This MPSF tri meet isn’t particularly suspenseful: UC Davis looks set to dominate the conference for the whole year, especially if former all arounder Kyla Kessler can add more events back after opening the season with a little bit of ankle drama. The Aggies have looked fabulous so far in 2018 despite some injuries.
Sacramento State is having a miserable January after a series of injuries mean that it’s scraping the bottom of the depth barrel, especially on bars, where it has not yet broken 47.0 and typically takes falls on about half of its routines. Several critical underclassmen are in the latter stages of injury recovery, and if the Hornets can get a few more routines from those athletes they might be able to breathe a little easier.
For now, though, we’re in position for a bit of a landmark because per its media guide, Alaska hasn’t beaten Sacramento State since 1992, and it currently looks extremely likely to do so. The Seawolves got a great start at home, breaking several “highest score in January” program records, and on Friday it cruised to the second highest floor rotation in program history before being set back by bars.
Heard that Tara Catour went down in warm ups for Sacromento State, which ain’t good for the Hornets. She might still be able to do beam. Hoping for the best there, they can’t afford to lose much more.
ROTATION 1: UC DAVIS VAULT, SAC STATE BARS, ALASKA FLOOR
YEKTAPARAST – UCD: Tsuk tuck full, sliiight leg stagger in the air, hop in place. Nice clean start.
BELKOFF – CSUS: Pirouette I missed to bail, double lay piked down heavily and stuck. Not up to level but acceptable.
GREEN – UAA: Double back, great, Rudi is a littleunderrotated with a scoot back. Her choreo is quirky but she’s really committed to it. Switch half wolf full Popa, one and a half… misses the punch and sits her punch front. Unusual mistake, she’s typically super consistent.
LANDESS – UCD: Tsuk tuck full again, a bit bigger than Yektaparast, hops back staggered.
MATHIAS – CSUS: Misses first handstand, clear hip to bail a bit short, double lay pings off and has some form in the air and a hop in the place.
DECIOUS – UAA: Pressure on the freshman now. Her second full routine. Choreo is so cool, this is one of the best ones, Rudi messy in the air but solid landing. Front lay front full gorgeous, switch half to sissone?? I think that was. One and a half front lay. Fantastic!! She was right on her landings.
ITO – UCD: Yurchenko full feels off on the table, gets it around with middling amplitude, big hop forward and to one side.
NEBEL – CSUS: Fall on her Gienger. Released wrong, was never particularly close. Okay bail, bit of leg split but handstand happened, double lay hollowed and falls to her knees. I doubt she’ll get credit for the Gienger either.
MANCARI – UAA: Her lines are ridiculous. Front double full, landed really securely, first of two E passes for the Seawolves. Tour jete half to Popa is lovely. One and a half, front pike, dances out, AC Alina Cartwright just SCREAMED at her from the corner. Great Rudi. Alaska recovering well.
HEBERT – UCD: Solid full, a touch piked but lots of height with a step forward.
CSUS – WATLEY: Half turn to bail to pike hecht… nowhere near catching that. Repeats it straddled, gets it, full in dismount is HUGE and almost stuck.
MILLER – UAA: She’s super powerful and super smiley. Double back directly from round off is huge, scoots back but stays in bounds. Another scoot on her Rudi. Switch ring wolf full is good, one and a half front lay gorgeous. Fun!
JOHNSON – UCD: All right full, not quite as big as Hebert’s but more laid out with a similar landing.
BRENT – CSUS: Maloney to bail, bit of leg form but hitting positions, full in dismount RIGHT on the bar yikes, but sticks it. Nice!
FOX – UAA: Front lay Rudi is fabulous. She’s got a lot of presence, switch half Popa, double pike is a little underrotated, step forward.
KESSLER – UCD: Vault debut this year!! Full is great, little hop back. She was working a one and a half but has had a bit of drama with an ankle this month.
MARQUEZ – CSUS: Short on first handstand, blind Jaeger overshoot with a bit of knees but made it, another short cast, blind double front with two steps back but another hit!
