LIVE BLOG: Raleigh and Columbus Regionals

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Raleigh Regional

Raleigh is home to arguably the nation’s most competitive regional this year: #5 seed N.C. State’s RQS is less than four tenths below that of #2 seed Nebraska, and the margin in high score is only 0.3. Geographical distribution of teams outside of the top 18 landed the two to top unseeded teams together – and since one is the home team, the seeded group will face a stiff challenge.

#2 Louisiana State is likely safe, with an average score higher than any other team’s high. However, the second qualifying spot could go almost any way; while Nebraska has a history of finding a way to qualifying to nationals in tougher regionals than this, it’ll be under siege from three legitimate challengers in Oregon State, N.C. State and George Washington.

ROTATION ORDER:

LSU starts on FLOOR with AA qualifier Morgan Lane (UNC)

Nebraska starts on BEAM with AA qualifier Katie Waldman (W&M)

Oregon State starts on BYE BEFORE FLOOR with AA qualifier Mary Elle Arduino (Towson)

George Washington starts on BYE BEFORE BARS with AA qualifier Taylor White (W&M)

N.C. State starts on BARS with #1-ranked event qualifiers Khazia Hislop (UNC) and Tyra McKellar (Towson)

Maryland starts on VAULT with #2-ranked event qualifiers Madison Nettles, Kaitlynn Hedelund, Mikayla Robinson (all UNC) and Gabriella Yarussi (Towson)

Starting off nice and easy with just a single regional.

ROTATION 1: UMD VAULT, NCSU BARS, NEBRASKA BEAM, LSU FLOOR

https://twitter.com/TerpsGymnastics/status/982710856189440005

https://twitter.com/PackGymnastics/status/982711236554043392

KIRBY – LSU: Starts with a solid landing on the 2/1, solid double back with a slight leg stagger on landing. Front lay front full is underrotated with a stumble back.

GRANTHAM – NCSU: Not much flight on Tkachev but good catch, solid bail to toe shoot. Double lay is beautiful with a hop back.

EPPERSON – NEB: Flic loso, solid. Great switch to split – seems contained. Cartwheel gainer full, stuck.

DESIDERIO – LSU: Double lay, deep as usual with big lunge back. Solid on double back, switch ring tj1/1 pass is great. Deep on double pike too, awkward lunge out.

Caught a great stuck double lay from Maggie Tamburro of NCSU, some big steps on FTYs from UMD.

SCHWEIHOFER – NEB: Pikeout is solid,  wobble on choreo. Switch switch 1/2 is great. Stick on 2/1 with legs a little apart.

BARBER – UMD: Great FTY, small hop straight back.

PRIESSMAN – LSU:  Great leap pass, 3/2 punch front with a bit of a stumble. Double pike underrotated with a step forward

FILLARD – NCSU: Little hop on DLO is all I saw.

HOUCHIN – NEB: Flic loso is beautiful and airy, great front aerial, tiny adjustments on a couple of these landings. Switch split maybe a touch short. Cat leap side aerial

NETTLES – UNC: Good FTY with a big hop.

KENT – NCSU: Great technique, double layout stuck!!

EDNEY – LSU: Double arabian, stuckish. 3/2 front lay is great – best landings of the rotation for sure.  Way deep for double back, lands on toes with a step forward.

LSU WHAT IS HAPPENING. One really scary landing on every routine so far.

KNIGHT: NCSU: Literally amazing bail,  beautiful Tkachev with just a touch of feet, double lay with a hop back.

BREEN – NEBRASKA: The best style, love her mini arabesque full turn, twists with one arm up to dismount which is my fave and a stick.

FINNEGAN – LSU: Big diagonal step on first pass… oh my god what is this rotation. Double back pass is great, beautiful leap series.

Okay I love Finney as much as anyone but 9.95 with that first pass is a joke.

WILLIAMS – NEBRASKA: Great triple series, cat leap, switch switch with a little check. Side aerial back full is stuck.

