LIVE BLOG: No. 17 Alabama at No. 10 Georgia

Event Coverage, NCAA WAG, The Mount
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Another installment in the Alabama/Georgia rivalry is upon us! This time, it seems like Courtney Kupets Carter Suzanne Yoculan’s (just kidding…kind of) Gymdogs have the edge. Georgia has been a little more prepared than Alabama so far in 2019. The Crimson Tide has struggled on beam, an event where it hasn’t quite found a reliable lineup yet, but maybe tonight is the night!

In week three we expect teams to settle down a bit as they adjust to the rhythms of the season. It’s still January, so we aren’t really worrying about away scores yet, but it doesn’t hurt to put up a few solid away numbers early on to shore things up come the switch to RQS, something likely in the back of Alabama’s mind. At the forefront, though, is surely beating rival Georgia.

As a refresher, at this matchup in Tuscaloosa last year, we had AlaVaultPocolypse (pretend that’s funny), where judges just didn’t see a vault, we got Angry Dana and we saw some scary knee-lock landings. Let’s not repeat that. Alabama won that matchup handily and then edged out Georgia for first place at the Tuscaloosa regional in March. Needless to say, the Gymdogs will be hungry for a home-turf win in this storied (literally, SEC Storied, you want to watch this) rivalry. 

Per Georgia’s early lineups, Megan Roberts (ankle sprain) is healthy enough to return to bars, which puts Rachael Lukacs in the alternate spot. Rachel Baumann also appears to be making her debut on floor.

https://twitter.com/UGAGymnastics/status/1085688890185392128

We also need to talk about “StegMania”. Namely, why?

WE ALREADY GOT SOME SARAH/SUZANNE TEASERS during Arkansas at Kentucky. I am very excited for this meet.

Ooo, we’re getting transfer Tia Kiaku on floor!

We’ve got two routines left in Rupp Arena before SEC moves us over to Athens! Getting close!

Jon and Alicia, yes! Here we go folks. Hold onto your hats. The Georgia student section looks hyped.

Rotation 1: Georgia vault, Alabama bars

Magee (UGA): FTY, good in the air, hop back. 9.775

Guerra (UA): Blind + Jaeger, good, some knees in the release. Bail hand shy, good last handstand. DLO, small hop. Good start! 9.8

Vega (UGA): FTY, huge distance, bounces in place.

Graber (UA): Blind full + Geinger, leg sep. Great bail to handstand! Full-in, little messy in the air. 9.75

Ward (UGA): Tsuk 1/1, some pike in her hips, chest low. 9.85

Givens (UA): Hect mount, blind + Jaeger, nice. Little over on a handstand, slightly loose bail hand. DLO, stuck. 9.8

YES COURTNY KUPETS CARTER FLUFF! The Omeli, of course.

Dickson (UGA): Omelianchik, big step forward. 9.8

Mahoney (UA): Toe hand + bail hand, toe shoot. Tkatchev, good. Little shy on some handstands. Full-in, stuck. Two sticks in a row in hostile territory! 9.8, judges are not being generous!

Lukacs (UGA): DTY, piked down and low chest, the rotation was a little short, probably going too hard for a stick. 9.8, feels a touch high, but rewarding the difficulty.

Dickson (UA): Good first handstand, bail hand short. Toe hand, Tkatchev, good height. Full-in, maybe a tiny step and lost some form in the air. 9.85

Snead (UGA): Y1.5 HUGE, gorgeous, just a small hop. 9.9

Gaskins (UA): Maloney, pak, touch of leg sep, but otherwise right on. DLO, stuck. Great set. 9.875, yes. Judges still being a little tight, but based on other scores so far, that’s right.

After one: UGA 49.150, UA 49.125. 

Oh you knew it would go this way! Scores were a little stingy for the SEC, but not outrageously so. This is going to be a battle!

ALERT: Sarah and Suzanne fluff! “Sometimes it was…intense.” Dana speaks the truth.

“My goal is to bring Georgia back on top, and to go against Alabama and win is always great.” CKC is going for it.

While we’re in commercial break, let’s talk about Jon pronouncing “Guerra” as “Guh-ra”. Why? How?

Rotation 2: UGA bars, UA vault

Gaskins (UA): Ooh, anchor then lead off, that’s a test. FTY, some pike down and a hop back. 9.8

Snead (UGA): Another last-first! Tkatchev, her usual, high. Bail hand, nice. Little shy on the last handstand. DLO, pike it and had to hop.

Armbrecht (UA): FTY, very clean! Tiny hop. Best full so far. 9.85, correct.

