Maryland has been on fire so far in 2020. The Terps have gone 48-for-48 in their first two meets. They’ve been strong, as always, on bars, and strong enough on the other three to make some waves. If they can keep on 196-plus pace, some of their Big Ten foes will be nervous. Maryland took down Iowa for the first time since joining the conference last time out.
Ohio State, on the other hand, has had some big hiccups through its first two meets. Its 2019 beam woes have bled over into 2020, and strong bars and floor rotations haven’t been able to make up the difference. This is a 196 team that can challenge Maryland, if it hits. That’s a big if, though.
Central Michigan got off to another strong start in the MAC, and is as dangerous a team as ever. The Chippewas are absolutely capable of beating both Big Ten teams here. They’ll be looking for a high-195, or a 196 for a big hit.
Well, we’re one minute past the hour and the stream hasn’t started. Par for the course.
While we wait, here is Maryland’s very spirited leo. We appreciate the Terps’ commitment to their flag!
Reppin the BEST flag in the B1G pic.twitter.com/X8GhBBklDm
— Maryland Gymnastics (@TerpsGymnastics) January 25, 2020
This meet is a military appreciation shindig, so I have to think some sort of National Anthem ceremonial something is what is holding us up. BTN+ meets are always late, but we’re going on 10 minutes here.
Maryland just tweeted (13 after the hour) that folks should tune in now so my hopes are up that we’re about to roll.
HEYO WE HAVE VIDEO.
Rotation 1: Ohio State vault, Maryland bars, Central Michigan beam
Rowland (tOSU): Yfull, some pike throughout, big step forward. 9.625
Demarinis (CMU): Bhs loso knees in both and a check. Switch side, good. We cut away for a replay of Rowland cool cool. 9.7
Lowe (tOSU): Aepli is a hype machine at the end of the runway. Yfull, better hips, small hop, some very obvious foot form. A better vault overall, though. 9.725
Abanto (tOSU): Yhalf, hop forward and again some foot form. 9.775
Malas (tOSU): This is going to be a home-team heavy stream, the BTN+ way. Yfull, some loose knees and a hop back. 9.675
Aepli (tOSU): Yfull, tiiiiny hip angle and a small hop. 9.825
Parker (CMU): coming in for the dismount, RO 3/2, some knee form and a step forward, hearing she fell. 9.275
Jennings (tOSU): Yfull, CLEAN in the air, college stick. 9.9, not mad at that all.
Peterman (UMD): Great DLO dismount. 9.775
Wright (UMD): Ray, big to bail great body form, blind 1/1 + her signature double tuck, stuck. 9.875
Demers (CMU): She’s had trouble hitting, so coming after a fall is tough. Here’s hoping we get to see her whole routine. Beat + straddle 1/1, cheated the rotation a tiny bit. Cat + front aerial, covers a check very well. Check on the full turn. Bhs loso, stumbles and falls. CMU counting a fall already here. Side aerial 1/1, stuck. Really gorgeous routine. She’ll figure it out eventually. 9.3
Barber (UMD): GREAT last handstand, DLO, very nice body position, small step. 9.9
Now we’re watching Maryland chalk the bar instead of seeing beam! Cool. Cool cool cool.
Tong (CMU): Bobbled a touch on the full turn. Side aerial 1/1, stuck. Glad we didn’t get to see the rest of that.
Pedrick (CMU): Okay well we heard her name announced and are seeing a bars replay. Bhs loso clean. Cat + switch 1/2, little shy of 180. Steady front aerial. RO 2/1, stuck. Nice! 9.875
AFTER ONE: UMD 49.125, tOSU 48.900, CMU 48.025
Well this is off to an interesting start. The Chippewas were very unsteady on beam, and have some ground to make up to be sure. Bars is Maryland’s strongest piece, so this score is fine but probably not as high as it would like. Ohio State’s score is right about in its sweet spot on vault, so the Buckeyes will be pleased.
Rotation 2: Ohio State bars, Maryland beam, Central Michigan floor
If you feel like this meet is slow, correct. Very. Yes.
