The EAGL is one of those sneaky good conferences that’s often overlooked in favor of flashier (read: higher profile) teams. With solid difficulty, a variety of skills and competitions that typically come down to the wire, this is one of the most exciting conferences in the NCAA. While today’s match-up likely won’t be one of those super-close meets, it will highlight the best of what the EAGL has to offer.
N.C. State has been impressive this year: The top-ranked team in the EAGL has broken the 196 barrier four times this season, thanks in large part to sophomore standouts Emily Shepard and Chloe Negrete. These two are racking up event titles and setting records at an alarming rate; you won’t want to miss any of their performances. Shepard, Negrete and the entire Wolfpack are ones to watch during postseason.
Newest EAGL program LIU is making the most of its bumpy inaugural season, showing steady improvement week-to-week and quickly establishing itself as a gymternet favorite. There’s been no official word on bars standout Mara Titarsolej’s status. Given that she was spotted sporting crutches on the sideline last weekend at Temple, it’s unlikely we’ll see her in today’s lineup (but a girl can dream, right?).
You can watch along at home on ACCN and find stats here.
https://twitter.com/Pack_Gymnastics/status/1370775703772229634?s=20
Rotation 1: N.C. State vault, LIU bars
Prati (NCSU): Very well done tucked Y full. If you’re going to have a lower SV, that’s how you do it. 9.725
Miller (LIU): KCH to to on. Good first handstand. Two orphan halfs (halves?). Gets hung up on her toe shoot, but finishes with a strong DLO. 9.575
Jordan (NCSU): Pretty Y full, a little flat but a stick. 9.800
Shock and awe, UB judging is taking forever.
Cohen (LIU): Shy first handstand. Toe hand. Tkatchev a bit low and struggly. Loses form and momentum on the Pak, but powers through. Double tuck dismount nearly stuck. Great recovery from what could have been a fall. 9.175
Benson (NCSU): RO half front tuck, small hop. Such a fun vault, and she does it really well. 9.825
Castellanos (LIU): KCH, nice first handstand. Good bail to handstand. Bit of legs on the Tkatchev. Shy handstand. DLO with some leg sep landed deep, but just a small step. 9.700
Shepard (NCSU): Gigantic Y full, stuck. Lovely form in the air. A well-deserved 9.900
Koopman (LIU): Nice first handstand to clear hip. Some form on the Shaposh. Loses shape on the bail and taps toes. FTDT with a stumble back. 9.525
Negrete (NCSU): Another huge Y full with a hop back. 9.850
Bedminster (LIU): Nice KCH. A little loose on bail, but not bad. Overcooks her handstand, but saves it. Gorgeous DLO with a hop forward. 9.650
Hunter (NCSU): Really good Y half. Nice form in the air (if not tons of height), and just a small hop forward. 9.825
Lapp (LIU): Gorgeous Shaposh/Pak combo. Great handstand positions throughout. Released early on her DLO, lost form and had to take a large stumble forward. Really great routine up to that point. 9.700 even with nearly putting her knee down, and I’m OK with it!
AFTER ONE ROTATION ONE: N.C. STATE 49.200, LIU 48.150
The Pack bested their season high vault total by nearly two tenths. This is the difference good landings make, folks! Shepard was the highlight with Benson a close second.
I’m really impressed by LIU’s fight throughout this rotation. Yes, there were errors, but there easily could have been falls. The mental and physical strength is there, the polish will come.
