Oregon State hosts Michigan State on senior night and has a chance to post a big score; it’s still scored 197 only once this season, but it can be spectacular at home. Watch for senior Dani Dessaints, who hasn’t competed since the Beavers’ home meet at Washington in mid-February. It’s uncertain whether she’s resting her knees, which have given her trouble this season, or if she’s facing something new. As usual this season, also be aware of lineup changes; OSU’s army of underclassmen supplies it with a strong routine pool, and lineup newcomers can make an immediate splash, as Halli Briscoe did last week with a 9.875 for her first competitive routine on bars. Michigan State has had a miserable year with injuries and seems unlikely to challenge for a meet win, but freshman Lea Mitchell is a superstar and could get a strong individual finish.
Spartans will start the competition on bars! #GoGreen #Inspire pic.twitter.com/ZXB9rRY3qB
— MSU Gymnastics (@MSUgymnastics) March 10, 2018
The Beavers will start on the vault with the same lineup as last week. Check it out … #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/AwlGTdeU1o
— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) March 10, 2018
Looks like a fairly normal warmup for OSU, I saw Singley stick a full and Greene’s pike 1/2 looks good. MSU is wearing this interesting creation:
ROTATION 1: OSU VAULT, MSU BARS
GILL – OSU: Not the most height, but plenty of distance, with a hop back.
MITCHELL – MSU: Um, the stream isn’t showing MSU, so that’s cool.
SINGLEY – OSU: Bit more height than Gill, same quick hop back.
JARANOWSKI – MSU: Pike Jaeger to overshoot, a bit of legs throughout, over on a handstand on bars but works through it, full turn with loose legs to double back with a step back.
JACOBSEN – OSU: The usual Kas with a baby hop back. One of her best.
BROWN – MSU: Short on first handstand, clear hip very nearly over but works through it. Lowish Tkachev, bail is okay, good double back with a step.
YANISH – OSU: FTY with a hop. Always so powerful, still hoping to see that 1.5 she was training sometime soon…
LING – MSU: Really beautiful technique, great handstands through out and a near-stick full in dismount.
DAVIS – OSU: Flings FTY out a bit but lands it well!
MAXIM – MSU: Clips foot on Tkachev, awkward catch but works through it. Really going for handstands, stick on double layout.
GREENE – OSU: Pike 1/2, close to stick, has to step forward after holding it for a second.
WESTNEY – MSU: Maloney, Ray! Pak with a foot flicker, slightly piked on some of these handstands and there are a lot of them. Stalder to toe front 1/2 dismount, stuck!
Khamedoost stuck her FTY in exhibition <3
OSU 49.05 – MSU 48.625
I’m really confused by some of those vault scores. Both of the 10.0s were way low to me, and the FTYs didn’t make sense compared to each other. MSU hurt a bit for the loss of a good score from Maxim, who ought to be one of the best.
ROTATION 2: MSU VAULT, OSU BARS
WITTEBORT – MSU: Nice layout position in Ylay, step back.
KHAMEDOOST – OSU: Maloney to bail, slightly squiffy on the handstand but it was close. Double layout, a bit of leg sep but DRILLED. That’s the way to go out.
MCP – OSU: Why are they doing two bars back to back? Double layout, steps forward and has to put her hands down. That was very weird.
SINGLEY – UB: Full turn to slightly low Tkachev, nice bail. Awesome handstands, full turn to double back with a stick. Good one.
Still no vaults. Literally no clue what’s happening.
Correction Tori will now compete in the 3rd spot! pic.twitter.com/RXDjWKGeTc
— MSU Gymnastics (@MSUgymnastics) March 10, 2018
HUEHN – MSU: Not sure when Jaranowski went. FTY is a bit low but landed well with a hop back.
JACOBSEN – OSU: Big Tkachev to overshoot, beautiful precise blind change to double front with a step.
BRISCOE – OSU: Blind change to Jaeger is BEAUTIFUL, I can definitely see the WOGA in this. Lovely bail, nailing handstands, full turn maybe a touch late to double back with a step forward.
MAXIM – MSU: Tsuk 1/2 is beautiful, step forward.
DESSAINTS – OSU: Yay! Super glad she gets to come back into at least one lineup on her senior night. Roar from the crowd as she’s announced and she smiles. Ricci is on the floor too, talking her through. Blind change to beautiful high Jaeger. Lovely Pak, double lay stuck with a lean.
MITCHELL – MSU: Great Y full, definitely the best of the lineup.
MINYARD – OSU: Lovely Jaeger to overshoot, a bit far but swung through it, double layout stuck dead.
Was that an exhibition? That was such a screwy rotation that I lost count. It was good either way.
OSU 98.25 – MSU 96.975
I have no takes about that. I’m equal parts very confused about what just happened and emotional about Shireen and Dani and so the analysis part of my brain has no space to function. Sorry.
Commentators saying that MSU is putting up on floor.
Mariana replaces Kaitlyn on beam !
— Robert Martinez (@RobertMtz) March 10, 2018
Line up change- Ashley Beatty in 2nd bumping everybody down a spot pic.twitter.com/S67HQhxMiv
— MSU Gymnastics (@MSUgymnastics) March 10, 2018
Commentators apparently lied, this is six.
ROTATION 3: OSU BEAM, MSU FLOOR
SINGLEY – OSU: She’s so great on this piece, flic loso super steady, nice full turn and great kickover front.
CHAPPELL – MSU: Nice tour jete 1/1 to open!! Double back with a little lean back, her music is really cool. Front lay front full is beautiful, gets a leap series in.
MINYARD – OSU: Switch to straddle 1/4, so beautiful. She’s the revelation of this season for me at OSU, I love her so much. Front aerial – bhs with a bit of a check in the middle – maybe vulnerable there? Cat leap switch side is great.