The camera is just wildly jumping around. I don’t know why.
Pitchell (CMU): Full-in, step back, wow in the leadoff!
Hinterberger (tOSU): bail hand nice. Good handstands. Blind 1/1 double tuck, low, chest down, step forward.
We’ll literally get two seconds of someone waiting to mount the beam, then a half second of a floor routine, followed by jumping into the middle of a bar set. I’m losing my mind.
Schweitzer (tOSU): Bail hand lovely. Blind 1/1 little late stuck double tuck.
The stats feed is all over the place and wrong, too, so. Everything is FINE.
Peterman (UMD) Bhs loso good. Side somi she has weird technique but no movement. Switch low back leg and a check. Split + straddle 1/4, all short of 180 aaaand we’re cutting away!
JUST SHOW ME ONE FULL ROUTINE CAMERA PEOPLE.
Adamski evidently just hit.
Demarinis (CMU): lol we cut away immediately. Came back in time to see her crunch her landing on her combo pass a bit. Double pike, low chest and lunged forward.
Aepli (tOSU): Toe hand to Maloney clean backswing to bail hand, good. Half in half out stuck. Wow! 9.925, correct
Farina (UMD): had a fall on her series, and is quite off. Maryland’s first miss so far this year.
Miller (tOSU): Missed her Maloney, fell trying to repeat it.
Tong (CMU): 3/2 + pike, stepped a bit uncontrolled out. Double pike, soft knees, good landing.
Rouse (UMD): Standing loso, medium check, she usually connects, will repeat. Bhs loso, soft knees to split. Switch + straddle 1/4, missed both 180s. RO 3/2 hop forward.
Pedrick (CMU): Ha we cut away as soon as she saluted to see Edwards bars exhibition, which is going well. Pedrick nailed her 3/1 in the background, and now we’re seeing replays. I am not amused. Okay Pedrick again, her combo pas was solid. Fun choreo for her as always. Double pike to end, slightly uncontrolled lunge.
Wright (UMD): Gainer pike held the stick.
Barber (UMD): Front aerial, she’s off balance and holds on by balancing on one foot. Bhs loso, very good control. Front toss + beat, solid. Switch + split, soft knees. RO 2/1 true stick.
Silberman (UMD, exh): Switch + loso, soft back knee. Bhs loso, same knee issues, medium bobble, she turned to the side. Switch + straddle 1/4, her splits are stellar. RO 3/2, step forward.
AFTER TWO: tOSU 98.175, UMD 97.200, CMU 96.850
Well this is very interesting. Maryland’s first two falls of 2020 came in the same rotation, so they’re counting one which left space for Ohio State to snag the lead. Central Michigan was good on floor, but it wasn’t enough to overcome its start on beam. The Buckeyes have struggled on beam so far in 2020, and it seems cursed here today, so hold onto your hats folks, because anything can happen in this next rotation.
Rotation 3: Ohio State beam, Maryland floor, Central Michigan vault
Johnson (CMU): Yfull, some pike and a hop.
Schweitzer (tOSU): Front aerial with a big bend at the hips. Bhs loso nice knee extension and clean landing. Switch + split the second was short of 180. Ring jump, not there on the position, dropped her shoulder a touch. Side aerial 1/1 stuck. 9.475, ring likely not credited.
Tong (CMU): Yhalf, nice body position, big step forward.
Demarinis (CMU): Yfull, closed hips and she twisted onto the table.
Swartzentruber (tOSU): Lovely and clean bhs loso. Cat + front toss + beat, got those connections. Switch + split 1/2, short on both splits. Gainer 1/1 off the side stuck.
Abanto (tOSU): switch + straddle 1/4, good. Front aerial + beat, check in between. Split + straddle 1/4. Gainer pike off the end, couldn’t see her feet I think she hopped.
Williams (CMU): Huge Yfull, very clean body position.
Silberman (UMD): Switch side popa, great splits and solid rotation. FHS 2/1 last pass! Wow. Clean landing.
Pedrick (CMU): DTY, some knees and hip angle, hop to the side.
