Washington’s in a great position for its home opener after a fantastic meet in Tucson last week that included a 49.400 beam rotation that only four teams in the country have beaten this year. I’m hoping for a few lineup tweaks tonight, including a Brenna Brooks debut on floor after she nailed her exhibition last week (as well as hitting 3/3 on her scored events), and I’m still waiting to hear from a few important gymnasts who have been AWOL so far.
Oregon State has put up two solid 195+ scores so far this year, and despite a bit of a bars situation (which we’re hoping will be rectified by the return of McKenna Singley sometime soon) it’s poised to grow on all four events. Washington native Mary Jacobsen is a crowd favorite in Seattle, and I’m hoping that fellow local Kristina Peterson will make a lineup or two in front of her family and friends.
The Beavers will start tonight's meet on the uneven bars with this lineup … #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/dzJrhEE4GY
— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) January 27, 2019
The Beavers will start tonight's meet on the uneven bars with this lineup … #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/dzJrhEE4GY
— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) January 27, 2019
ROTATION 1: WASHINGTON VAULT, OREGON STATE BARS
Oh god, is this the same guy from Cal last week who can’t shut up about “the table”
Looks like another recent surgery for UW freshie Madeleine McLellan, she’s back in a knee brace and crutches.
CUNNINGHAM – UW: Big full, big step back. The Huskies grabbed her from Temple, where she was originally committed, and she’s a very useful acquisition.
YANISH – OSU: Bail to toe shoot, double lay pretty with a hop back. Not up to level, but OSU doesn’t have quite enough bars this year so it’s good that she can jump in.
RILEY – UW: Y arabian is pretty, step forward but her technique is fabulous. Her landigns have gotten much more consistent too.
YAMAOKA – OSU: We learned this week that she wasn’t recruited to the team at all, she went to OSU as an academic student after a series of injuries in high school and emailed the coaches in the first week to see if she could train with the team. They gave her a few weeks of trial and then decided to add her as a full member. Maloney, not connected to bail, blind full double back with a few steps back.
COPIAK – UW: Pikes down a touch on her full but stuck!! Better than usual form too. Freshman Vandenkolk is on money gun duty this rotation.
JACOBSEN – OSU: It’s her birthday! Huge Tkachev to overshoot, bit of feet, blind to double front STUCK. Fabulous.
ROBERSON – UW: Huge full with a big hop back. Not her absolute best but still good.
LOWERY – OSU: Really clean, great handstands, forgot to write down scores but double lay with a big hop.
THOMPSON – UW: Huge full again, bit of leg sep, stuck it. So good!
Now we’ve got a moment of interest because the team tweeted Brooks in the anchor but the broadcast thinks she’s not competing.
MCP – OSU: Blind to jaeger, ooh messy catch, bail is good. Double lay with a hop forward.
UW is scratching Brooks.
BRISCOE – OSU: Blind to Jaeger, close again, crazy elbows but keeps her leg form, bail is okay. Double lay with a step forward. Best one of the lineup.
WASHINGTON 48.850 – OREGON STATE 48.775
For anyone wondering about Brenna Brooks, she’s in the middle of changing her vault and also has her elbow braced on and off. I’d guess hedging against injury. Commentator says she might be out tonight period which sucks but hopefully it’s short term.
Pretty good start, 48.85 is great for UW home vault which is habitually unkind.
ROTATION 2: OREGON STATE VAULT, WASHINGTON BARS
GONZALEZ – OSU: Great to see her cracking lineups. Beautiful full, big step back.
WASHINGTON – UW: Clear hip to Gienger to overshoot is huge, that’s a new connection and it’s so clean. Full in dismount with a hop back. Bit close to the bar but solid start.
SINGLEY – OSU: Bit soft onto the table but big vault with two quick steps back.
THOMPSON – UW: Blind to Jaeger, slightly awkward catch, good bail, full in dismount a bit deep with a step forward.
