These teams met for the first time this season in week two during the Big 10 conference’s opening weekend. Maryland was able to defeat Penn State for the first time in University Park. Penn State will hope to turn the narrative around and tie the series in College Park. Neither team has quite reached its potential, but each week stellar routines show off the ability of these programs. If only it could all be put together in one meet.
Penn State is coming off a season high performance on bars against Minnesota, but errors on beam cost it a season high score. The Nittany Lions are gorgeous on the event, but struggle with consistency. Particularly look for Cassidy Rushlow, Natalie Cross and Ava Verdeflor’s stunning flexibility and execution. If they can hit, the No. 44 ranked beam team should most certainly move up in the rankings.
Maryland has one of the best teams in program history, but they have fallen short of hitting on all four events. Seniors Audrey Barber and Sabbriya Rose are coming off of career highs and will look to lead the way for Maryland in its home opener. Maryland had to count low scores on beam and a fall on bars last week but was still able to capture the meet win and all individual titles.
Penn State is wearing the ombré leotard tonight, which is one of my personal favorites.
Taking on Maryland today in our stunning ombré lionhead leotard! #WeAre pic.twitter.com/Lb345hRDnK
— Penn State Women’s Gymnastics (@PennStateWGYM) February 5, 2021
The first meeting between these two teams did not count as a conference meet, so this will be the counting conference match between Maryland and Penn State.
Rotation 1: Maryland VT, Penn State UB
McClure (UMD): FTY, she gets nice amplitude off the vault. Large hop back. 9.8
Verdeflor (PSU): Blind Change to Straddle jaeger, slightly close to the bar with the catch, nice bail handstand, blind full double back, stuck. Beautiful toe point throughout. 9.8
Silberman (UMD): Full-on Tuck Off, chest low on landing and a hop back. 9.775
Johnston (PSU): Maloney, leg separation, Bail Handstand, nicely done, blind full to double back, small step back. 9.8
Gilbert (UMD): Okay so I think she typically does a Yurchenko half, but she just missed her hand and did a double back off it looks like? 9.275
Cross (PSU): Blind Change to straddle jaeger, stunning, short on handstand, bail handstand, short on final handstand, blind full to double back, stuck. 9.825
Burgess (UMD): FTY, nice block and distance off the table. Some soft knees in the air and a hop back on landing. 9.85
Bonsall (PSU): Maloney, leg separation, Bail handstand, DLO, step back. 9.8
Barber (UMD): FTY, beautifully done, small hop on landing. 9.8
Rushlow (PSU) Blind Change, small break in toe point, to Straddle jaeger to overshoot, nice final handstand, blind full to double back, questionable stick? 9.85
Rubio (UMD): FTY, some form and a step forward on landing. 9.725
Romagnano (PSU): nice low bar handstand, Maloney, Pak Salto, great, Stalder into Double back, unique combo, takes a hop back. 9.85
EXH:
Morris (UMD): Not sure what vault she did because they did not show it but she sat it down.
Howell (PSU): Short on final handstand, blind change to double tuck stuck.
AFTER ONE : Penn State 49.124, Maryland 48.950
Rotation 2: Penn State VT, Maryland UB
A solid first rotation for both teams here. Penn State has stunning form and toe point on bars. Every gymnast was able to score at least a 9.800. Maryland had good vaults and were able to drop Gilbert’s score. This second rotation will be key for both programs. Maryland had to count a fall on bars last week. Penn State is weak on vault and is looking to maximize on landings.
Bladon (PSU): FTY, way under rotated and falls to her knees. 9.0
Tsiknias (UMD): Bind Jaeger, loses her toe point, bail handstand, DLO, really nice form and a stuck landings. 9.825
Johnston (PSU):FTY, lacks amplitude and distance, hop on the landing. 9.75
LeBlanc (UMD): Blind half, soft knees, to Gienger, form issues, Bail, Blind full Double back, step back. 9.6
Bonsall (PSU): FTY, much better than the last two, hop back. 9.775
Weir (UMD): Nice first handstand, blind full loses toe point and form, Gienger, messy form and falls. short on final handstand, double back dismount, sticks. 8.9
Cross (PSU): FTY, soft knees and close to table but sticks the landing. 9.75
DeBarberie (UMD): Short on first handstand, Ray, bail, nice final handstand, DLO, step back. That’s a quick routine. 9.725
Rushlow (PSU): FTY, very pretty in the air, small hop back. She is training a y1.5, but it has not been done in competition yet this season. 9.825
Silberman (UMD): Gienger, falls. Maryland will be counting a fall on bars, remounts, short on handstand, Bail handstand, good, DLO, stuck. 9.0
Howell (PSU): FTY, slight form and a hop back on landing. 9.775 Career High
Barber (UMD): nice first handstand, Clear hip to Hindorff to overshoot, dismounts with a DLO, hop in-place. 9.8
EXH:
Osterhout (UMD): short on first handstand, jaeger to overshoot , nicely done, blind half to double front, super cowboyed a step forward.
Penn State was able to come back from a leadoff fall on vault. Maryland has to count a fall on bars for the second week in a row.
AFTER TWO : Penn State 98.000, Maryland 96.900
Rotation 3: Maryland BB, Penn State FX
Penn State has over a point lead heading into the final rotations. But, the Nittany Lions will end the meet on beam where constancy has been a struggle. Maryland will need to perform strong gymnastics and stay on each apparatus to overcome the deficit. Floor is a highlight for both teams.
