Hi, hello there, welcome!
Utah has been consistent this season, and even more so of late–its past four scores have differed by 0.25. The Utes have shown that they’re a great team, the question is if they can break past that 197.5 like most other top teams. That’s what Utah will want to do here if it wants to control its own fate in the rankings, as No. 5 Minnesota and No. 6 Alabama both have a higher peak than Utah at the moment. Maile O’Keefe has emerged as a steady all arounder for the Utes, and freshman Lucy Stanhope is making Salt Lake City her home.
Oregon State had a rough start to the season but has found its ground and improved in every meet so far. Floor has been a highlight for Oregon State this season, capped off by Kaitlyn Yanish’s stellar set. Kayla Bird has been a pleasant surprise for the Beavers, emerging as a much-needed all-arounder on a depleted, depth-lacking team.
Bars will be a particularly interesting event to watch today. It’s both teams’ weakest event, Oregon State more so than Utah. Utah at least has the pieces to make bars good; Oregon State is just scraping the barrel at this point for someone who can actually do a bar routine. A good bar rotation for Utah will set the tone for the rest of the meet, while Oregon State is very much on the “we just want to get through bars” train with a side of “I didn’t even know you could do bars.”
Rotation 1
OSU Vault:
The Beavers will start on the vault with Kayla competing first! #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/ZY0SSaURZJ
— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) March 6, 2021
Bird (OSU): yfull, some pike, hop back. 9.75
Paulson (Utah): missed beginning; mal pak; gook next hs; double tuck stuck. 9.725
Peterson (OSU): tsuk full on tuck, hop back. 9.725
Sabado (Utah): good first hs; straddled jaeger pretty, slightly close catch; bail hs good; nice final hs; dlo, leg sep but stuck.
Yanish (OSU): yfull, nice form, flared, tiny hop back. 9.875
Stanhope (Utah): good first hs; Mal to bhardwaj, slightly close and muscles up hs; giant full, tries to muscle it and can’t, comes off the bar. and we cut away for vault? Jk we back. and they still vaulted. did not see. finishes with a strong but cowboyed double front with a small step. 9.275
S Gonzales (OSU): ok good, we get a replay. yfull on pike with a tiny hop. 9.9
Long delay, not surprising considering the fall plus bars judges this year
LeBlanc (Utah): good first hs; straddled jaeger to bail, pretty; good next hs; dlo, clean and stuck. That’s the routine Utah wanted. 9.875
https://twitter.com/UtahGymnastics/status/1368006787681546241?s=20
L Dagen (OSU): yfull, super clean, small hop. 9.85
O’Keefe (Utah): great first hs; Maloney slight sep to pak, good; nice next hs; double front stuck. 9.95, career high!
That's a career-high 9.95 on bars for Maile O'Keefe!! pic.twitter.com/JgxLmZ1tJ0
— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) March 6, 2021
M Dagen (OSU): 1.5 today, sizable hop forward. 9.8
Isa (Utah): good first hs; straddled tkatchev, good; bail hs, nice; dlo stuck. 9.9
https://twitter.com/UtahGymnastics/status/1368007886186541061?s=20
AFTER 1: Utah 49.225, Oregon State 49.175
The second half of Utah’s bars was much better than the first, though the first two weren’t bad. Utah will want to go higher, though. Oregon State’s a good vault team, so this performance isn’t too surprising. Landings weren’t IT today for the Beavers on vault, but the foundation is there.
Rotation 2
OSU bars:
Madi Dagen will open the bars…NEXT! #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/aenxuXpmmQ
— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) March 6, 2021
Isa (Utah): yfull, flared, almost leans back too far, but just hops back. 9.775
M Dagen (OSU): good first hs; fine bail; giant full double tuck small step. 9.7
Hall (Utah): y1.5, step forward. 9.85
Hoiland (OSU): good first hs; piked jaeger flexed feet slightly close; bail hs fine; good next hs; double tuck tries to hold stick but takes step. 9.725
O’Keefe (Utah): yfull, clean and stuck. she’s hyped, and I’m hyped for her. 9.9
https://twitter.com/UtahGymnastics/status/1368010307969245186?s=20
Young (OSU): ok first hs; so. many. circles. Maloney to bail, good; good next hs; dlo, some pike, hop back. 9.625
Stanhope (Utah): y1.5, woof that did not look good on the knees – landed lock legged, short and a step back. 9.825
Mack (OSU): fine first hs, foot form; fine tkatchev, fine bail, just persistent feet. ftdt, small step. 9.6
Rucker (Utah): y1.5, step forward. 9.9
Bird (OSU): good bail hs; tkatchev, good; ftdt, small step. 9.75
Burch (Utah): y1.5, small hop. 9.85
Peterson (OSU): missed beginning; bail but with bent arms and caught weird, saves it though; ends with a fine double tuck. Shanking her wrist. 9.425
AFTER 2: Utah 98.550, Oregon State 97.575
Solid vault rotation for Utah, though it’ll want to dial into some of those landings. Oregon State got through bars, which is really all it can ask for.