https://twitter.com/LIUGymnastics/status/1370801668821028868?s=20
Rotation 2: N.C. State bars, LIU vault
Van Allen (LIU): Powerful tucked Y full, low chest on the landing but a stick. 9.675
Jordan (NCSU): Tkatchev a little low but nice form. PERFECT Pak and LB half pirouette. Excellent DLO, stuck. 9.875
Koopman (LIU): Another dynamic tucked Y full with a hop in place. 9.800
Nelson (NCSU): Pretty KCH. Big air on her Tkatchev with soft knees. Nice bail. Muscles up a bit after her toe shoot. Slightly late on her full pirouette to double tuck, small hop. 9.825
Bedminster (LIU): Y lay with a hop back. Nice form in the air. 9.575
Kent (NCSU): Blind change to straddled Jaeger, well done. Bail, good. A little low on her DLO, but drills the landing. 9.875
Ricketts (LIU): Not sure what the holdup is at vault, but she’s been waiting a while. And now that she’s finally saluting, we don’t get to see it! 9.550
Cox (NCSU): Very nice Tkatchev, good hip rotation. Bail to handstand, good. Gets hung up on her final handstand, but nearly sticks her DLO. 9.800
Loo (LIU): High Y full with a pike down and hop back. 9.725
Shepard (NCSU): Pretty blind half to straddled Jaeger. Flawless Pak. Perfect final handstand. High FTDT with the tiniest hop. 9.900
Miller (LIU): A little flat Y full, had to pike down and jump to the side. Hmm, 9.550 seems harsh…
Benson (NCSU): Handstand stepout to Shaposh, good. Slight form on the Pak. I really like that she doesn’t straddle into her handstands. Yikes, released way early on her DLO and landed on her knees. Luckily, she seems OK! 9.200
AFTER TWO ROTATIONS: N.C. STATE 49.275, LIU 48.325
Well dang, N.C. State, go ahead and set another season high event score! That was a lot of fun to watch. Much like the vault lineup, the finer details and controlled landings are paying dividends.
LIU, meanwhile, set a season (and thus program) high themselves. Obviously, the start values are a determining factor here, but there were some really pretty vaults in this lineup.
Correction: Not just season highs for the ‘Pack…
https://twitter.com/Pack_Gymnastics/status/1370807668340711426?s=20
Rotation 3: N.C. State beam, LIU floor
Nelson (NCSU): Front aerial with a small check to loso, great! Switch leap to straddle quarter, excellent. Full turn with a slight lean. Cat leap and a smile. Side aerial to a stuck full. N.C. State is on fire. 9.800
Loo (LIU): Punch front to big double tuck with a stumble out of bounds. Nice position on her Popa, a little out of control on her wolf full, but covers well. Commentators say this is a notoriously bouncy floor with a tendency to “slingshot you.” Double pike landed deep, but good control. 9.575
Foland (NCSU): Front toss to bhs bhs, excellent. Switch leap to split jump, good positions. Full turn with a slight check. Front aerial, great. Cartwheel full with a step. 9.850
Miller (LIU): Pretty double pike to open, had to take a couple steps. Front full to front lay, well done. Switch half to wolf full, good positions. Underrotated double tuck with a step forward, nice save! 9.625
Shepard (NCSU): L turn, beautiful. Switch leap to straddle quarter, good amplitude. Bhs loso, no issues. Side aerial, great. Beat to split half, back leg a little low. Side aerial to a stuck full, the rise on that was gorgeous. 9.875
Barrington (LIU): Double wolf turn to open. RO 2.5 with a large step forward. I really like the drama of this choreo and music. Switch half and wolf full both shy of 180. RO 1.5 to front lay, gorgeous. Love her performance. 9.525 feels low even with the landing on the first pass.
Cox (NCSU): Bhs loso, good. Switch leap to tucked 3/4, very cool! Side aerial with a medium hip check. Side gainer stuck. 9.625 also feels low. Missed connection or element, maybe?
Koopman (LIU): RO triple full, doesn’t quite get it around and stumbles forward. Switch ring to double cat leap, a touch shy on the position. RO 2.5 to punch front, got a little crooked on her take-off and stumbled OOB. 9.425 lowered to a 9.325
Negrete (NCSU): Switch split mount, lovely. Front aerial to bhs, so fluid. Switch split to switch half to beat, great. Straddle 3/4, well done. Double full with a tiny slide back. 9.875
Jones (LIU): Punch double full, nicely done. RO loso side pass, love it. Switch half, Popa, wolf full, excellent. Front lay to front full, bounces out a little but covers well. Best FX so far for the Sharks. 9.625 seems extremely low unless there’s a SV issue I’m missing.
