, very good. Switch split to split to straddle 3/4, well done. Love her poise and work on releve. Side aerial to stuck full. Great finish to the rotation! 9.925
Ginn (ASU): Front lay to whip half, well done. Switch side to a glitchy, pixelated jump I couldn’t identify. Aaand we’re back on beam.
AFTER THREE: LSU 147.425, Oregon State 147.250, Arizona State 146.425
Okay, this is getting interesting… LSU didn’t get the scores they wanted on vault, with only Johnson breaking 9.775. Meanwhile, the Beavers recovered from an early-rotation fall to earn a 49.375 (their highest total of the season). ASU struggled a bit on floor, but not a disastrous performance. Bars has been pretty hit or miss for the Tigers in 2020; if OSU can put up a solid score on floor, they may be able to eke out an upset win.
Rotation Four: Oregon State floor, Arizona State vault, LSU bars
Peterson (OSU): Really powerful, tight double tuck with a shuffle on the landing. Layout front full, good. Switch full to Popa, nice amplitude. Oh good, one of the commentators’ mics is dying. Just what this broadcast needed, cool. Cool cool cool. A little shy on the double pike and has to step forward, but very strong start. 9.850
Bird (OSU): Front lay Rudi to straddle, good. Switch split to Popa, I think were okay? The camera’s bouncing now. Two and a half to close, some helicopter legs but impressive final pass. 9.850
Durante (LSU): FTDT with some steps back. 9.875
Force (OSU): Flawless double pike to open. Tour jete half to a second jump that glitched out. Front lay front full, not quite as precise as the double pike. Sorry, I got distracted by Shchennikova’s feet in the background… Excellent double tuck to finish. 9.900
Redmond (ASU): Yurchenko full with a small step back. Some form, but overall good. 9.850
M. Dagen (OSU): Slips on the landing of her front double full. Front lay to front full, nearly identical; hand down. Strong double tuck to finish. Too bad. 8.525
Harrold (LSU): Good straddled Jaeger. Double front with a step. 9.850
Lowery (OSU): Fabulous front double full to open. She strikes that perfect balance between performing the choreo and maintaining the integrity of her gymnastics. One and a half to lay, STUCK. Gogean to Popa, very nice. Rudi, bam. Truly excellent routine. 9.925
Yanish (OSU): Big DLO, maybe bounced out just a hair? Front full to front lay, again kind of bounced out. Popa series, great amplitude. Very nice closing double tuck, kicks out. I’m not sure it’s mathematically possible for OSU to catch LASU, but this will be close. Not much more Yanish could have done.
AFTER FOUR: LSU 196.775, Oregon State 196.700, Arizona State 195.600
Really nice road score for Arizona State, they should be pleased with today’s performance. Oregon State put up a helluva fight (especially given they had falls on all four events but didn’t count any of them) and came within a hair’s breadth of stealing the win from the Tigers. A better road score for LSU, but still not quite what they’re capable of (especially on vault and floor).
Article by Claire Billman
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