HAMBRICK – LSU: Double pikeout, basically stuck. Good leap series, stumble back on the double pike.

LANE – UNC: Big lunge on double pike, great leap series.

NEBRASKA 49.375, LSU 49.35, NCSU 48.925, UMD 48.9

So that score for NCSU is daylight robbery. I thought Knight was going 9.9. LSU had its sloppiest floor rotation of the year ad could have been hit much harder for it. Nebraska was incredibly clean on beam for a season high – exciting to see if they keep it going.

ROTATION 2: LSU VAULT, GWU BARS, NCSU BEAM, OSU FLOOR

https://twitter.com/GWGymnastics/status/982717955275460608

Things are about to get interesting. OSU could keep things close on floor. Little hop on dismount.

BEUCLER – NCSU: Gainer LOSO, beautiful switch switch side series,

FINNEGAN – LSU: FTY, flared with a step back.

JACOBSEN – OSU: LI love this routine so much. Good first landing, solid Rudi.

EDWARDS – LSU: Fall on 3/2. Weight was never over her feet, landed almost on her back.

COHEN – GW: Full turn to Tkachev, good overshoot. Close but not quite on top of handstands, double lay with a hop.

GRANTHAM – NCSU: Side somi with a little adjustment, cat leap switch side is great. 3/2 dismount with little hop.

GILL – OSU: Missed her first pass, 3/2 front lay is great. Cowboyed double back with a big lunge back.

CANNAMELA – LSU: FTY, little piked in the air, stuck.

WINSTANLEY – GWU: Error on handstand, half tucks it. Keeps it going, great technique and a step on half in half out dismount.

NELSON – NCSU: Front aerial-bhsis great, switch straddle 1/4. Beautiful full turn, kickover front

EDNEY – LSU: Y3/2, stick. Apparently Hambrick just stuck hers too.

DAVIS – OSU: Commentators freaking out over her hair! Front lay front full is iffy in the air.

MCLAUGHLIN – GWU Blind change to Jaeger, awkward catch. Iffy in the air on bail, full out dismount stuck.

KENT – NCSU: Flic loso with a little check, switch split is great.

SINGLEY – OSU: Underrotated I think double pike with a step forward, weird lunge on second pass. Rudi is great.

WILD – NCSU: She’s got hearts drawn on the tape in her heels. RO-LOSO is great, cat leap switch 1/2 beat jump awesome. Beautiful side aerial, 3/2 dismount stuck.

LOWERY – OSU: Awesome double pike, great Rudi! Front lay front full is fab and she is screaming as she runs back to the team, That was easily the best yet.

WHITE – W&M: Clear hip, full turn double back stuck!

KNIGHT – NCSU: Flic loso with a tiny check, switch straddle 1/4. Nailed dismount series, awesome!

YANISH – OSU: Double lay, keeps the front foot planted. Front full front lay great, maybe just a touch big on the step out? Great double back, one of her best of the year! That was awesome.

ARDUINO – TOWSON: Beautiful combo pass, she’s so tidy!

LSU 98.8, NCSU 97.725, NEBRASKA 49.375, OSU 49.225, UMD 48.9, GWU 48.625

LSU seems to have mostly recovered from its opening iffiness – there’s still some work to do to keep the underclassmen mentally under control, but everything’s overall fine. NCSU gave away some ground with wobbles on beam, and GWU’s errors on bars will make it hard for it to factor. Oregon State put up a good floor rotation but could have been better; it’s possible for Nebraska to run away with the #2 spot at this point regardless of what the others do.

ROTATION 3: OSU VAULT, UMD BARS, GWU BEAM, NEBRASKA FLOOR

https://twitter.com/GWGymnastics/status/982725426119430144

DROUIN-ALLAIRE – GWU: Triple series with a bit of legs, cat leap switch side. Nice 2/1 twist, a bit underrotated but stuck.

EPPERSON – NEB: 3/2 front lay, step forward but controlled, solid through the rest.

