LIVE BLOG: No. 23 Utah State at No. 17 Southern Utah

Event Coverage, Live Blogs, NCAA WAG
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Who’s ready for a Friday night MRGC matchup? I know I am!

This meet has the potential to be an interesting one. Both teams had rocky starts, though Utah State has shown more inconsistency than Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds haven’t scored below 196 in a month, alternating between low 196s and mid-196s.

Utah State peaked at 196.250 two weeks ago at Boise State, but it hasn’t been able to gain much traction. This is an Aggie team with potential, though it is still a young team trying to learn the ropes of collegiate gymnastics. Freshman Brianna Brooks has emerged as a bright spot for the Aggies, especially with the opt out of Sofi Sullivan. Autumn DeHarde returned to competition a month ago and has been the rock Utah State needs on beam and floor.

Southern Utah is slowly building. The Thunderbirds are seemingly taking every curveball thrown at them and making the most of the opportunities. Between Mayson Bentley’s emergence, Molly Jozwiakowski debuting on bars when Hannah Nipp had to take time off, and the freshmen, there’s a lot to like about this team. Speaking of freshmen, Aubri Schwartze had quite the meet last week, scoring a 9.875 on beam and a 9.9 on floor. She’s always had potential and it’s great to see her putting things together in a meet setting. Oh, and it’s Southern Utah’s senior night, so we may or may not see some crazy scoring. To be determined. Or maybe we’ll get a fun story like Megan McBride last season. Nothing will probably top that. But it’s senior night, so anything’s possible.

Watch on PlutoTV and follow along with stats here.

Rotation 1

USU bars lineup:

hm, no Brianna Brooks.

One of our commentators is Madison Loomis, who graduated from SUU last year!

The arena is playing the “hey, baby” song and it’s really throwing me back to Colorado Rockies games.

SUU in its pretty ombre leo!

McClain (SUU): yfull, clean in air, small hop. 9.825

Le Varnadore (USU): Maloney to bail hs, good; stuck double tuck. 9.7

Tervort (SUU): yfull, pretty, hop in place. entry leg sep. 9.85

Meyer (USU): long wait, because bars judges this year suck. good first hs; straddled jaeger direct to bail solid. think she just hit her feet. fine next hs, blind full double tuck stuck. 9.475

C Kho (SUU): yfull, leg sep, short and bounds forward. 9.775

Rojas (USU): Maloney bail good; slightly short next hs; dlo, slightly loose, hops forward. 9.775

Smith (SUU): yfull on tuck stuck. 9.9

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362951040958521346?s=20

my stream appears to be a full routine behind the live stats.

Jackson (USU): jaeger to bail, ftdt hop. 9.8

Alfaro (SUU): yfull, super clean, flared, hop back. 9.85

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362951658422947842?s=20

Fishwick (USU): good first hs; maloney to bail hs great; I missed her next hs; double front, step forward. Good.

Jozwiakowski (SUU): let’s see if she does her upgrade. she does! tsuk tuck 1.5. nailed it! Great for her! 9.85

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362951947863515138?s=20

Aragon (USU): good first hs; clear hip tktachev, then loses her rhythm. bail hs, short next hs; blind full double tuck, small step back. 9.425

AFTER 1: Southern Utah 49.275, Utah State 48.525

That start wasn’t ideal for Utah State. The Aggies couldn’t seem to find their groove, and no Brianna Brooks hurt this lineup. Meanwhile, Southern Utah came out on fire on vault. That’s the kind of rotation the Thunderbirds want to have moving forward. Also Molly Jozwiakowski hit her upgrade, and that’s freaking amazing.

Rotation 2

USU vault lineup:

DeHarde making her season vault debut.

SUU wearing green bows for mental health awareness week at SUU.

Wells (USU): yfull, clean, slightly low chest. 9.8

Thomas (SUU): great first hs; Maloney to pak, good; fine next hs, small mistake on low bar; great final hs; dlo, small hop forward. 9.65

Rojas (USU): yfull, large hop back. 9.725

Schwartze (SUU): piked jaeger, pretty; great next hs; bail hs, good; good final hs; blind full double tuck stuck. One of the best routines I’ve seen her do. 9.85

Le Varnadore (USU): yhalf, pretty and stuck. 9.875

McClain (SUU): fine first hs; clear hip gienger good; hits bail; short final hs; dlo, hop forward. Solid.  9.775

DeHarde (USU): yfull, clean, stuck. 9.825

Nipp (SUU): missed the beginning. good hs; bail pretty; great next hs; tiniest step back. 9.925!

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362956351375241216?s=20

Somehow these commentators keep missing one judge’s score and keep announcing the wrong score…

Lo Varnadore (USU): yhalf, couldn’t see landing super well but seemed slightly worse than her twin sister’s. 9.8

Murakami (SUU): great first hs; blind change jaeger straight to bail pretty; good next hs, but tiny arch; ftdt small hop. 9.875

Meyer (USU): yfull, piking, hop. 9.725

Bentley (SUU): good first hs; pretty ray to bail, good; slightly short final hs; dlo, fights for stick but hops forward. 9.875

Katie W’s Mayson Bentley article just got a shoutout in the stream!

Jozwiakowski (SUU, exh): so good to see her doing bars, even as an exhibition. straddled jaeger, some toes, but good; bail, good; great final hs; dlo, small hop. Great for her.

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362958352033013766?s=20

AFTER 2: Southern Utah: 98.575, Utah State: 97.600

Utah State will want to build on that vault rotation. That was a much better lineup than the opening bars for the Aggies. Southern Utah showed just how good it can be on bars, and Jozwiakowski even got to exhibition.

