It’s the battle of the “oh no, do we have enough routines to fill lineups?” teams in Seattle tonight, so buckle in.
In its (otherwise very good, so don’t panic) opening meet at Michigan last week, Washington scratched Brenna Brooks from her leg events at the last second. She is a risky bet on both since she has an inconsistent 10.0 vault and a brand new E pass that has never seen competition before, but we’re not sure if there was a particular factor that led to her being pulled. Meanwhile, key contributor Geneva Thompson was altogether absent from the same events, only competing bars. Her teammates were confident on social media that she will be back on her stronger events, but we still don’t have a timeline or explanation. Missing both left Washington with only five up on vault and floor, which is not hot and something I’d like to see fixed tonight. I’d also like to see the Washington beam rotation in any way at all, since the BTN+ video feed last week didn’t really make that happen!
Meanwhile, Boise State is reeling from the loss of Courtney McGregor after last weekend’s Achilles injury, and her absence will be felt worst on bars: Only five current Broncos besides McGregor have ever competed bars in college, and one of those has been mysteriously absent for several months. Boise State was forced to go five up on the event at UCLA last week, which already wasn’t great. A sudden return from Alexis Stokes would be amazing, but if it doesn’t happen, the Broncos will have to get creative. Hope Masiado did bars at one intrasquad, so maybe she could compete? We’ll see.
Rotation 1: Washington vault, Boise State bars
Hoffa (UW): Her first vault of the day because she doesn’t do reps for injury reasons. Yurchenko full, nice in the air with a big step back. 9.7
Bouza (BSU): Clear hip… not over the bar and she falls to one side and drops off. Clear hip to Tkachev, bail, double lay with chest a bit down and a hop back. 9.2
Copiak (UW): FTY, not super high but more laid out than she’s done before, hop back. 9.7
Bruden (BSU): Blind to Jaeger, soft knees, bail. Double layout a little whippy with a hop back. 9.775
Cunningham (UW): FTY, big and stuck. Nice! Keeps it laid out the whole way through which is usually a challenge. 9.875
Masiado (BSU): Toe on to Tkachev, odd shape, good Pak. Blind full double back with a little step back. Clutch in her college debut on bars. 9.85
Smith (UW): Tucked one and a half, awkward step back toward the table. Not good landing but she could have sat it. 9.675
Nilson (BSU): Clear hip to Tkachev, bail short with bent arms. Good double lay.
Roberson (UW): Nice FTY, her normal, big and easy. Step back but not big. 9.8
Muhlenhaupt (BSU): Blind to Jaeger to overshoot, nice, hitting handstands, double lay with a little scoot back. Really good one. 9.925
Thompson (UW): Dealing with a sore calf so no floor yet but first vault of the year here. Superior body position, little hop back. Goes for a high five with Meaghan Ruttan and gets a bear hug instead, cute. 9.825
After 1: Washington 48.900 – Boise State 48.575
48.9 is really good for Washington vault at home in January. That rotation is about getting through, so check. Masiado should be incredibly proud of hitting under pressure in her college bars debut.
Rotation 2: Boise State vault, Washington bars
Amado (BSU): FTY, a little low but just a small hop back. 9.725
Nelson (UW): Recently back from meniscus surgery. Jaeger to overshoot, clean, blind full with soft back to double back, step forward. 9.775
Nilson (BSU): FTY, bigger but bigger hop back as well. 9.7
Washington (UW): Clear hip to Gienger to overshoot, aggressive. FTDB dismount with messy legs as usual. 9.875
Masiado (BSU): Nice FTY, solid distance, hop back.
Brooks (UW): True Shap to clear hip to bail, great. Little leg split on the shap but not major. Tentative on a handstand on HB, blind full double back, hops feet together. Much better than freshman year. 9.85
Bouza (BSU): The first vault today I’d really describe as pretty. High, not as much distance, but drops down really nicely with just a little scoot. 9.8
Thompson (UW): Blind to Jaeger, not the best but high, big arch and saves it, bail. Pretty FTDB, stuck-ish. 9.775
Smith (BSU): FTY, powerful, two big steps back. 9.55
Roberson (UW): Pike Jaeger, great turnover, to overshoot. Double layout with a step back. 9.8
Bruden (BSU): FTY, piked down with a scoot back. 9.775
Copiak (UW): Pike Jaeger to overshoot, double lay stuck. That’s brand new this season. Massive. 9.850
Ruttan (UW): Exhibition. Tkachev, hits her foot on the bar, full turn to overshoot a little piked. Blind full toe on front with two quick steps forward.
After 2: Washington 98.050 – Boise State 97.400
UW bars scores weren’t in the order I’d have awarded at all, but that’s life. Everyone’s very clean so far apart from the Bouza bars fall, sucks that Boise has to count that.
Rotation 3: Washington beam, Boise State floor
Brooks (UW): Birthday girl in her second event of three. Kickover front BHS quick and secure. Switch split, full turn, front aerial to beat. Gainer full stuck, legs a bit wide in the Oklahoma style. 9.775 is mean.
