Welcome back to EAGL gymnastics! While this was originally a tri meet with Southern Connecticut, the Owls withdrew this week. Towson and New Hampshire both finished their 2021 seasons with strong outings, and now with incoming freshmen both schools have the ability to improve and build on that momentum.
Towson is coming off one of its strongest seasons yet. In 2021 it made it to regionals for the first time since 2000. This season, the Tigers are bringing in a strong, relatively large freshman class while only loosing four members of last years team. Ranked in the No. 2 spot in the EAGL preseason poll, the Tigers are in for a promising run.
New Hampshire’s 2021 season had a disappointing end when when it was cut short due to COVID-19 protocols. It struggled with consistency during its first few meets but picked up steam as the season went on. However, while the Wildcats are only bringing in three new freshmen this season, they didn’t loose too many gymnasts from 2021. If they can tap into the energy they were creating in March, they have real potential.
You can watch along here and follow the scores here!
Today is also UNH mental health meet! The team is sporting green bows for the theme.
Rotation 1: New Hampshire VT, Towson UB
Larissa Biette (UNH): YFull. Relatively strong. Small step and the end and a pike down. Delay in score as the judges debate her score. 9.5
Lauren Keener (Towson): Straddle jaeger to an overshoot. Straight handstands throughout. Solid form as well. A great debut routine. 9.775
Lauren Diggan (UNH): YFull. Very fast and powerful. Bent knees on the landing, but controlled. 9.525
Clara Hong (Towson): Piked jaeger. Hitting her handstands. Double front with a few steps on the landing, but pretty clean otherwise. 9.675
Mariella Miele (UNH): YFull. Very clean and great height. Slight hop on the landing with some bent knees. 9.650
Stephanie Macasu (Towson): Debut routine. Handstand to release to pak salto. Shy on last handstand. Double full. Great routine with nice technique for a freshman. 9.850 — great debut score.
Hannah Baddick (UNH): YFull. Two big steps backward and lots of power, but good form in the air. 9.6
Cassidy Stuart (Towson): Low on first clear hip handstand, ginger to overshoot, powerful and immediate, low handstand. Double layout dismount, bit of a pike. 9.675
Gracy Mowers (UNH): Y1/2. Good height, hop at the end. 9.675
Gracie Vaillancourt (Towson): Blind change to a straddle jaeger to a overshoot. tapped her feet on low bar, shy on a handstand. Stuck dismount with a DLO. Strong in the beginning and faded out in middle, but came back with a great landing. 9.675
Kylie Gorgenyi (UNH): YFull. Great form, hop back on the end. 9.8
Amanda Pedicelli (Towson): Debut routine. Pak salto, going a little slower, two short handstands. Double front finish with a small step forward. 9.9775
Exhibition from Camille Vitoff. 9.775
After 1: UNH 48.250, Towson 48.750
For the first rotation of the first meet, both teams came out very strong. Towson had some great dismounts and UNH’s form in air was stellar. Towson will need to work on their handstand form, but otherwise looked good for this early in the season. UNH sticks could use some work, but the gymnasts all seemed very comfortable with their vaults.
Rotation 2: Towson VT, New Hampshire UB
Jenna Weitz (Towson): YFull. Great form, tiny foot movement on the landing, but very strong. 9.6
Summer Simpkins (UNH): Debut routine. Giant, release, toe handstand, bail handstand, a little shy. Tuck full in dismount with a stuck landing. Strong except for short handstands. Nice rhythm to the routine. 9.65
Nikki Borkowski (Towson): YFull. Piked down on landing and form in air was a little bent, but had nice height. Hand possibly touched the mat. 9.525
Larissa Biette (UNH): Bars debut. First handout hit well. Ginger to a shoot over with some leg operation. Shy on handstand. Double tuck dismount. Slow moving routine with some form issues in the legs, but a good dismount. 9.635
Mia Davis (Towson): Debut routine. Slight leg separation on the landing. 9.6
Gracy Mowers (UNH): Short handstand. Fell on release to high bar, couldn’t get enough amplitude to reach the higher bar. Repeated skill as caught. Giant full to a double tuck dismount. Great recovery after the fall. 9.075
Elise Tisler (Towson): YFull. Nice landing with a small hop, good form in the air. 9.575
Lauren Diggan (UNH): Fell on her release to low bar with an arch in her handstand. To bad for UNH, now they’ll have to count a fall. Hop full on the high bar, unique move. Double back dismount with a step. 8.975
Camille Vitoff (Towson): YFull. Nice height and form, small step back on the landing. 9.7
Gia Graver (UNH): Shy on handstand. Throwing her legs into an arch on her releases. Half pirouette. Giant to a double tuck with a stuck landing. Good recovery from the last two routines. 9.650
Lauren Bolen (Towson): YFull. Good amplitude with a small step in the landing. 9.750
Kylie Gorgenyi (UNH): Toe handstand, Connecting elements and releases very well. Full out dismount with small foot movement. (Please excuses the vagueness the camera angle was wack). 9.8
Exhibitions from Amanda Pedicelli and Jacy Whitehead
After 2: Towson 96.975, UNH 96.050
This rotation was not as strong as the first, but both teams still recovered well from any issues. UNH will have to count a fall, but Mowers recovered well enough that it shouldn’t hurt them too much. Towson can work on landings a bit, but still showed out pretty strong for their first meet.