HYDERALLY – UAA: Loooove the choreography but that’s old news now. Big step out of her front double full, RO-LOSO requirement pass that also works as choreo, tour jete half to Popa, front lay front full great. Awesome end to the rotation there.
CSUS putting up Kone in the exhibition here. Catches her Gienger, blind to straddle back nice, not quite there on every handstand but good dismount. Hit’s a hit.
Osborne on floor for UAA, this one is SO FUN. It’s a Michael Jackson medley, but completely different songs to Ohashi. Front lay front full hit, bit short on positions on her leap series. Rudi to stag is a bit chaotic, ending with Thriller, I think that was a whip half front lay? Great hit and a very credible #7.
UC DAVIS 48.650, ALASKA 48.550, SACRAMENTO STATE 46.075
Alaska had an amazing rotation there, not quite as perfect as Friday but proving that that performance was replicable. UC Davis was clean and drama-free as we’ve come to expect and Sac State put in one of its better bars performances of the season.
ROTATION 2: ALASKA VAULT, UC DAVIS BARS, SAC STATE BEAM
FANDRICH – UAA: Solid layout, a bit piked with a step back. She’s capable of a full, hoping we can get that back once she settles in.
ITO – UCD: Toe to Maloney, clean and beautiful, just short of handstand on her bail. Mostly hitting handstands, double lay hollowed with a step back.
BRAIDA – CSUS: Front aerial with a small check, full turn, BHS LOSO great. Switch switch half, really pretty, gainer full with a shuffle back.
NELSON – UAA: Almost identical layout to Fandrich, maybe a bit more distance with the same step.
HEBERT – UCD: Bail with a bit of leg stagger and short of HS. This is the weakest link of her fabulous all around set. Blind to pike Jaeger, close and awkward catch, toe on front pike dismount, stumbles back and falls. :((((
SCHMEISS – CSUS: Cool low to beam choreo, BHS LOSO a bit tentative but makes it. Switch side quarter to straddle half, full turn, Popa!, gainer full good with a hop.
GREEN – UAA: FHS front deep with a step back. Not sure if her butt touched down but not super optimistic.
KESSLER – UCD: Full turn to Gienger, loses her legs on the catch, really nice bail. Double lay hollow with a hop in place. Nice!
KOETH – CSUS: Walkover across the beam to front support, perfect, BHS LOSO BHS… somehow twisting in the handspring and does a quarter pivot to save it. Beat to ring jump, Front aerial great, full turn. She’s incredibly poised on beam, really looking forward ot her other events. BHS gainer full.
SCALAPINO – UAA: FHS front, really nice with a little step forward.
SUZUKI – UCD: Missed her release, really nice Pak, blind full double back underrotated with a bounce.
BRENT – CSUS: Side split mount, BHS LOSO lots of air, leg up check and falls. Switch split, good, switch half doesn’t make position, side aerial, full turn turns into a one and a quarter but she’s very smooth about it, gainer pike with a hop.
MARVEL – UAA: Tsuk tuck full is SO pretty in the air, slightly overpowered with a big step back.
LIDDLE – UCD: Huge Gienger, bit of leg split out, CH + bail… over the top of her handstand and falls. Back on, blind full double back stuck.
MATHIAS – CSUS: Switch switch side pretty good, front aerial BHS tentative but makes it. Ultra aggressive full turn, I can’t tell if that was meant to be a front aerial or a kickover front? to split, punch front full big and stuck DEAD. Nice!
FOX – UAA: Yurchenko Arabian, she had problems in warm up with that… basically stuck!! Saw a foot shift but that was fab.
LANDESS – UCCD: Way short on her first handstand, Gienger to overshoot by far the cleanest in the lineup. Made that handstand, double arabian dsmt with a side step. Nice!
YORK – CSUS: Subbing in for Catour, she’s been the exhibition but I think this is her college debut on beam. Switch to split 1/4, front aerial back tuck with a lean check but hangs on. Full turn nice, sideways straddle half makes split!, gainer front full with a big hop forward.
Chu in exhibition for UCD. Really nice until she underrotates her double back dismount and puts her hands down.