Rotation 3
OSU beam:
Kristina Peterson starts us off on the balance beam! #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/uRr5umMT4A
— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) March 6, 2021
Peterson (OSU): doing beam, wrist must be fine; switch half, tiny check; bhs Bhs loso good; split straddle 3/4, good. gainer pike, small hop back. good leadoff. 9.85
Gilstrap (Utah): good double tuck. I love her music & choreography! underrotates Rudi but lands on feet; great extension on leaps; lay lay full good. Shame about the middle pass. 9.65
L Gonzales (OSU): last minute lineup change, I guess. front aerial, bhs some knees; switch straddle 1/4, good; cat leap front toss, secure; side aerial lay full, small shuffle step. 9.85
Isa (Utah): double tuck, good; double pike, solid; good, extended leaps; ro 1.5 to lay, good. 9.85
Young (OSU): front aerial slow swing back tuck, secure; switch split double stag, good; gainer front full, good. 9.85. So I guess you get a 9.85, you get a 9.85, and you get a 9.85!
Paulson (Utah): lay lay full stag jump, good; ro bhs 2.5, clean and controlled; good leaps; ro 1.5 to lay, nice. 9.85
Domingo (OSU): front aerial back tuck, secure; switch straddle split 3/4, solid; stuck gainer full. 9.9
Rucker (Utah): big tucked full in to open; nice leaps; lay lay full good. 9.9
Jaedyn rolls in a 9.90 on floor to keep the momentum going! pic.twitter.com/Prkn1EhYIf
— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) March 6, 2021
S Gonzales (OSU): front aerial small check side somi, questionable connection; switch half, small check; switch leap bhs, good, think she was supposed to connect the switch half; side aerial lay full small hop. 9.65
O’Keefe (Utah): strong double pike, stuck with a controlled step back for good measure; lay lay full, good; switch leap, chasse, tour jete half, pretty; ro 1.5 to lay good. Great routine. 9.9
https://twitter.com/UtahGymnastics/status/1368018056883040256?s=20
M Dagen (OSU): bhs loso, secure; switch leap, good; switch half split jump, good positions; side aerial lay full stuck with a slight lean forward. 9.9
Soloski (Utah): her usual archy dlo, good landing; great splits; lay lay full, clean and controlled; ro 1.5 to lay good. 9.925
AFTER 3: Utah 147.975, Oregon State 146.975
Good floor from Utah, and a good beam rotation for Oregon State as well. We’ve got one more to go!
Rotation 4
OSU floor:
Opening our final event: Niya Mack! #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/76rZkJIrDd
— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) March 6, 2021
Burch (Utah): bhs loso, secure; split jump double stag, good; cat leap front aerial, solid; gainer full, small hop back. 9.9
Mack (OSU): front lay to Rudi good; switch side popa, good extension; double pike, solid. 9.85
Stanhope (Utah): full twisting bhs bhs, secure; missed her leaps; ro 1.5 step forward. 9.825
Bird (OSU): lay Rudi straddle jump, good; switch half popa, pretty; back 2.5, solid landing. Another 2 pass routine for OSU. 9.85
Isa (Utah): I love her mount as much as anyone, but can we stop calling it unique? bhs loso loso, secure; straddle straddle 1/4, great; lay full, stuck. 9.95
https://twitter.com/UtahGymnastics/status/1368022574903398403?s=20
Peterson (OSU): double tuck, good landing; lay lay full, good; switch half popa, good extension; double pike, solid. 9.825
Paulson (Utah): side aerial loso, good; switch leap split jump, secure; cat leap side aerial lay full stuck. Good! 9.95
Force (OSU): great double pike to open; switch half popa good; lay lay full, some leg sep, good landing; double tuck, deep landing but controlled. 9.875
Randall (Utah): Bhs loso, secure; sheep jump, good; switch leap, nice; rulfolva, hit; ro 1.5, small hop. 9.825
M Dagen (OSU): front double twist, good; solid leaps; lay lay full, nice and controlled; double pike stuck, great way to end a good routine. 9.925
O’Keefe (Utah): side aerial loso, pretty and secure; switch leap split leap, good; cat leap side aerial lay full stuck. 9.975, gives her a career-high 39.725 AA.
And the nation's No. 1-ranked gymnast on beam comes in with a 9.975 to end the meet for Utah! Maile scores a career-high 39.725 in the all-around‼️ pic.twitter.com/EKpNrJMzjV
— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) March 6, 2021
Yanish (OSU): she’s considering coming back next season, per Michael Chaplin; great double lay to open; front full front lay, good; switch side popa, good extension; double tuck good. Will this be it? Not quite, 9.95.
Utah is officially the regular season Pac-12 champion!
FINAL: Utah 197.575, Oregon State 196.425
Wow, what a way to end the meet for Utah. 49.6 and a season high score for the Utes. Oregon State also had a great floor rotation, it’s really bars that’s keeping the Beavers from scoring higher at this point…
EVENT WINNERS:
VT: Sydney Gonzales, Maile O’Keefe, Jaedyn Rucker 9.900
UB: Maile O’Keefe 9.950
BB: Maile O’Keefe 9.975
FX: Kaitlyn Yanish 9.950
AA: Maile O’Keefe 39.725
Live blog by Tara Graeve
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Here is a link to the full video of Utah at Oregon State – 2021-03-05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82c4BQr9Am4