SINGLEY – OSU: FTY, great in the air and a stick!

MERMELSTEIN – GWU: Great full turn

AGARAN – UMD: Nice Jaeger, double layout with a hop back.

ROBY – NEB: Chest way down on double back. Commentator said it was on her first pass too.

COHEN – GWU: Beautiful triple series,  hop back on dismount.

OREL – NEB: Big lunge on double pike,  3/2 front 1/2 double stag.

JACOBSEN – OSU: Tsuk full hop back

GREENE – OSU: Looked a bit deep on pike 1/2 with a hop back.

PFEILER – GWU: Flic loso with a little check, good full turn. Switch gainer loso is great, cat leap switch side. Cartwheel gainer full with a hop back.

ARDUINO – TOWSON: Tuck full with a step back.

WILLIAMS – NEB: Big scoot back on double pike, front lay to Rudi with messy legs.

BARBER – UMD: Just saw super airy double lay with a step.

CROUSE – NEB: Front 2/1 punch front, solid. Beautiful rudi-loso to close.

WINSTANLEY – GWU: Front aerial front kickover,

SCHWEIHOFER – NEB: Full in, lands with legs staggered. Front lay front Rudi with a scoot back, good one! That should be a 9.9ish.

LSU 98.8 NEBRASKA 98.775 OSU 98.325 UMD 97.975 NC STATE 97.725 GWU 97.4

Not the upset threat we expected here – Nebraska holding very close to LSU at the midpoint, Oregon State is fairly close at hand – 0.45 behind – but the other three are most likely out of the picture.

ROTATION 4: NEBRASKA VAULT, LSU BARS, UMD BEAM, NCSU FLOOR

https://twitter.com/PackGymnastics/status/982730834070441985

HUTCHINSON – FTY, step back.

DURANTE – LSU: Normal routine, close to the bar on full in with a hop back.

PETERMAN – UMD: Clean thru, 3/2 twist with a hop forward.

Stream lagged through Hambrick, we can just assume it’s fine.

BEUCLER – NCSU: Great double pike, great double buns. 3/2 front lay is great, switch side to something…

HARROLD  – LSU: Hits the Zuchold, toe blind to Jaeger is just a touch close, double front with a baby step.

HOUCHIN? – NEB: Y3/2, almost stuck, ends up hopping forward.

FILLARD – NCSU: Big double pike, double back deep and on her toes.

EDNE – LSU: Hindorff with usual feet, lagged through the rest.

BARBER – UMD: Flic loso beautiful and precise, kickover to straddle. Switch to straddle is beautiful,

A. PHILLIPS – UMD: Aw, talking about how at quad meets gymnasts are allowed to have one teammate on the floor to move mats and Alexa always picks her twin sister Paris. <3 Routine was great too.

FINNEGAN – LSU: Good bail to toe shoot, double lay stuck.

GRANTHAM – NCSU: Beautiful open double back, straddle series is beauuuutiful. Lovely front pass, great presentation too. Really like this one.

Morgan Lane just nailed bars, little hop on DLO is all.

AGARAN – UMD: Cat leap switch side, sticks gainer full in the anchor.

KNIGHT – NCSU: Ugh, lag is killing me 🙁 caught a really cool dance series…

LSU 148.175, NEBRASKA 148.15, UMD 146.925, NCSU 146.875,  OSU 98.325, GWU 97.4

ROTATION 5: NCSU VAULT, OSU BARS, LSU BEAM, GWU FLOOR

MACADAEG – LSU: Flic loso with a bit of knees. That’s all I saw because everything is dying.

FILLARD – NCSU: FTY, little bounce.

HAMBRICK – LSU: Flic loso great, scale choreo, double twist, skipped away before we could see if she stuck it or not.

WINSTANLEY – GWU: 2.5 twist, bit uncontrolled on step out. Great leap series, fall on her closing pass that probably takes her out of AA qualifying standing

KNIGHT – NCSU: FTY, near stick. There’s a good chance that that will take her to nationals.

