I hope everyone has on their seatbelts because this is about to be a wild ride. SEMO and Lindenwood ended the 2021 USAG season as national champion and runner up, respectively. The rivalry has been building for the last couple years, and 2022 is no different. These programs faced off just last weekend at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic. Both teams posted season highs and drastically improved over their season openers.
Lindenwood moved itself into the No. 1 spot in the conference and USAG rankings after posting a huge 195.475. Led by Hadley Robert’s first career 9.900, the Lions roared to a huge 49.100 on beam. Floor wasn’t too far behind with a 49.025. Of note, Simone Evans stepped into the first lineup of her career and crushed it with a 9.800. The Lindenwood team who showed up in Tennessee must’ve left the inconsistency of weeks past behind it.
SEMO was able to post a 193.375 while only using nine of its athletes. It seems that depth is something the Redhawks are struggling with at the moment, but they are managing with grace. Freshman Madison Greene stepped up huge for SEMO on floor with a 9.850 while Jolie Miller put up a career high 9.875 of her own on bars. Freshman Lindsay Ockler is definitely going to be an athlete to watch throughout the rest of the season as she leads the team on vault.
Last week we didn’t have any video evidence of all the career high performances, so I’m hoping that the athletes keep that same energy tonight. This is bound to be a close one, folks! The key to the meet will be staying on the bar and hitting those handstands! Oh and whoever wins vault will definitely have a leg up on the competition. So basically, keep your eye out for the first half.
Update: It was announced that fans will be allowed inside Hyland Arena! The loud and proud Lions fans will certainly add an extra bit of excitement. I genuinely can’t wait to hear, “L-U! L-U! L-U! LIONNNNSSSS!” after every routine today. There’s nothing like it. I hope they bring the huge LU foam finger.
Someone has arrived in an inflatable lion suit. Get ready, y’all! I’m kind of wondering whose dad it is… Also wondering if he can breathe.
March in is about to begin! The commentator is threatening to stop the meet if someone in the crowd takes their mask off. Now that would be an interesting sight.
From my count, SEMO traveled 13 of its 16 person roster. It looks like Anna Speller, Lydia Test and Makenzie Marciniak are not in St. Charles.
Rotation 1: Lindenwood VT, SEMO UB
Nothing makes me dizzier than this vault overhead camera. Hopefully they stick with this behind-the-vault angle.
Apparently SEMO already scored a 49.975 on bars before the event even started! How fun!
Caffey (LU): Yurchenko full, pretty low squat with a hop to the side. Her entry looked a little off to me. 9.375. Okay the judges agreed.
Maxwell (SEMO): Clear hip, Tkatchev. Overshoot. Some leg form. Blind full to double tuck dismount. Stuck. This bar video is TRIPPY. wow. Good start for SEMO. 9.500
Wojcik (LU): Yurchenko tucked full, not bad. Low squat on the landing with a step forward. 9.100. Lindenwood is going to need to pick it up on vault real quick.
Albrecht (SEMO): Toe hand, Maloney, over shoot. About 45 degrees on the shoot. Blind full, double tuck with a sizeable hop forward. Some short handstands in that routine. 9.475
Daniels (LU): Yurchenko full, way better entry with a small hop back. Best vault so far. Chest up on the landing. 9.600
Did I miss Jenna Eagles going for a 9.250? Or are the live stats losing it?
Jones (SEMO): Hop to straddle Jaeger, looked pretty but she couldn’t hang on today. Overshoot… they panned over to Sydney Lopez standing on the runway.
Lopez (LU): Yurchenko full, came in a little sideways so had to take a medium sized step. Good shape in the air. 9.625. I thought Daniels’ was better but okay.
Griswold (LU): Went for the Yurchenko 1.5. Huge height on that with just a step forward. Some legs in the air, but good vault for her. 9.825
Still waiting for a bar score for Jones’ routine. 8.525. SEMO will definitely be looking to drop that.