Rotation 3: New Hampshire BB, Towson FX
Jenna DeVincenzo (UNH): Nice full turn. Nice back handspring layout step out. Leap series had nice height. Fell off on her front toss because of a low landing. Gainer full dismount with a nice landing. With the exception of the fall, it was a pretty strong layout. 8.875
Lauren Bolen (Towson): The camera is still pointed at the beam, so we can’t see the floor routine, but according to the commentators her first past was strong. Front layout to a rudi connection for her second pass. Okay, we can see the floor now. Last pass was a front layout punch front full, with good power. 9.625
Hannah Baddick (UNH): Nice dance element and flow to the routine. Clean full turn, nice front punch. Very graceful throughout. Back handspring, Back layout and falls on the landing off the beam. Gets back on quickly. Beat jump, front leap, sheep jump — all good. Front full dismount, with a small step. Besides the fall, another strong routine. 9.125
Jenna Weitz (Towson): Delay as we wait on Bolen’s score. Fun dance beginning, nice isolation movements. Front tuck to a double pike with lots of power and very clean. Leap series is a little low, but clean. I’m really digging her dance elements. RO, Back hand spring, double back in a piked position. Strong routine with a unique dance. 9.650
Summer Simpkins (UNH): Clean mount.Full turn is nice. Back handspring back layout step out, nice form and nice timing. Switch leap to a tuck jump ¾. Cat leap to a side ariel. Switch leap to a gainer full. That was a great routine for a freshman. I really appreciated the slow rhythm and calmness she had throughout. 9.750
Nikki Borkowski (Towson): Double back tuck as her opening pass, very powerful with a few steps back. Front layout to a front full with a fall to her bottom, but gets back up fast. RO, back handspring, back double pike, falls onto her chest. Seemed to have run out of endurance. 8.10
Alyssa Worthington (UNH): Side ariel to a back handspring with great height and form. Cat leap to a switch half to a beat jump, nice height as well. Side aerial to a layout full, stuck the landing. Very strong routine and what UNH needs. 9.875
Amy Stewart (Towson): Delay as we wait on Borkowski’s score. Nice slow dance beginning. Front layout to a front full, very strong with a nice landing. Leaps have nice form. RO, back handspring, to a double back tuck again a nice landing. Overall a good routine. 9.8
Hailey Lui (UNH): Front aires to a fron leap — gorgeous. Back handspring to a layout step out, tiny knee bend but not much. Side aerial. Switch leap to a split jump with great lines. Round off, one and a half. Lui had great lines throughout. A very strong, graceful routine. 9.875
Paige Casper (Towson): Seems a little tentative in her dance movements. Back pike pass for her first, very strong with a nice landing. Front layout front full, nice landing with good height. I’m a fan of her ghostbuster song choice. Double back layout for last pass, great amplitude. 9.8
Kylie Gorgenyi (UNH): Full turn. Back handspring, back layout step out, a nice series. Straddle jump hold turned sideways, good height. Balance check on her side ariel. Another nice jump combination. Gainer pike for her dismount, good height, stuck landing. 9.850
Clara Hong (Towson): Slow beginning until her first pass. RO, front double full, nice form in the air with a clean landing. RO, front layout, to front full I believe, takes a slight step to the side. Clean third pass as well. 9.7
Exhibitions from Grace Vaillancourt and Gianna Graver
After 3: UNH 144.525, Towson 145.550
With the exceptions of the falls on beam, UNH looked good. Even the gymnasts that feel recovered extremely well given the circumstances. Counting a fall may not be ideal, but the team still looks strong with it.