KARPOVA – GWU: Split ring 1/2, double pike beautiful. Big lunge on front lay front full, whip 3/2 is great. I adored her in JO so so happy to see her succeeding here!

JACOBSEN – OSU: Good Tkachev with a bit of legs, laaaaag.

DESIDERIO – LSU: Just saw a stick on dismount there.

CAMPBELL – LSU: Little check in the middle of front aerial-bhs series, good full turn. Switch switch 1/2 is great.

Briscoe and Dessaints both stuck dismounts for OSU! And that’s basically all we saw of that.

FINNEGAN – LSU: Basically just the normal Finney beam routine. What we expect.

LANE – UNC: ughhh the buffering on this stream is killing me but she seems thiller. Think she’ll set the AA mark to beat.

LSU 197.675, UNC 196.05, NEBRASKA 148.15, OSU 147.475, UMD 146.925, GWU 145.6

Morgan Lane leads the non-LSU AA race with a 39.325. That beats both Knight and Grantham from UNC, with Singley, Barber and Drouin-Allaire still to finish.

ROTATION 6: GWU VAULT, NEBRASKA BARS, OSU BEAM, UMD FLOOR

MCLAUGHLIN – GWU: Low but okay on FTY.

MINYARD – OSU:OSU: Front aerial-bhs, good full turn.

ROBY – NEB: Great transition work, good double layout.

YANISH – OSU:  Front aerial is good,

This stream is effectively dead 🙁 so frustrating.

I can tell you that Oregon State is suffering a beamsplosion, so LSU and Nebraska will advance.

NATIONAL QUALIFIERS: LSU 197.675, NEBRASKA 197.525

ALL AROUND QUALIFIERS: Morgan Lane (UNC) Camille Drouin-Allaire (GWU)

No individual event specialists qualified from this regional.

Columbus Regional

The UCLA Bruins are the favorites in the Columbus regional from every perspective; while an upset is never impossible, Bruin fans shouldn’t be too worried about their prospects in this one. However, things could get very interesting as Boise State and Arkansas fight over the second qualifying spot to nationals. While Arkansas is the higher-ranked of the two and has a higher ceiling, #15 Boise has been superior on the road in 2018.

Host Ohio State has the capacity to act as a spoiler, but everything would have to go right for the Buckeyes. Pitt and Kent State similarly might be on the outside, but they each have some individuals that are important to watch for.

Rotation Order:

Kent State starts on VAULT with #2-ranked event qualifiers Lauren DeMeno (BGSU), Kendal Valentin (EMU), India McPeak (BGSU), and Tia Kiaku (BSU)

Ohio State starts on BYE BEFORE BARS with AA qualifier Morgan Spence (WMU)

Pittsburgh starts on BARS with #1-ranked event qualifiers Rachael Underwood (WMU), Hailee Westney (MSU) and Laura Mitchell (BGSU)

Arkansas starts on BEAM with AA qualifier Lea Mitchell (MSU)

Boise State starts on BYE BEFORE FLOOR with AA qualifier Emeli Dobronics (EMU)

UCLA starts on FLOOR with AA qualifier Jovannah East (BGSU)

 

ROTATION 1: KSU VAULT, PITT BARS, ARKANSAS BEAM, UCLA FLOOR

Going to start things off with just beam/floor, because I’m doing Raleigh simultaneously – sorry Pitt and KSU, I’ll catch you later <3

KOCIAN – UCLA: Great double twist, beautiful control, steps a bit close to the line on second pass and then adds a bit of extra flourish to the landing – “look, I didn’t step out!!” – normal non-fally double stag combo to close.

GARNER – ARK: A bit tentative, good full turn, side aerial back full with two steps back.

KRAMER – UCLA: 2/1 punch front the most secure I’ve seen it, straight back with 3/2 front lay, beautifiul. Straight jump out of last pass to avoid landing deduction, I guess, I wonder if they’ll count that as choreo?