Webb (SEMO): Toe hand, Blind to Jaeger. Nice. Archy on the catch. Overshoot. Good last handstand. Blind full, right on top, to double tuck dismount. Stuck. A good come back routine after the fall before her. 9.725
Ockler (SEMO): Toe hand, Maloney, Pak salto. Lovely. FTDT dismount. Wasn’t quite ready for the ground so had a wild bounce out of it. That was the Redhawks’ best routine before the dismount. We’ll see what the judges do with the score. 9.800. Um…. I guess the dismount was the only deduction there?
The commentators are pretending the rotation is over. How fun.
Miller (SEMO): Piked Tkatchev to Ezhova. She peeled off. Let my depression begin. Double layout. Step back. Way to finish strong.
AFTER ONE: Lindenwood 47.675, SEMO 47.675
Well, neither team had the event of its dreams in that first rotation, and we came out even. So let’s just pretend that didn’t happen and start this meet from scratch. Just kidding. The back half of Lindenwood’s vault lineup really saved the day, highlighted by Griswold’s 9.825 for her one and a half. I would like to officially apologize for saying that vault was too high of a risk after Lindenwood’s first meet. She’s clearly put in the work to make the extra difficulty worthwhile. Lindsay Ockler continues to be a huge asset to the Redhawks, posting a 9.800 without her best dismount landing. Bars is one of the events where SEMO had to add the most newcomers to the lineup, so here’s to hoping the bar squad will settle in once they get more competition reps under their belt.
Rotation 2: SEMO VT, Lindenwood UB
Miller (SEMO): Yurchenko layout with the smallest step back. Good height and shape in the air. 9.475
Appleget (LU): Clear hip, Geinger, overshoot. Smooth connection. Lovely handstands in this routine. Double layout. Near stuck. Bit of a lock-legged landing. 9.850. WOAH. Go off.
Albrecht (SEMO): She went for the Yurchenko half but sat it down again this week. She just looks kind of slow coming off the table, so she can’t get enough block. It’s so pretty when she makes it. Maybe next week. 8.950
Lopez (LU): Geinger. Clear hip hand, Pak salto. Switch kip. Blind full, stuck double tuck. Pulled in ALOT. But good routine for her. 9.775. The Lions are not playing today.
Reader (SEMO): Yurchenko full, a little short, lock legged landing. Bounded forward. 9.475
Scott (LU): Short handstand. Blind full, delchev. Overshoot handstand. Short last handstand. Double layout. The smallest foot adjustment. 9.775. Okay…
Maxwell (SEMO): Tucked Yurchenko full. Good height. A large hop back at a diagonal. 9.575
Moon (LU): Shaposh, overshoot, toe up to high bar. Nice. Double layout. Pikes down at the end. A small hop. 9.775
Kaziska (SEMO): She does the full this week. Looks like it hurt her ankles. Short and rolls off the side of the mat. 8.975
Daniels (LU): What is the obsession with listing height before mounting? Tkatchev. Huge. Toe hand, Overshoot. Split out a little early. Blind full to double tuck. Stuck. Good routine! Handstands were right on top. 9.750
Ockler (SEMO): Ockler came through again with a beautiful Yurchenko full. Good height and shape with a step back. 9.725. This freshman has ice in her veins.
Cooper (LU): Blind to piked Jaeger. Overshoot, pretty low. Idk what the height goal was there. Double layout with a small hop. She’s hype! 9.775
AFTER TWO: Lindenwood 96.625, SEMO 94.900
Apparently 9.775 was the score of the day on bars. In my opinion, there should’ve been some more score differentiation there because some of those routines were simply… not the same. However, I will say that Lindenwood bars was much improved this week. Justice for Riley Daniels! That was definitely a 9.8+ caliber routine. It’s sad watching vault go from SEMO’s most consistent event in 2021 to its least in 2022. Could just one of last year’s seniors come back? Thank you in advance.