Webb (NCSU): Full turn with a hint of a check. Bhs loso, again just the slightest check. Switch leap to split, great. Front aerial with a leg-up check. Sheep jump that was almost straddled. Stuck double twist dismount; feet a bit wide, so we’ll see what the judges do with that. 9.675
Lapp (LIU): Strong double pike to open, chest down just a bit. I like this choreo for her; she sells it really well. Switch ring split full to wolf full, very nice. Covers a fall out of a double wolf turn well. ShFront lay to front full, nailed it. This routine has Big Dutch Energy and I like it. 9.725
AFTER THREE ROTATIONS: N.C. STATE 147.550, LIU 144.600
Good rotation for the Wolfpack, a tenth off of their season high. This lineup just exudes poise start-to-finish. I love the variety of acro and dance elements we’re seeing.
LIU had a respectable floor rotation, though a few tenths off of its season high. Jones and Lapp were the standout routines for me, though I was impressed by the difficulty throughout the lineup.
FYI, there’s a virtual t-shirt toss happening 👀
https://twitter.com/Pack_Gymnastics/status/1370815843840397312?s=20
Rotation 4: N.C. State floor, LIU beam
Van Allen (LIU): Cool mount and low beam work. Bhs loso with soft knees, but lovely rhythm. Beat to switch full (?), well done. Front toss to beat, great. Her wrists and finger extensions are goals. RO 1.5 with a small foot shuffle. Great lead-off. 9.750
Jordan (NCSU): Punch front double twist, scooted out of it. RO 1.5 to front lay to stag, perfection. L turn on the toe, lovely. Punch Rudi, great. I don’t use the word “glorious” often, but her dance and tumbling and presence is GLORIOUS. 9.875
Koopman (LIU): Missed the first part of her routine. Switch split to tucked 3/4, good. A little low on her side aerial. Switch leap to gainer full, stuck. 9.750
Cox (NCSU): Fhs Rudi, very nice. Switch full to Popa, a tad shy on both. Wolf full, well done. Fhs front full to front pike, excellent. RO 1.5 to front lay, floaty. Great routine. N.C. State wants that 197! 9.800
Barrington (LIU): Pretty full turn started at her ankle. Bhs loso, beautiful. Switch leap to split jump with a slight check. Cat leap to side aerial with a bend at the waist. RO 1.5, fights for the stick with a lean. Great routine! If my math is right (and that’s a big if if I’m honest), LIU is also on pace for a season high final score. 9.500 is kind of low
Benson (NCSU): Beautiful double pike. Switch side to Popa, really dynamic. RO 1.5 to pike, a little overpowered but stayed in bounds. Popa to wolf full, nice. Great double tuck with a front foot raise to finish. 9.850
Doten (LIU): Ring jump to beat, front leg low. Bhs loso with a slight hip check. Side aerial with another slight wobble. Pretty split half to split jump. Cat leap to side aerial to a stuck full with chest down. 9.750
Nelson (NCSU): 2.5 to punch front, fights for that landing Great double pike. Straddle half (?) to wolf full, didn’t quite hit 180. RO 1.5 to pike, foot maybe slid OOB? 9.825, so I guess not
Ricketts (LIU): Front aerial to split with a small wave. Pretty bhs loso, a little hesitant on the landing. Switch leap combo, good. Split half good. Bhs tucked full and she sits it, oh no! She’s got lovely extension and rhythm, just seemed a bit tentative throughout. 9.275
Shepard (NCSU): Big double pike and has to take a step OOB. Gogean to split full, nice. Font lay to front full, stuck cold. Really fun, powerful choreo. Perfect double tuck to finish. 9.750
Lapp (LIU): Really cool front walkover mount. Pretty leap series. Bhs loso with a leg-up check. Front aerial to double stag, lovely. Nice full turn. RO 1.5 with a small hop. That should clinch a season high team score. 9.775 puts them over 193
Negrete (NCSU): Floaty double pike, great landing. Switch ring to switch full, gorgeous. Fhs front full to front lay, excellent. Switch half to switch full, back leg a hair low on the latter. Fantastic double tuck. 9.950
AFTER FOUR ROTATIONS: N.C. STATE 196.900, LIU 193.100
Wow, stellar finish from both teams. So excited to see both of them smash their season highs! THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE KEEP TELLING YOU TO WATCH EAGL TEAMS.
Live blog by Claire Billman; header image by Jackie Green
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