Roberts (UGA): Good to see her back after a bad ankle sprain. Toe full to shaposh, bail hand. DLO, stuck. Wow! Just maybe a handstand deduction in there. 9.875

Mahoney (UA): FTY, a tiny hop forward, went too hard for the stick. 9.8

Al-Hameed (UGA): Great first handstand. blind full + the huge Tkatchev, bail hand, held it, very good. Blind full, late slightly + double tuck stuck. Very strong. 9.925

Guerra (UA): Tsuk 1/2 on tuck 1/2, step back. Such a fun vault. Jon, with “Guh-era” again? 9.85

Schild (UGA): Ray, very good. Slight arch on handstand, pak, good. 1.2 to toe hand, good. DLO, deep landing, stepped forward. 9.825

Olsen (UA): DTY, fasssst twist, I’d say a small foot slide, but they could go stick. 9.9

Dickson (UGA): Overdoes her first handstand, swings out to restart. Tkatchev, bail hand, good. TDDLO, just a small step. Gorgeous after the start. 9.324

Graber (UA): Y1.5, a few shuffle steps back out of it, but it was good in the air, just opened it up too early. 9.75

Oakley (UA): Pressure on, now. Slight arch in first handstand. Blind to Eagle to pike Jaeger, good, Pak. Full-in, close to the bar, has to hop forward. Alicia says these close dismounts are giving her hot flashes. Not sure that’s how it works, but I’m holding my breath every time, too! 9.8

After two: UGA 98.425, UA 98.400

Are you dying? I’m dying. Of course this meet is this close! We would expect no less. Alabama has had no major errors, but with just Dickson’s mistake and otherwise very clean work, the GymDogs are just out ahead.

I just realized I’ve been spelling John Roethlisberger’s name wrong. Sorry, John. I don’t know. Jon Horton spells it without the “H” I think? We’ll go with that.

We’re being reminded that CKC gave birth FOUR WEEKS AGO. Girl. Go home and take a nap.

Rotation 3: UGA beam, UA floor

Snead (UGA): Bhs loso bhs, solid. Cat + Switch + straddle, back leg no there on the switch. Front tuck no problems. RO 2/1, great landing, will probably give her a stick. 9.925. Phewww okay? It was good, but that’s a huge first score to throw out.

Desch (UA): Double pike, huge, great landing dropped right in. 3/2 + barani + straddle + front tuck, good. Switch ring + split 1/1. Double tuck, chest a touch low. 9.85

Dickson (UGA): Front aerial + split 1/2, drops one shoulder a touch. Bhs loso steady. Switch + sissone, good. Bhs 3/2, hop forward. 9.8

Kiaku (UA): YES, sophomore transfer from Ball St! In for Mahoney. Double pike, over does it and takes three steps back. Really great quality of movement. HUGE switch side + split 1/1, just sky high. front 1/1 front lay, meant to connect to jump, but deep knee bend before stag, not really connected. Rudi to end, her best landing. If she can hit those landings, that’ll be a stellar set. Just needs polish. 9.675, that’s generous given the .3 on steps and deep landing.

Magee (UGA): Straddle + straddle 1/2, good oversplit. Bhs loso, offline a touch, drops a shoulder a bit. Switch + straddle 1/2, little shy on the switch. Side aerial + 1/1, hop to the side. 9.775

Armbrecht (UA): Double tuck, slides the front foot back. She’s very expressive. Switch side + Popa, very good splits and rotation. 3/2 + front lay. Fhs rudi + double stag, pretty. The set flows so well. 9.8

Baumann (UGA): Side aerial loso, very good. L turn, she overrotated and just made it a 3/2! switch + switch side, not as huge a split as I’d like to see. RO 2/1, big step back. 9.8, feels a touch high with the turn bobble and big step.

Graber (UA): Full-in, very good landing, chest up and no movement, but she stepped forward. Switch side dances into wolf 3/2. FHS front lay front 1/1, didn’t really build height but didn’t lose it either. Double pike, deep landing, but controls the lunge. 9.85

Oakley (UGA): Bhs loso loso, it was off from the second loso. Split + ring, nice. Cartwheel + gainer 1/1, good.

Guerra (UA): GUH-ERA. John, come ON are you choking?! DLO, chest a little low and she steps forward. Switch side + Popa or straddle 3/2, really cheated the rotation by overdoing the switch? Unclear what she meant to go for. 3/2 + front lay. Double pike, very good landing. 9.925

Vega (UGA): Split mount. Switch + split, back leg low, soft knees. Front aerial + split, better jump this time. The GymDog moonwalk. Alicia “I did my best beam angry.” true, she did. Bhs loso, bent at the hips, stays on. Side aerial + 1/1, small hop. 9.825

Olsen (UA): “The freak of nature talent” – John. Pike full-in, YES the landing was stellar. Front through to double tuck, very high, small hop on landing. Switch ring + tour jete 1/2, good. Double pike, deep knees, has to step forward. 9.875, just those two landings.