Towson’s floor passes all felt relatively strong. Having some more endurance in the routines would help, but that will also come as the season continues.
Rotation 4: Towson BB, New Hampshire FX
Lauren Bolen (Towson): RO, back layout step out. Nice form. Cat leap to a front toss with a low landing that required a balance check. Seems a little unstable. Back handspring, gainer full with a nice landing. A little shaky throughout, but overall a good routine to start with. 9.425
Larissa Biette (UNH): Debut floor routine. I am a fan of her music. RO, front double full, landing as a little messy and form wasn’t perfect. Second pass is defiantly cleaner. Leap form is nice. Front handspring to a front double full (?), nice landing. Cute guitar planning ending. 9.675
Lauren Keener (Towson): Back handspring, back layout step out with nice form and a tiny balance check. Switch leap to a tuck ¾, a little wobbly. Wobbly again on her split jump half. Cat leap to a front toss, low landing. Full turn is good. Gainer full dismount, little slide back on the landing. A good routine, but she also seemed a little shaken up. 9.40
Ally Cucich (UNH): Nice energy coming into the routine. Front handspring to a front double full, landing is a little low. Back handspring to a 1 ½ full, well done. Front handspring to a front 1 ½. Her knee did seem to be making the landings a little bit more difficult, but overall well done. 9.6
Jenna Weitz (Towson): switch leap to a back layout step out to a beat jump, well done. Front aerial to a back handspring, nice technique. Side aerial to a back layout full, good landing. Very quick and simple routine. 9.8
Kylie Gorgenyi (UNH): Delay while we wait for Cucich’s score. RO, back handspring, back double pike, nice height and landing. Front handspring, front full, front layout, landing was a little short, but the pass was still excited well. Unique dance elements. RO, back handspring, back layout. Seemed to have been an error, didn’t complete a double at the end. 9.025
Clara Hong (Towson): Side aerial, side aerial, well done. Great height and lines on all of her jumps. Full turn. Front full dismount, little hop on the end. Very graceful routine, nice technique throughout. 9.775
Mariella Miele (UNH): Another scoring delay while they try to determine the start value of Gorgenyi’s routine. Nice choreo to start. RO, back handspring, double back pike, landing was a little rough. Second pass with a one and half was clean and high flying. Front tuck into some dance elements. RO, back handspring, double tuck, falls onto her knees — too short. A good routine with great choreo but seemed to be lacking in endurance. 8.925
Stephanie Macasu (Towson): Onodi that is high flying. Back handspring, layout step out, again, high flying. Switch half, split hump, sissone, all have great height. Stuck gainer layout full. Such great height and technique in this routine. 9.8
Gracy Mowers (UNH): Double back tuck to open with a clean landing. Eighties dance music medley. Both salts in the second front tumbling pass. RO, back handspring, double pike, landing is a little low, but still stuck well. A super fun music mashup. 9.775
Emerson Hurst (Towson): Full turn. Back handspring, back layout step out, well done. Switch leap, switch leap, big balance check at end. Front aerial to a split jump, nice. Front layout full, bouncy landing but the feet stayed planted. 9.650
Alyssa Worthington (UNH): Debut floor routine. Front hand spring, front one and half, split jump. Music is an instrumental Ariana Grande “7 Rings,” very fun and also classy somehow. Steps out of bounds on her last pass. Overall a pretty good routine with the exception of the end. 9.650
Exhibitions by Cassidy Stuart and Sierra Bauman
Final: Towson 194, UNH 192.25
For the first meet of the season, this was strong showing for both teams. While both have room to grow, across the board the landings and skills seem to be there for both of the teams. However, Towson’s skill and consistency overcame UNH.
Towson biggest struggle seems to be their endurance on floor and their handstand form on bars, but overall, their routines felt competition ready and their lineups felt strong. With a little more practice, they will have some really stellar and clean routines to showcase. Additionally, their new freshman really came to play. They debuted strong routines that make them seem liked seasoned collegiate gymnasts.
While UNH lost, their performance was not bad. Yes, they had some falls, but their ability to recover from their falls and continue on with the routines with grace was admirable and shows that they’re ready for this season. If they can manage to stay on the equipment, UNH will be a team to watch this year.
AA Winner: Kylie Gorgenyi
VT Winner: Kylie Gorgenyi
UB Winner: Stephanie Macasu
BB Winner: Alyssa Worthington & Hailey Lui
FX Winner: Amy Stewart & Paige Casper
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