DENNIS – UCLA: Big lunge out of pike full in, combo pass is good and airy. Deep on double back with a step forward but not catastrophic

Judging conference over Garner’s beam score.

WELLICK – ARK: Had to wait for that, but if anyone can handle it… switch to straddle, side somi. Good flic loso, one shoulder out of line but it’s fine, solid on dismount.

TRATZ – UCLA: Full in, could have stuck it, stepped forward. 3/2 front full is beautiful, underrotated third pass too.

CARTER – ARK:split to sheep is good, great front aerial with a tiny ajdustment. Back full in combo, hop back.

HANO – UCLA: Great double layout. Pretty much the usual routine from there out, should be a comfy 9.9 something.

BURTON – ARK: Great flic loso,

OHASHI – UCLA: STUCK THE DOUBLE LAYOUT.  Everything else is fine so ten please.

ROTATION 2: UCLA VAULT, OSU BARS, PITT BEAM, BOISE FLOOR

So, okay, Raleigh is over, let me try and pay attention to what’s happening here. Missed the first two but it’s all good.

The crisscross back on the Boise leotard is everything.

TRATZ – UCLA: FTY, up on her toes but holds the stick.

MATTERN? – OSU: Jaeger-overshoot is great, full out dismount with a hop back.

ROSS – UCLA: FTY, little hop back in the air but so pretty.

WEBB – BSU: Double pike, big lunge. Switch side Popa is great, awesome closing double pike.

SWARTZENTRUBER – OSU:  Maloney to Pak, great van Leeuwen. Double lay with a step.

HANO – UCLA: Y3/2, pretty, little step!

HOFLAND – OSU: Blind change to Jaeger, great. Beautiful bail, blind change double front with a little hop forward.

REMME – BSU: Really good landing control.

Collantes was good too, I’m having some computer trouble so will take a minute to restart everything and come back for the next rotation.

ROTATION 3: BOISE VAULT, KSU BARS, OSU BEAM, ARKANSAS FLOOR

And we’re back!

MCGREGOR – BSU: Y3/2, a bit deep but hops forward without incident.

MERKLE? – OSU: Switch split is great, gainer full off the side.

WELLICK – ARK: Solid 2/1 twist, tj1/2 good!

LOWE – OSU: Side aerial split solid, 3/2 dismount with a hop forward.

Boise had iffy landings on all three of its y3/2s, holding back its scoring potential there.

STYPINSKI – KSU: Just caught her NAIL her full in dismount off bars!

BURTON – ARK: Underrotated double pike with a step forward, great double back. Love her choreo, there’s some fun split work in the middle, front full front lay and dances out.

HUANG – OSU: Flic loso, tentative but pretty. Good split to sheep, stuck double twist!!

VALENTIN 0 EMU: Full turn to Tkachev, good bail. Airy full out dismount, has a bit too much momentum and almost puts her knee down.

SHAFFER – ARK:Missed first pass. Slightly overpowered double back but keeps it under control, choreo is sooo pretty.

CARTER – ARK: Using that floor music that Burleson had last year and now Yanish and the entire rest of the universe has. Good opening double back, a bit overpowered on double pike. Awesome performance quality, McCool has really helped so much here. Oooh, a half turn out of her third

MITCHELL – MSU: Love this routine. Double back to open, great control. Switch side to two Popas is just gorgeous, amazing landings.

UCLA 98.675, ARKANSAS 98.425, OSU 98.05, BSU 97.925, PITT 97.2, KSU 97.15

Boise is just a little bit on the struggle bus today 🙁 Arkansas looks great, though.

UCLA received a neutral deduction for competing out of order on vault. I think Tratz and Ross got swapped – Ross was originally credited with Tratz’ score in the livescore, and apparently her own score wasn’t actually flashed.

ROTATION 4: ARKANSAS VAULT, UCLA BARS, KSU BEAM, PITT FLOOR

DENNIS – UCLA: The usual, great bail and stuck dlo.

CONRAD – PITT: Great front full front lay.