Rotation 3

USU floor lineup:

Murakami (SUU): bhs loso bhs, secure; split to sheep, good; side aerial tuck full, the tiniest shuffle! Great start, per usual, for Murakami and the Thunderbirds. 9.8

Toomey (USU): opening front double full, good landing; solid leaps; ro 1.5 to lay, step forward slightly uncontrolled. 9.8

Smith (SUU): ro loso, super secure; cat leap split full good; ro 1.5, small step. Love seeing her come into her own on beam. 9.775

Le Varnadore (USU): opening double pike, v powerful and a lunge hop. ro 1.5 to lay, good; switch side popa, good extension. ugh, my stream just died for a sec. finishes with a solid double tuck. 9.825

Nipp (SUU): pretty front aerial; bhs loso, pretty; split 3/4, good extension; split split 3/4, pretty; stuck gainer full. 9.9

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362961045354991617?s=20

Meyer (USU): front lay to Rudi, short and chest low; this music is something. great splits on leaps; double tuck, overrotated and rolls back. Looks like her ankles may not feel the best…8.9

McClain (SUU): bhs loso, secure; cat leap side aerial, looked slightly off but doesn’t show it at all; split leap straddle 1/2 good; ro 1.5 stuck. Such. A. Rock. 9.9

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362961642661711872?s=20

Wells (USU): great opening double pike; middle pass good; split half popa popa solid; ends with a solid Rudi. 9.85

Wissman (SUU): front aerial bhs good; switch switch split, slightly off but covers; correction on full turn; cat leap front toss beat secure;  gainer full, low chest but stuck. 9.8

DeHarde (USU): great double pike to open; fhs Rudi shush good; switch side popa with nice extension; into this Seven Nation Army Music; fhs Rudi loso, good. 9.875

Schwartze (SUU): side aerial, good; split sheep beat, secure but not the greatest sheep ever; bhs loso, pretty; gainer full, stuck. Great way to close the SUU beam lineup. 9.9

Jackson (USU): big opening double tuck with a nice landing; front lay front full, clean; good leap series; double pike, solid. 9.8

LaDieu (SUU): pretty press handstand to double stag mount; side aerial split secure; switch straddle 1/4 looked good from this angle; side aerial tuck full hop step.

AFTER 3: Southern Utah 147.875, Utah State 146.750

Have yourself a day, Southern Utah! Team record watch…197.225 is the score to beat. What a great beam rotation (and a pretty one too). Floor is always a highlight for Utah State, and the Aggies didn’t disappoint. Despite the middle of the lineup mishap, the Aggies came through so they don’t have to count that fall.

Rotation 4

Utah State beam lineup:

Wells (USU): split 3/4 (?), big wobble, looked down to type and she fell on the next skill; ro double full, step. Feel like I missed more than I thought I did. 9.325

Horton (SUU): last minute lineup switch, she’s in for Vultaggio. ro 1.5 to front full, knees on full and kind of has to pull it around. good Rudi; switch side popa with good extension; ro 1.5 to lay good. That’s how you want to start the lineup! 9.825

Le Varnadore (USU): bhs loso, secure; front aerial beat, good; ugh, stream goofed again. Missed things. Gainer tuck 1.5 small step hop. Great bounce back routine for Utah State. 9.825

Schwartze (SUU): front double full, largeish lunge; split full wolf full, good; Rudi loso, good control. 9.875

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362968855786659842?s=20

Jackson (USU): bhs loso, small front foot adjustment; cat leap switch half beat good; ro 1.5, knees and a hop forward. 9.775

Smith (SUU): ro whip to double tuck stuck; good leap series directly to shush; Rudi, good. 9.825

Dittmar (USU): pretty press handstand mount; bhs loso, secure; beat jump split 3/4 good; bhs bhs 1.5, small hop. 9.825

McClain (SUU): not doing the full in today, just a double pike, good; ro 1.5 to lay also good; solid leaps; double tuck, great landing. 9.925. Have yourself a day, Karley McClain!

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362969731611848705?s=20

DeHarde (USU): front aerial beat, secure; bhs loso, good; pike jump straddle 3/4, solid; gainer full stuck. 9.925

Nipp (SUU): opening double pike, good; fhs front full lay, riiight to the line. double tuck, good. If this was her last home routine, it was a good one. 9.925

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362970568635543558?s=20

Bayles (USU): front aerial pause bhs bhs pretty; switch leap tuck 3/4, very extended and pretty leap; ro 1.5, small hop. Anddd USU made it the rest of the way with no falls. No counting the leadoff fall!

Jozwiakowski (SUU): front double full punch front good; great leap pass; back double full, good; great Rudi to close. Again, if this was her last home routine, she ended with a good one. 9.875

https://twitter.com/SUUGym/status/1362971036581466113?s=20

Fishwick (USU, exh): bhs loso, check; fine leaps; overturns her turn; gainer layout, stuck.

DeFilippo (SUU, exh): front full front lay good; good leaps; double tuck, maybe slightly low chest; switch half popa good.

FINAL: Southern Utah 197.300, Utah State 195.975

What a night for Southern Utah! Maybe a touch of home, senior night scores, but an impressive performance nonetheless. Utah State was so close to 196 but falls 0.025 short. A good bars rotation would’ve done it. Lots of room for improvement for the Aggies, but lots of good to build on too. Brianna Brooks’ absence is something to watch, though…

EVENT WINNERS:
VT: Smith 9.9
UB: Nipp 9.925
BB: DeHarde 9.925
FX: McClain, Nipp 9.925
AA: McClain 39.425

Live Blog by Tara Graeve

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