After three: UA 147.700, UGA 147.550

Ooo! Alabama has taken the lead! The Oakley fall hurt Georgia where it needed a big hit to drop some of the early scores. WELL this will be an exciting close in Stegeman, won’t it?

I’d like to talk about these graphic. All I see is the “Whatever” and it is such a mood. WHATEVER.

Rotation 4: UGA floor, UA beam

Okay, Alabama, can you hit beam?!

Klopfer (UA): Wolf turn 1/1. Front aerial bhs, very good. Beat + straddle 1/2. She moves very slowly and calmly. Switch dances right out of it. Cat + side aerial + 1/1, small hop. 9.85

Baumann (UGA): Her floor debut! Double tuck, so high! Good landing, maybe moved front foot. Double pike, hands down. Switch ring + switch side. L turn 2/1 + inward 1/1 LOVE. 3/2 + front 1/1,. She looks very upset with herself, and it’s a rough start for Georgia. 9.125

Desch (UA): Cat + front aerial + beat. Bhs loso, medium wobble, break at hips, smiled through it. Switch + split, teeny bit low back leg. RO 3/2, small hop. 9.775

Davis (UGA): This is her first ever floor and she’s following a fall! Eyes emoji. 5/2, big step to the side. Leg form. Tour jete 1/2 + split 1/1. 3/2 + front lay + front tuck good landing, the crowd loves that pass. She’s not really performing out, but I don’t blame her. Double tuck, pulls it in, low landing steps forward but stays up! Alicia is having more hot flashes. 9.725

Olsen (UA): Bhs loso, picks her leg up. Switch + double stag, tiny bobble. Front aerial bhs bhs 2/1. WOAH what a dismount. had a check after the aerial, wasn’t connected. 9.775

Snead (UGA): Whip through double tuck, good landing. Her usual big facial expressions. Wolf 1/1 + split 1/1, not the cutest wolf position. FHS rudi + shush, a crowd pleaser. Switch + cat. Thanks for the back of everyone’s heads camera angle, SECN. Double pike, deep landing, controls the lunge. 9.925, that’s huge. Folks, this is so close.

Armbrecht (UA): Front aerial + beat, pretty! Bhs loso, drops a shoulder and steps back. Straddle + beat + sheep, has to step forward. She’s a touch nervy. RO 2/1 small hop. 9.725

Lukacs (UGA): False start with the music. Here we go. DLO, no problems. Wolf 1/1 + Popa. whip + 3/2 + front lay, low on the lay and hops forward. Switch side + straddle, her straddle position is solid. Double pike, good landing, slides the front foot a tiny bit. 9.9

Gaskins (UA): She hits the mount this week. “I’m all for a risky mount.” – Alicia, yes we know, still love you. Bhs loso, good. Tiny check on full turn. Switch + straddle, low back leg. Side aerial, good. Gainer full, stuck. Alabama needed that. 9.875, ooh baby this is close.

Dickson (UGA): Double Arabian, oof knees locked on the landing, she’s fine, just stepped forward. 3/2 + front lay, very controlled landing. Switch side + Popa, great splits. Double pike, good and high, slides front foot some. 9.925

Graber (UA): Okay, Alabama is still ahead because UGA is still counting that fall. If she stays on, things look good. Bhs layout two feet. Switch + Straddle 3/4. Liukin, gorgeous. Gainer 1/1. Really excellent. Hold your breath. 9.925!

Vega (UGA): OH BOY HERE IT IS FOLKS. Double pike, good landing, slides front foot. Needs 9.9 to win! 3/2 front lay DEEP IN THE KNEES STEP BACK THAT MIGHT BE THE MEET. Switch ring + some jump I missed because I’m screaming. Tour jete 1/1. Double pike, perfect landing. My goodness. We’ll see what the judges do!

9.85. Alabama takes it by 0.025! Well you knew it. You KNEW it. Carol did not show up for Vega, but that score was accurate.

FINAL: UA 196.900, UGA 196. 875

Let’s all take a nap, OH WAIT we can’t because UF at LSU starts now.

WHATEVER. I’m sorry I had to.

Real talk, though, this is a great score for both teams, and puts both into good positions for next week.

Live blog by Emily Minehart

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