ALASKA 96.450, UC DAVIS 96.400, SAC STATE 94.425
LOL IF ALASKA WINS THIS MEET.
Realistically it would take more mistakes from the Aggies to make that happen, but great score for Alaska at the midpoint. Expect Davis to pick up the speed on beam now. I’ll be interested to see how scores go for Alaska on bars after they were assessed really harshly in San Jose on Friday.
ROTATION 3: ALASKA BARS, UC DAVIS BEAM, SAC STATE FLOOR
FOX – UAA: Full turn to bail to toe shoot, great. Just over on a cast but it’s no problem, double lay pretty with a step back. Best hit of the year for her to my memory!
SUZUKI – UCD: BHS LOSO, feels tentative in the air and she falls. Beat side aerial is good, switch straddle 1/4, side scale choreo, gainer full stuck.
PRATT – CSUS: She’s got a crazy medley too. It’s a Sac State tradition. Rudi a bit wild in the air but lands okay, switch side to Popa beautiful. One and a half front lay, great control, performing really well. Front lay front full to close. Awesome!
MANCARI – UAA: Clear hip to Gienger to overshoot, loses her legs quite badly in the middle but gets through, blind full double back stuck-ish.
LIDDLE – UCD: BHS LOSO beautiful. Aerial round off, full turn, split split 3/4, cartwheel gainer full with a step forward. Fantastic routine.
BRAIDA – CSUS: Double back really solid, front lay front full with some leg split, switch half… wolf full I think. Rudi to close is great.
GREEN – UAA: Not her day so far, let’s see if she can come back. Over on her first handstand, gets it back, giant to blind to Jaeger to overshoot… way short. Lands on her armpits which looks agonizing. Double front dismount is solid.
ITO – UCD: BHS BHS LOSO, gorgeous in the air, bends and has to grab the beam. Switch straddle 1/4, tic toc to knee <3 She’s such a pretty gymnast. Gainer pike SUPER close to the end but lands it.
MATHIAS – CSUS: Double pikeeee? I think to open, big lunge, solid on twisting pass in the middle, Really enjoying her choreo, more dramatic than the others so far and pulling it off, switch half Popa. Rudi lands short, hop back to lunge.
NELSON – UAA: Gorgeous lines, blind to pike Jaeger to overshoot FABULOUS. Maybe short on a cast there, half to half to double back with a hop back. Great recovery from the fall.
YEKTAPARAST – UCD: Swings up from under the beam, one of my favorite mounts, couldn’t pull it off if she weren’t so tiny. BHS LOSO beautiful, cat leap switch side perfect, switch half to beat, full turn, cartwheel gainer full with a hop. Best beam routine of the day to my eye.
BELKOFF – CSUS: Double pike to open is great, switch side wolf full, one and a half front lay. Not the most natural dancer, sticks her closing double back. Sac State is rocking this rotation.
HYDERALLY – UAA: Toe on to Pak, gorgeous, blind to Jaeger perfect. Half turn direct to double back with a step back. YES.
HEBERT – UCD: BHS BHS LOSO, hops straight off. Full turn, sissone switch side. One and a half dismount stuck.
SCHMEISS – CSUS: LOVE this routine, she’s such a performer. Front double full, cross step, switch side Popa. Double full great, this medley is NONSENSE, front lay front full a little bouncy.
MILLER – UAA: Blind to Jaeger, a little close, great bail, hitting handstands, blind full double back with a step back. UAA has been SO clean today.
LANDESS – UCD: Beat split 3/4 is good, BHS BHS LOSO with slightly odd timing but super secure. One and a half dismount underrotated with a side step.
BRENT – CSUS: Double pike to start, switch half to huge Popa, front lay front full great. Double back is short, rebounds forward and puts her hands down.
Decious in the bars exhibition for UAA. Hop change to Jaeger to overshoot, a little awkward but clean enough, hitting her handstands, blind to timer dismount. Think she’s been working a new double front.
Kessler for UCD, double stag handstand to BHS LOSO good. Cat leap switch half, off split which is unusual for her, beat split 3/4 also short. Full turn with a bonus quarter, one and a half dismount great.