I just realized that Lindenwood went nearly 49.000 on bars. Holy crap!
Rotation 3: Lindenwood BB, SEMO FX
Rush (LU): Hitch kick, side aerial. Nice. Solid BHS LOSO series. Switch leap, split 3/4. She’s a rock up there. Side Aerial to full. “College stick” (aka step salute) 9.775
Ockler (SEMO): Double pike. Good control. Drop it to the floor. Switch ring, tour jete half, popa. Rudi. Nice. Back 1.5 to front pike. Good opening routine for SEMO. 9.700
Moon (LU): BHS LOSO. Switch leap to straddle 3/4. Huge wobble. Front Aerial. Nice. Gainer full, straight legged landing with a bounce. 9.700
Webb (SEMO): Back 2.5. Nice control this week. I think she did a Rudi second pass (the two routines were going at once, so I might have missed it) Back 1.5 to front pike last pass good routine for her. 9.750
Appleget (LU): Switch, switch. Short of position. BHS LOSO. Nice and solid. Side Aerial to jump. Around the side but managed. RO back 1.5 dismount. Stuck. 9.750
Greene (SEMO): Front lay, Rudi. Nice connection. Tour jete half, split full. A little off on the punch angle but managed. Double tuck. Big lunge back. Strong routine for the freshman. 9.825
Wojcik (LU): Front Aerial BHS series. Better this week. Switch leap, split 3/4. Short of position on the jump. Cat leap, side Aerial to full dismount. Stuck. 9.725
Maxwell (SEMO): Front double full. Nice! The best I’ve seen from her. Switch side, popa. Double tuck. Back 1.5 front tuck. Another hit! 9.700
Griswold (LU): BHS LOSO. Solid. RO back 1.5 dismount. Small hop forward. I clearly missed some things here. 9.775
Jones (SEMO): Front tuck through to back 2.5. Nice. Some steps out. Double tuck. A little short with a step forward. 9.700
Roberts (LU): BHS BHS LOSO. Right to the end. Small correction. Switch leap, large wobble and she’s off. Oh no. Cat leap, gainer full. Stuck. So sad. She went 9.900 last week. 9.050
Kaziska (SEMO): Front double full. Nice. Back 1.5, front layout. Rudi. Her normal. So near perfect, that’s what I’m saying. 9.850
Evans (LU): Front toss, BHS. Some knees. Good leap series. Pike front toss. So hard. So solid. RO back 1.5 dismount with a step forward.
Sorenson (LU): She’s getting to exhibition! Let’s gooooo! Side Aerial, side somi series. A little slow on the connection but kept it moving. Switch leap, double stag jump. Beat jump by itself? Cartwheel gainer full dismount. Stuck. So happy for her!
To clarify, Simone Evan’s beam performance was also in exhibition.
Dance cam is a dangerous sport too.
AFTER THREE: Lindenwood 145.350, SEMO 143.725
That rotation was so much better for both teams, so pretty much what was expected. Lindenwood tallied a 48.725 on beam without counting the score from its anchor Hadley Roberts. The Lions’ beam team is finally starting to look more like what we expect from Lindenwood–five consistent hits. SEMO’s floor impressed with a 48.825, led by senior Anna Kaziska’s 9.850. Neither team counted a score below 9.700. What a fun rotation full of great gymnastics. We love to see it.
Rotation 4: SEMO BB, Lindenwood FX
Maxwell (SEMO): BHS LOSO. She’s off. Beat, split full. Solid. Cat leap, switch side. RO back 1.5. Fought for the stick there with a lean forward.
Evans (LU): Back 1.5, front layout. Nice control. Tour jete full… definitely not around. Scooched on the ground. Tour jete half, split full. Wild in the air on that one. Deep breath. Double tuck. Good landing with chest up. The leaps should cause some SV issues but we’ll see. 9.725. DEFINITELY HIGH. But okay.