L. DAGEN – OSU: Nice full, twisting on a touch but lots of distance and a big hop back.
ROBERSON – UW: Heard she’s made a change in her routine. Hop change pike Jaeger to overshoot is fantastic, no shap today which is good because it was causing problems, double lay STUCK.
M. DAGEN – OSU: Touch of legs on her full but great height and a stick. Awesome!
RILEY – UW: One of the best #4 bars gymnasts you’ll see anywhere. Just over on her first handstand but gets it back, Maloney to bail is good, we’ve got the worst camera angle possible for bars, double lay stuck again. Really nice.
YANISH – OSU: Beauty of a Yurchenko full, hop straight back, I’d really like to see her upgrade that.
COPIAK – UW: Pike Jaeger to overshoot, phenomenal, full in dismount stuck!
JACOBSEN – OSU: Tsuk full, piked down with a little hop back. I’ve seen technically better ones from her but she was there.
BROOKS – UW: Yay she’s not dead! True shap with leg sep to immediate clear hip, great bail, ooops wobbled on the low bar, blind half half straight back, blind full double back with a hop.
That was a mistake, meant to do the blind full the first time, but she covered it really cleanly.
WASHINGTON 97.800 – OREGON STATE 97.625
Oregon State holding pretty close! Both teams got their weak event out of the way in the first rotation and are building back up now. Heading to their respective strengths now, this rotation should be the one that makes the difference.
ROTATION 3: WASHINGTON BEAM, OREGON STATE FLOOR
ROSE – UW: Split jump on, side aerial with a check… so rare to see her wobble, front aerial bhs that was meant to be connected to the side aerial but she’s still got an acro series so we’re gucci. Mixed series is ridiculous, Y turn switch split, cat leap side aerial tuck back full, MISSES A FOOT, lands way short with her hands down but she’s okay.
I think that’s the first fall in her college career. I jumped out of my seat, the last time she missed her dismount she tore her ACL. Think she’s fine this time.
JACOBSEN – OSU: I love this Irish dance routine. Double pike a bit under, one and a half punch front is good, wandering a bit on her leap series but it’s okay. Front rudi is really good.
RILEY – UW: Not a gymnast with a ton of beam experience, let’s see how she handles this. BHS LOSO perfect, little adjustment on her full turn. Split straddle 1/4 big check but holds on. Split to LOSO to beat, fighting through, one and a half with a step forward.
M. DAGEN – OSU: Double back a bit overpowered, step back. Great double pike. Front lay front full is nice.
WASHINGTON – UW: BHS LOSO good, just a touch of feet, beat jump weird adjustment. Switch side straddle, I love her leaps more than anything. Full turn, side aerial tuck back full with a big lean forward, looked like she didn’t get her punch there and it went off to the side.
SINGLEY – OSU: She’s so dramaticccc. Front thru double back, overpowered, scoot and a step out. Double pike with a tiny hop in place, switch ring switch half, Rudi looks like it might be coming in a touch short but lunges out fine.
BROOKS – UW: Big experience moment. Kickover front to LOSO. Front aerial and tiny check into beat jump. Full turn nice, switch leap to stag leap to gainer full direct. Amazing performance.
FORCE – OSU: Really excited to see this one! Double pike, little scoot on the front foot, switch side Popa great. Front lay front full beautiful, double back underrotated with a step forward. She’s a great performer but that won’t match her 9.925 from last week.
COPIAK – UW: I think she’s kept the same beam music as last year because I’m very familiar with it now. It’s very soothing. Full turn, BHS LOSO perfect, switch half with a bit of arm swing to split. Side aerial tentative but she’s okay, one and a half stuck. Best yet. Good for her.
LOWERY – OSU: isis is always popular in Seattle, and this is probably the best yet. Front double full, off the end of the sting mat but great control on the landing, one and a half front… lay or pike? Bit of pivot out of the leap series, Rudi is great.