BEATTY – MSU: Double back, scoots back, close to the line. Front full is wild in the air, tries to punch front out of it but sits it, there was never a chance there. Wolf full to Popa maybe a bit underrotated.
MCP – OSU: Doesn’t quite make it over on the front aerial, leans to save it. She might have meant to connect out of that, but does a flic loso and it’s fine. Switch to double stag is nice, side aerial tuck back full stuck!
HOERNER-O’MALLEY – MSU: Rebounds a bit out of double pike, then great 3/2 – front full! Wolf full to split full is a bit messy, closing double tuck is awesome. She’s a fabulous tumbler.
LAZARO – OSU: Flic loso is stunning. Switch – straddle 3/4 absolutely perfect, great full turn. Side aerial – back full with the tiniest foot shuffle.
BROWN – MSU: Double pike, scoots to the side. 3/2 to front lay is great, super controlled. Not the highest energy level in this one, but the skills are great, switch side to Popa is beautiful. Double tuck is great. That was exactly what they needed.
GILL – OSU: Beautiful full turn, still with the “haha I don’t exactly have an Achilles right now” tape job on her right calf. Leap series is lovely, front aerial – bhs is great. Switch 1/2 to beat jump with a little wobble, pulls herself back into line with her arms and GLARES. Beautiful gainer full.
MITCHELL – MSU: Double back, big lunge but just about manages to keep her front foot down. Front full front pike is great, switch side-popa-popa lovely. Nailed double pike, that was awesome.
DAVIS – OSU: Front aerial-back tuck is aggressive and solid. Switch to split 1/4 is great, she looks so concentrated and she’s inherited Sabrina’s one arm salute. Gainer pike stick!
Dagen in exhibition for beam, super excited to get to watch this one. Forward roll mount is lovely. Cat leap switch side beautiful, nailed flic loso and the team ROARED. Switch 1/2 to beat, a bit short with tenuous connection. Gainer pike… sorta tucked with a hop. Good one!
OSU 147.525 – MSU 144.45
Hendershot on floor didn’t end up happening for MSU, so Beatty’s fall is counted unfortunately, but there were some great routines there. OSU is just about in 197 range still, but high scores are just not happening today which is strange.
Last rotation! #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/cySHbJ1YMg
— MSU Gymnastics (@MSUgymnastics) March 10, 2018
ROTATION 4: MSU BEAM, OSU FLOOR
HUEHN – MSU: Switch split is good, front aerial – back tuck with a check but hangs on. Nice full turn, gainer front full is very close to the beam.
JACOBSEN – OSU: Leading floor is a recent change for her. Bounces back a little out of her double pike, front pass is great. Love this routine so much, it’s Irish dance ft Swan Lake but somehow it WORKS. Rudi to straddle stuck, love the turning leaps, the best.
BROWN – MSU: Flic loso with the tiniest check, switch 1/2 with questionable position. Beat jump to split 3/4, leg up and falls. 3/2 dismount with a baby hop.
GILL – OSU: I adore this routine. Double pike is a bit close to the line but it’s fine, Dessaints in the corner talking her through. 3/2 front lay is amazing, drops her head back in the lunge. Double back cowboyed but makes it around.
HOERNER-O’MALLEY – MSU: Flic loso, has to FIGHT to keep that on. Leap series is good, front full dismount is good and stuck.
DAVIS – OSU: Double pike, awesome landing. Switch ring, tour jete 1/2 leap series. Fairly open double tuck, right on top of the landing. She had some really solid routines early in the season but it took a few weeks for her to develop the presence and self-possession of a late lineup performer at a big team. It’s there now – she is blazing hot today. Bit of leg sep in her closing front full pass, but right on top of all the landings. 9.875 in her floor debut for the Beavers!!
BEATTY – MSU: Front kickover, off line – was that meant to be her series? Tries it again and falls. Beat to sheep is good,
SINGLEY – OSU Front thru double back, sticks but with legs a bit split so it looks like a lunge. Scoots out of double pike, fabulous leap series. Rudi is great and performance quality is so high, big hug from Dani at the end.
MITCHELL – MSU: Triple series, tiny bit off line but adjusts well. Split to straddle 1/4 is good, side aerial back full with a hop. She is so stylish, that will wrap up a great all around total!
LOWERY – OSU: Double pike, overpowered with a scoot back. What’s up with the double pikes today? Stream buffered in the middle, which is a personal insult to me. Almost sticks front lay front full, has to hop forward to salute.
WESTNEY – MSU: Double turn!!! Just beautiful. Flic loso lovely, side aerial and off – I thought she had that. Switch split is gorgeous, amazing side scale choreo, gainer layout dismount stuck. That’s not common in NCAA at all.
YANISH – OSU: Double layout is beyond beautiful and keeps the front foot planted today! Front lay front full has a slightly weird landing, beautiful leap series, overrotated double back with a scoot back.
FINAL: OSU 196.8 – MSU 191.35
Khamedoost got to exhibition floor on senior night, good for her <3 Now the seniors are getting flower crowns and orange leis. They had a good day, everyone had a chance to go out with a routine they can be proud of.
Not MSU’s day, counting four falls. This won’t be a RQS score for either team, but there were definite high spots, including Lea Mitchell being the best and Destinee Davis having a career day. Like I said, blazing hot. I thought Oregon State was scored pretty tightly its first two rotations, which is odd for senior night – but what it really cares about are road scores at next week’s road quad and Pac-12s to make its case for a #2 seed at regionals.
TITLES:
Vault: Yanish, Davis 9.85
Bars: Dessaints 9.9
Beam: Davis 9.9
Floor: Davis, Singley, Yanish 9.875
AA: Singley 39.3
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