Reader (SEMO): Front toss from the knee. STRONG lean with a leg up. Hitch kick switch side. Front toss, BHS. She just jumped off. It was not THAT off, but okay. She’s just not looking confident up there. Side Aerial to tucked full. Hop in place.
Eagles (LU): Double tuck. Some chest down, good control. Switch side, popa. Back 1.5, front layout. This camera work is something. Front lay, front full. Some form things in the air. 9.775…
Webb (SEMO): Front toss to one foot. Pretty. Side Aerial to split jump. Broken connection. Front Aerial to BHS swing down. No connection there either. BHS gainer full. Stuck. SV issues will be a thing there. 9.250
Lopez (LU): Double tuck. Solid landing. Front full, front pike. Good amplitude on the pike. Switch half, wolf full? Maybe going for the 1.5… Back 1.5 to front lay. A little slow but fine. 9.825
Miller (SEMO): BHS LOSO. So solid. So nice. Standing LOSO to split jump. Smooth connection. BHS back 1.5 dismount. VERY low squat but holds on.
I have decided the floor scores are going to be high as long as everyone is on their feet. Enjoy.
Caffey (LU): Double pike. Nice hop lunge landing. Switch side, popa. Good amplitude. Front lay, Rudi. A little bouncy. Double tuck. Very open shape. Bounce forward with the chest down. 9.700
Jones (SEMO): Front Aerial, BHS series. Good. Switch leap, split jump. Pretty extension. Beat, Split full. Small correction. Side Aerial, tucked full dismount. Small hop in place. 9.725
Anna Kaziska’s floor was raised to 9.900. As they should.
Roberts (LU): Double tuck. Good height. Made that wolf 1.5 right around. Double pike. Good there too. Back 1.5 to front layout. Very short but worked it around. 9.725
Kaziska (SEMO): BHS LOSO. Large check with a bend at the waist. RO back 1.5 dismount. Stuck. 9.775. That’s impossible considering the three tenth wobble, but I’ll accept it for today.
GG might just go 10 tonight.
Griswold (LU): Double pike. Huge amplitude and a hop back. Front full, front layout. Switch half, wolf full. Double tuck. Good controlled landing there. 9.850
Cooper (LU): Double pike, short with a bound forward. An attempt at a wolf 1.5? Front lay, front full. A little flat. A crown. Okay girl! Double tuck. Short again with a step forward. She’s hype about it.
Gatzlaff (LU): Double tuck. Several steps back and slide out of bounds on the ground. Good leap series. Back 1.5, front layout. Nice there. A slow slide into the split for effect. Rudi. Was very short of making that around and had to sit it down. Honestly was very nervous for her ACL, but she walked away from that just fine.
Is it not so cool that SEMO came to Lindenwood on the Lion’s Alumni night so that both Andy Alexander and Ashley Lawson could be recognized tonight? So wild. Was that on purpose? I love it either way.
Final: Lindenwood 194.250, SEMO 191.150
Okay. As the meet went on, scores started to drift a little bit from reality. However, I will say that Lindenwood definitely looks head and shoulders above the team I saw in its first meet of the season. Handstands and form were cleaned up on bars, beam was more consistent and floor landings looked more manageable. The Lions need to figure something out on vault because they cannot afford to continue to count that many scores sub 9.7 range.
SEMO just didn’t look all the way in this one today. Floor was the only event that looked like their normal, in my opinion. It seems like the Redhawks are struggling some in the depth department. 13 athletes traveled today, at least three of which have been injured recently. It’s going to be an uphill battle in 2022, but if SEMO can figure out how to solidly land five vaults, it just might be able to get back in the game.
AA Winner: Molly Maxwell, 37.775
VT Winner: Gayla Griswold, 9.825
UB Winner: Hannah Appleget, 9.850
BB Winner: Madison Rush, Gayla Griswold and Anna Kaziska, 9.775
FX Winner: Anna Kaziska, 9.900
Live Blog by Tavia Smith
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