HONEST – UCLA : Big Tkachev and absolutely nailing handstands. Full out dismout with a little hop, insanely floaty as usual.

SHAFFER – ARK: YArabian with a little step, beautiful in the air.

A. GLENN – UCLA: Blind change to Jaeger, beautiful. Pak is lovely, great handstands, full turn to double back stuck!!

SPEED – ARK: Yfull, stuck absolutely dead. Basically her best.

KOCIAN – UCLA: Look who’s back?! Maloney to Pak, lovely. Like that much better than the stalder work. Squat on instead of another shap, little handstand adjustment, hop back on full in. YES GOOD.

LEE – UCLA: Ray, insane nailed Zam-style handstand before the Bhardwaj, great van Leeuwen, double lay with a hop back.

ROSS – UCLA: Shap to bail is perfect, breat toe shoot, amazing handstand, sticks DLO. 10, surely? Nope 9.975 again >_>

MCPEAK – BGSU: So she’s been teasing her elite days standing full… and she LANDED IT. Wobble on one leg but actually made it.  Short on 2/1 dismount. Go back to elite, I’m not ready for you to be done.

UCLA 148.175, ARKANSAS 147.6, PITT 146.175, KSU 145.8, OSU 98.05, BSU 97.925

ROTATION 5: PITT VAULT, BOISE BARS, UCLA BEAM, OSU FLOOR

G. GLENN – UCLA: Usual great positions, split choreo, stuck dismount, done and done.

MUHLENHAUPT – BSU: Blind change to Jaeger to overshoot great, killing handstands, full turn double back deep with a hop forward.

AEPLI – OSU:Front 2/1?? Things are very jumpy right now but the choreo is pretty.

NGUYEN – UCLA: Everything froze and died, and then a hop forward on her dismount.

MCLELLAND – OSU: Front full front lay is good, a bit low on double back but makes it around.

REMME – BSU: Just saw her nail her dismount off bars.

OHASHI – UCLA: One foot doesn’t make solid contact on her acro series and she has to shift to pull it back on. Flic loso back full is great.

STONE – OSU: 2.5 punch front is glorious! Beautiful front twisting, and the hilarious little Lion King bit at the end.

LEE – UCLA: Flic pikeout is great, double turn with a leg up check into the dance series, switch split really nice.

MATTERN – OSU: Love the floor choreo between her first and second passes. Awkward landing on double pike(?) to close.

I’m really out of it now, guys.

EAST – BGSU: Flic loso is great, tuck full jump, solid leap series. If she can land the dismount she probably becomes AA leader.

UCLA 197.65, PITT 195.125, ARKANSAS 147.6, OSU  147.35, BSU 147.125, KSU 145.8

ROTATION 6: OSU VAULT, ARKANSAS BARS, BOISE BEAM, KSU FLOOR

YAMZON – ARKANSAS: Getting through bars clean, ftdlo dismount with a hop! Good start.

MCGREGOR – BSU: Front tuck to split, and the beam cam shut down. Sorry Court.

SHAFFER – ARK: Shap to bail, blind change to half to double back stuck dead.

LAIRD – ARK: Missing some handstands, good Ray, nice bail. There’s a handstand, double lay deep with a hop forward.

ESMERIAN – BSU: Full turn good, pretty legs thru acro series, 3/2 dismount out of frame.

STONE – OSU: Y arabian, STUCK. Just stunning.

WELLICK – ARKANSAS: True Shaposhnikova to bail, blind change double front with a bound forward.

AEPLI – OSU: FTY, a little deeep but stuck beautifully.

And just in time for us to be pretty certain what’s happening, my stream has gone down, maybe for good this time. That’s just been this whole day, hasn’t it?

NCAA National Qualifiers: UCLA (197.65) and Arkansas (196.775)

Individual Qualifiers: Shani Remme (BSU) and Jovannah East (BGSU) in AA

Jamie Stone (OSU) on VT

 

Live blog by Rebecca Scally

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