Nilson (BSU): Double pike, bigger lunge. Switch side to Popa nowhere near around, one and a half front lay good. Rudi well done. I can’t actually hear the floor music so I have no idea what’s going on. Seeing a 9.9 SV flashed, hopefully they took the Popa. Well, judging conference happening. 9.625
Ruttan (UW): Side aerial LOSO, never quite over the beam and falls. Full turn, beat jump, switch split. One and a half twist stuck. 9.1
Smith (BSU): Double pike, runs back OOB. Hit double tuck, tour jete half Popa, rotation issue again. One and a half front lay. 9.375
Washington (UW): BHS LOSO, leg up check but hangs on. Side aerial, arm swing, switch side straddle straddle beautiful. Made an adjustment there to compensate for missing a connection out of her side aerial. Side aerial tuck back full with a hop back. 9.675
Popp (BSU): Double tuck great, switch ring switch half Popa not all the way around again! If they take it three times in a row… double pike looks overrotated but doesn’t cause a big issue, one and a half underrotated and sits. 8.975
Vandenkolk (UW): First competition routine in Hec Ed after a stress fracture in her back last year. Kick front BHS, switch split quarter. Beat jump, full turn, tentative Liukin but gets it. Gainer full stuck with an arm swing. 9.775
Elkabchi (BSU): Two and a half twist, runs OOB. Switch side Popa, now that one was rotated. Double pike good, one and a half front lay and falls similarly to Popp. 8.525
Copiak (UW): Full turn, BHS LOSO great. Cat leap switch half, check but gets it. Cat leap, trying to scrounge some extra bonus, cat leap side aerial back tuck full. 9.725
Amado (BSU): Double back great, love this Queen routine to death. Switch ring switch half, one and a half front lay. Double pike stuck-ish. 9.775 back on track!
Roberson (UW): Switch standing switch to split, so good, LOSO LOSO nailed. Cartwheel gainer full stuck. 9.85
Bruden (BSU): Double pike good, switch ring switch half I think, one and a half front lay. Good last pass. 9.775
Washington 146.850 – Boise State 144.925
Unqualified meltdown from Boise on floor. They’ll have to watch those turning leaps, plus not falling.
Washington lukewarm at best on beam. That rotation hasn’t been what it used to be for a while.
Rotation 4: Boise State beam, Washington floor
Bouza (BSU): Big check on BHS LOSO but gets it back, cat leap kick front. Front aerial, gainer pike with a reach to hold. 9.725
Brooks (UW): Double front, a little underrotated but gets it with a step back. One and a half front lay, switch ring wolf full. Front lay front full all right, a bit shuffly. 9.775
Popp (BSU): JUSTICE FOR ADI’S DOUBLE BACK BEAM DISMOUNT. Front aerial, switch half, BHS BHS layout nailed. Full turn, cat leap switch side, BHS BHS one and a half twist with a hop. 9.775
Ruttan (UW): Two and a half twist, big cross step, one and a half Barani to double stag. Cat leap tour jete full, double pike a touch low but all right. 9.775
Elkabchi (BSU): Full turn, BHS LOSO beautiful, beat side aerial. Switch straddle quarter, aerial round off with low chest, split half jump. One and a half twist stuck. Beautiful. 9.85
Cunningham (UW): Front tuck to double back, lovely. Switch half wolf full wolf full… given that they’re picky about those today let’s watch that, it was close but you could nitpick. Double pike great. 9.925
Masiado (BSU): L turn starting from one knee, lovely. BHS LOSO tentative, little check. Switch switch half beet, okay not great, side aerial tuck back full with a slide back. 9.825
Washington (UW): Double back, scoot back, front lay front full good, double pike well done. Switch side Popa great, well done. 9.925 hah okay she overrotated her first pass.
Amado (BSU): BHS BHS two foot lay, switch switch side. Moving through really quickly. Full turn, good one and a half dismount.
Roberson (UW): Front double full punch front, hop to lunge, great. Switch ring wolf full good, Rudi LOSO well done. 9.925!
Muhlenhaupt (BSU): BHS LOSO with a lean, switch half way short and a check. Beat sheep, nowhere close to position, side aerial and falls. Good dismount, that’s a bummer. 9.225
Hoffa (UW): Full in, nailed it, holds the landing for like five seconds just grinning. Front lay front full, tour jete half wolf full. Double back underrotated a little, lunge forward. 9.875
Final: Washington 196.275 – Boise State 193.975
Great bars and floor, normal vault, shakier beam than Washington would like. Boise desperately needs a sixth bars routine. Where is Stokes? Floor happened and wasn’t good but those freshmen will settle, I’m not panicked. You can have a trash road score in January.
VT – Cunningham (UW): 9.875
UB – Muhlenhaupt (BSU) 9.925
BB – Amado (BSU) 9.875
FX – Roberson, Washington, Cunningham (UW) 9.925
AA – Roberson (UW) 39.375
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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