UC DAVIS 144.700, ALASKA 144.650, SAC STATE 143.025
Alaska hanging tight at the top after some mistakes from Davis, and Sac State is on track for a season high too!
ROTATION 4: SAC STATE VAULT, UAA BEAM, UCD FLOOR
MATHIAS – CSUS: Okay Y layout to start, good form.
FOX – UAA: NAILED the triple series. Hitch kick switch half, great, tentative on her low beam choreo but that’s not much of a thing, punch front full dismount stuck-ish.
AGAH – UCD: SUCH a performer. Wolf one and a half was that?? Double back solid, switch ring? switch half, front lay front full, one and a half front pike. Really secure landings. Great start!
WATLEY – CSUS: Yurchenko tuck full with a big step back. Looked questionably rotated.
MANCARI – UAA: Front aerial BHS fantastic. Switch double stag, hitch kick front aerial, tiny adjustment, full turn. Gainer full dismount stuck. So good.
SUZUKI – UCD: Double pike, hop to lunge. Ferrari is great, one and a half front lay, switch ring tour jete half. Tons of leap difficulty in this one. One and a half front pike to close, hopping out of all these landings but it’s probably not a big deal.
SCHMEISS – CSUS: Yurchenko tuck full, chest a bit down but gets it under control easily with a hop in place. Best one so far.
MARVEL – UAA: Press handstand mount to split STUNNING. Seem that so many times and still can’t get over it. Full turn, split split 3/4 with a little lean. BHS LOSO, check, gets it back. Side aerial with a little pivot, she’s a little tentative but still so pretty, gainer full stuck.
LIDDLE – UCD: Two and a half twist, lands still twisting a touch but it’s fine. Double pike underrotated with a step forward, double stag leap in choreo is pretty. Switch ring with very minimal ring to tj1/2 I think, front lay front full a bit under but works through it.
BRENT – CSUS: Yurchenko full, pretty in the air, bounce forward.
ALONSO – UAA: She’s so pretty. Switch ring, little check, kickover front with another small lean. BHS LOSO and jumps off 🙁 Moonwalk, beat double stag, full turn, does a half turn on her knees which is fun, BHS one and a half dismount with a step forward.
LANDESS – UCD: Great performer. Double pike underrotated with a step forward, double back over with two steps back and an OOB. Great leaps, one and a half front lay with a tiny foot shuffle.
BELKOFF – CSUS: Yurchenko arabian, gorgeous in the air, big step forward.
SCALAPINO – UAA: Think this is her beam debut in 2019. Not the easiest time to do it immediately following a fall. Punch front a touch deep but okay, back tuck back tuck series clean but obviously the connection there is always going to be a liability. Cat leap switch side, full turn, one and a half dismount with a hop.
YEKTAPARAST- UCD: Front double full with a big bound out, second pass… front lay front half double stag or something like that, didn’t catch it perfectly, switch side Popa. Underrotated double back, step forward.
HYDERALLY – UAA: Front aerial front aerial, PERFECT. Switch straddle 1/4, split back tuck nailed. There’s just nothing to take in this routine, SO good. Full turn, performance is so good too, gainer pike stuck. That should be the beam title. Beam coach might be crying.
HEBERT – UCD: Love this Seven Nation Army routine. Stuck her double pike, fantastic, one and a half front lay with a big lunge, double back underrotated with a step forward.
This is going to be CLOSE.
Winter Osborne nailed it in the exhibition for Alaska.
FINAL: UC DAVIS 193.350, ALASKA 193.125, SACRAMENTO STATE 191.625
WHAT a meet. Season high for UAA and sixth best score in program history. UC Davis just barely managed to pull out the win after a rocky meet, but should be really happy that a rocky meet is a mid-193. Sac State cleaned up on floor to put up a season high by almost a point and a half, which is incredible after yet another injury.
VAULT: Kessler 9.800
BARS: Suzuki 9.750
BEAM: Hyderally 9.900
FLOOR: Hebert 9.850
AA: Fox 38.800
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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