ROBERSON – UW: This is one of my favorites. Switch to switch split leap is fantastic, full turn, LOSO-LOSO NAILED. Form looked a bit better than last week too. Beat jump, cartwheel gainer full STUCK. Amazing.
YANISH – OSU: Same music as last year. Double lay is beautiful and SHE KEEPS THE FRONT FOOT PLANTED. Struggled not to overcook that pass last year, now she’s got it down a 10 haaaas to be on the way. Switch side Popa fabulous. I missed her second pass but it was good. Overcooks the double back and slides back.
OREGON STATE 146.825 – WASHINGTON 146.625
Incredibly uncharacteristic from the Huskies, but a great recovery in the second half there. Oregon State has a little too much power on floor but that’s a good January problem. Things now get very interesting in the final rotation.
ROTATION 4: OREGON STATE BEAM, WASHINGTON FLOOR
LOWERY – OSU: Headstand mount is so cool, BHS LOSO great. Switch straddle 1/4, cat leap side aerial with her chest down a bit but works it out. Front full stuck. Good start for the Beavs!
CUNNINGHAM – UW: Front thru double back FABULOUS. Sorry and thank you Temple. Double pike fabulous. Switch half wolf full, two and a half twist beautiful. So much difficulty and rocked it.
M. DAGEN – OSU: BHS LOSO great. Switch switch half, side aerial back full and a skitter sideways.
BROOKS – UW: Floor debut!!! Giving poor Monica a break lol. Double back great, might have flirted with the line, couldn’t see with the angle. Something thru wolf full is great, oh she’s performing already. One and a half front lay super clean, front lay front full. Apparently she has to an up-to-level deduction, she doesn’t have two D skills, but Elise says it’s worth the gamble because sometimes JUDGES DON’T NOTICE.
Just legendary strategizing.
YANISH – OSU: Completing her all around set. BHS LOSO with a lean back, pulls up the front leg, some leap to standing LOSO. Switch straddle 1/4, front walkover, gainer full with a cross step back.
Judging conference for Brooks. Or are they confused about lineups? No one knows.
WASHINGTON – UW: She is a ridiculous performer. Double back hop to lunge, might have been a touch underrotated. Front lay front full and dances out. I love this routine. Switch side Popa sky high, double pike, scoot back. Overpowered that a bit.
SINGLEY – OSU: BHS LOSO really good, kickover front, cartwheel gainer full. There were other skills but I’m in hour eight of liveblogging give me a break.
THOMPSON – UW: She has so much personality, G just hanging out being G is more interesting than most floor routines. Double back SO high, scoot back. Tour jete full, front lay front full and has to dance out, lands still twisting. Shushunova huge, Rudi lands staggered, makes it work.
L. DAGEN – OSU: Missed the start, front aerial to split, off on her series, gainer pike stuck.
ROBERSON – UW: Front double full punch front is MASSIVE and so well controlled. Switch ring thru wolf full, Rudi to LOSO and that’s the all around for her. Spectacular. She’s
LAZARO – OSU: Her debut in the anchor! BHS LOSO so precise. Nice full turn, some other stuff. Stick on the side aerial back full.
HOFFA – UW: Happy birthday!!! Double pike is huuuuge and really controlled. When she struggles on floor it’s because she’s got too much oomph. Front lay front full, her music skipped a little before that pass and it was odd. Tour jete half wolf full, great, double back great, heel is clooose to the line but no flag. One of her absolute best!
Heard Lexie Gonzales announced as the exo for Oregon State.
FINAL: OREGON STATE 196.050 – WASHINGTON 195.900
Not an exciting day for the Huskies but that beam rotation was a fluke, they shouldn’t sweat it too much. Great day for Evanni Roberson and for Kaitlyn Yanish who put up a great AA total despite her composition issue on bars. Oregon State is building slowly and once its lineups settle down it could be quite scary.
VAULT: Thompson 9.850
BARS: Roberson 9.900
BEAM: Lazaro 9.925
FLOOR: Roberson, Yanish 9.900
AA: Roberson 39.475
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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