Hankins (tOSU): Bhs loso loso so clean! No deductions. Switch + switch, tiniest check. RO 2/1, I think she stuck, couldn’t see her feet. Okay, small slide back upon replay.
Rouse (UMD): Bit of a wait for her. aaand we’re cutting away. Got replays of her passes, they were all clean with a bit of a foot slide on each.
Hodges (tOSU): Bhs loso, just a touch off and she falls. Now the pressure is on for this team. The falls can snowball. Gainer loso, clean. Switch jump + straddle 3/4, good 180s. RO 3/2, true stick.
Barber (UMD): Full-in, great in the air, slight adjustment on the landing. 3/2 + front pike, good. Switch to popa + tuck 3/2, some imprecise positions. Double tuck, little deep and forward on the landing.
Lowe had a fall on her series, we’re seeing in the replay. So, here we are again.
Wright (UMD): She’s such a dynamic performer. Front lay + front 1/1, little bit of an exaggerated arch. Switch + switch ring 1/2. Oh no announcer man just called her music exotic. Sir, do not. Double tuck, overpowered and hopped back, think she maybe went OOB.
Jennings did an exhibition on beam, I think her first non-vault routine in college? It was a hit!
After 3: tOSU 146.350, CMU 145.875, UMD 145.875
Beam. Beam beam beam beam beam. All three teams were crunched in the low 48s here, which is. Not where any of these three want to be! This will come down to the wire to be sure. I’m waiting on Wright’s floor score here to see just where we’re at. And there it is CMU and UMD are TIED! Well then.
Rotation 4: Ohio State floor, Maryland vault, Central Michigan bars
LOL I thought we were about ready and the last UMD floor exhibition just started. This is the slowest four-or-fewer teams meet I’ve ever covered. Not an exaggeration.
McClure (UMD): Yfull, hop back, clean hip position.
Rowland had a music delay, stepped off.
Rowland (tOSU): OK here we go for real. Front lay + rudi, gorgeous! Double pike, big lunge back, slid her front foot, probably .1 there. Switch side + Popa, cheated the popa by overcooking the switch. Front lay + front 1/1, clean.
Glauber (UMD): Yfull, piked down a bit and hopped back.
Johnson (CMU): Full-in, strong landing.
Hodges (tOSU): hearing that she overpowered her first pass a bit, don’t know if she fell or not. We’re watching replays yay. OK now she’s live. 3/2 + front lay, good control. Ah, okay she did fall on the first.
Demarinis (CMU): Blind + double front, stepped forward. She pulled in quite close to the bar.
Rubio (UMD): Yfull, pulled her feet together, but they could go stick if they’re feeling it, clean in the air.
Tong had a fall on her release. Toe shoot, full-in, step back.
Hearing Abanto had a big hit on floor.
Hankins (tOSU): Full-in, low chest and steps forward. Front lay + barani + split with some soft knees. Clean on her leap series. Double tuck, great chest up landing and amplitude.
On replay we saw that Pedrick had a bit of a close catch on her Tkachev.
Aepli (tOSU): Held her combo pass landing. Good leaps. She’s one of the Billie Eilish crew, and it works for her. Double pike, little deep in her knees.
This will be close!
Gagliardi (tOSU): I love this routine. Double pike, maybe a tiny foot slide. Front lay + rudi, clean. Switch side + popa, maybe a touch shy. Double tuck, deduction-free landing. Really excellent.
That’ll do it! Ohio State will take this one.
Adamski (tOSU, exh): Stranger Things music! Double pike, slides back on the lunge. Switch side popa, not exact on the rotation. 3/2 + front lay good. Now it’s Willy Wonka. Double tuck, flies out of it and hops OOB.
FINAL: Ohio State 195.500, Maryland 195.250, Central Michigan 194.325
Event winners:
VT Barber, Rubio, Jennings 9.900
UB Aepli, Swartzentruber 9.925
BB Hankins 9.900
FX Gagliardi 9.925
AA Pedrick 39.375
Live blog by Emily Minehart
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