Burgess (UMD): cat leap kickover front, beautiful, kickover front bhs, nicely done, switch straddle ¼, slightly under rotated, beat jump to side somi, solid, full turn, good, gainer front full, cross step forward. Probably one of her best. 9.775
Ayers (PSU): Love the choreography at the start. Really shows off her flexibility nicely, Punch front through to double back, steps back oob, switch side popa, gorgeous, Double Pike, good. ends with a double wolf full. 9.65
Weir (UMD): Bhs Loso, balance check on landing, beat jump to back loso, solid, switch straddle ¼, under rotated, full turn, wobble, cat leap switch side, short of rotation, bhs 1.5. large step forward. Commentators say its a stick.. but I personally don’t think so. 9.775
Bladon (PSU): Double Pike, low chest, okay jump pass, 1.5. to front tuck, under rotated and had to hop back. Double Back, saves the landing.. had to squat super low and take a large step back. Her form has some built-in deductions. 9.45
Rouse (UMD): Loso to straddle, bhs loso, balance check on landing, switch straddle ¼ , 1.5., large hop forward. 9.7
Rushlow (PSU): This may be one of my favorite routines this season. I just love the ballet components at the start, maybe I’m biast as a former ballerina, Double Tuck, nicely done, good leap pass, 1.5. To front lay, rudi to split jump. Penn State needed that one. 9.825
Silberman (UMD): bhs loso, soft knees, switch straddle ¼, nicely done, 1.5 dismount. Stuck. 9.8
Bonsall (PSU): Double Back, good, layout half to front full, good, Double Pike, takes a step forward. Solid routine.
McClure (UMD): Front aerial bhs, missed the first part of that connection, but there was a wobble between skills. switch straddle ¼, full turn, front toss, gainer front full, small step back. 9.85
Very impressed with Maryland’s comeback after a rough bars rotation.
Allen (PSU): I love the fact she added her E skill this year, DLO, nicely done but could use a bit more amplitude, switch side popa, Punch front through to double back, good. 9.8
Barber (UMD): front aerial, falls off, Bhs Loso, good, , kickover front to beat, nicely done, stunning split leaps, double twist, small movement on landing. 9.275
Astarita (PSU): Open double tuck, huge amplitude, great landing, 1.5. To front lay, nicely done, switch side popa, gorgeous, double pike, good. 9.825
EXH:
LeBlanc (UMD): Bhs Loso, soft knees, short on her leaps, full turn good, split jumps, just under 180 degrees, gainer full, stuck.
AFTER THREE : Penn State 147.000, Maryland 145.800
Rotation 4: Penn State BB, Maryland FX
Penn State has the lead heading into the final rotation, but Maryland was able to stay in the competition with solid performances on beam. The Terrapins can be great on floor. So the real question is to whether Penn State can stay on beam with minimal errors. If the Nittany Lions can hit, it could be one of the prettiest beam lineups this season, but they have yet to perform it in competition.
Romagnano (PSU): full turn, good, bhs Bhs Loso, slight balance check, split jump stag jump, good, side aerial to back tuck full. Sticks, but bends at hip. 9.8
Tsiknias (UMD): Rudi to a very floaty back loso, Switch ring tour jete half, form deductibles on her leaps, front double full, under rotated and takes a large cross legged step. 9.8
Verdeflor (PSU): Wolf turn, front aerial to korbut, very slow connection, shows off her flexibility nicely, side aerial, split jump stag jump, stunning , side somi to tuck full, small hop back. 9.65
Silberman (UMD): Rudi to back loso, Switch side popa, good, front double full, nicely done. She has some nice choreography in her routine as well. 9.8
Johnston (PSU): Bhs loso, some soft knees, split jump to Sheep jump, side aerial, solid, RO 1.5. Stuck. 9.85
McClure (UMD): Double back, nice height but has to take a large step oob, front lay to rudi, almost slips on the landing, large step back, tour jete half popa, under rotated, front lay front full, good. 9.8
Cross (PSU): full turn, good, split jump to sheep jump, beautifully done, front toss to beat beat jump, RO 1.5, step back on landing. 9.775
Rouse (UMD): She has “Drop it like its hot,” as the start of her floor music. High Double Pike, 1.5 front lay, good, tour jete half popa, double back, Stuck landing. Great routine for Maryland. 9.875
Rushlow (PSU): beat jump to split ¾, nicely done, bhs loso, good, split jumps, beautifully done, side aerial, solid, full turn, RO 1.5. Stuck. 9.925
Burgess (UMD): Triple Twist, love the difficulty, has a hop back on landing. Switch half wolf triple, front lay front full, nicely done. 9.825
Bladon (PSU): Bhs loso, rough form and falls off, cat leap side somi, nicely done, switch to side aerial, gainer full. stuck. 9.4
Barber (UMD): Full-in, lands with a low chest and takes a step forward, 1.5 to front pike, solid, split leap popa, popa. good, Double back, stuck. 9.775
EXH
Ayers (PSU): Front aerial to bhs , split jump to switch side 1/4 developee to back walkover, Stunning, front aerial, nice, side aerial full, stuck.
LeBlanc (UMD): Camera joined mid routine, wolf full, front lay front full front lay, nice three connection pass. 1st pass was a double pike.
Rothenbuescher (UMD): Double tuck, unsteady on landing, 1.5. to front lay, under rotated but lands it.
Penn State will end the night with a season high score and its first dual meet win against Maryland. The team was able to finally hit beam and did not have to count a fall towards the competition score today. Maryland struggled on bars yet again and will look to fix those errors as the season continues on.
Final: Penn State 196.00, Maryland 194.900
AA Winner: Cassidy Rushlow 39.475
VT Winner: Collea Burgess, 9.85
UB Winner: Cassidy Rushlow & Bella Romagnano, 9.85
BB Winner: Cassidy Rushlow, 9.925
FX Winner: Sabriyya Rouse & Cassidy Rushlow, 9.875
Live blog by Katie Walsh
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