LIVE BLOG: EAGL Championships Session One

With New Hampshire having to pull out of the EAGL championship due to COVID-19 protocols, N.C. State becomes the absolute favorite to win the title after the Pack lost to the Wildcats in 2019. The Pack’s confidence will be high after scoring a huge 196.900 last week, though they will have to prove that they can compete as consistently on the road as they do at home. North Carolina impressed this season with very consistent performances on a weekly basis. The Tar Heels will not enter this meet as the favorites, but don’t count them out. George Washington had a very late start to its season and is unlikely to be in contention for the title, yet keep an eye on its standout gymnasts Kendall Whitman and Deja Chambliss on vault and floor.

Rotation 1: George Washington vault; N.C. State beam; North Carolina floor

Crasa (GW): Yurchenko full, slight pike down on landing, hop back. 9.700

Nelson (NCSU): Front aerial to BHS, switch leap to straddle quarter, full turn, cat leap, side aerial to full twist dismount. 9.750

Greene (UNC): double pike, chest a little forward but good landing, good wolf jumps, she’s relying on those for difficulty, 1.5 twist to front layout, good landing. 9.750

Warhol (GW): Yurchenko half, beautiful shape in the air, tiny hop forward on landing. 9.800

Foland (NCSU): front toss to BHS to BHS, small balance check, switch leap to leap jump, short on both leaps, full turn, front aerial, a tad shaky, roundoff to 1.5 twist dismount, stuck. 9.800

Weil (UNC): double tuck, very open, foot on the line, I think her heel touched outside, front full twist to front layout, knees a bit bent, double pike, chest a tad forward but good landing. 9.575

Munnelly (GW): tucked Yurchenko full, hop back, good landing but low difficulty. 9.725

Shepard (NCSU): full turn with leg held horizontal, switch leap to straddle quarter, beautiful, BHS + LOSO, hit, side aerial, side aerial to full twist dismount, tiny hop. 9.850

Chambliss (GW): Gorgeous Yurchenko full, flared in the air, just a small hop on landing. 9.850

St. Brice (UNC): wolf turn 1.5, a tad short of rotation, 1.5 twist to punch layout, twists flared in the air, double pike, chest forward and hop forward. 9.700

Whitman (GW): here’s the Whitman, beautifully performed (front handspring onto the table, front pike half out). 9.775

Cox (NCSU): full turn, BHS + LOSO, switch leap to straddle 3/4, wobble, cat leap to side aerial to beat jump, Gainer full dismount. 9.775

Shek (GW): Yurchenko full, almost stuck but chest down. 9.675

Greenlow (UNC): double pike, great landing, leaps a tad short, punch front to 2.5 twist, perhaps a tad underrotated, beautifully interpreted choreography! 9.800

Negrete (NCSU): front aerial to BHS, tiny balance check, switch leap to switch leap half to beat jump, second leap was short, straddle jump half on the side of the beam, double twist dismount, tiny hop. 9.850

Culton (UNC): double tuck, good landings, switch ring to straddle half, beautiful leaps, front layout to Rudi, another good landing, another beautiful leap combination. 9.850

Webb (NCSU): full turn, BHS + LOSO, switch leap to leap jump, front aerial, double twist dismount, hop back. Every skill was fought for but it was a hit routine. 9.850

Dean (UNC): punch front to double tuck, great landing, switch straddle to Popa to Popa, double pike, chest forward, awkward step forward. 9.775

AFTER 1: NC State 49.125; North Carolina 48.875; George Washington 48.850

Both teams have brought their A game today. NC State had a great beam rotation on its worst apparatus, North Carolina survived floor, its own worst event, while George Washington had a great start on vault, its top-ranked event. The highlight of the first rotation was GW’s Deja Chambliss’ flared Yurchenko full.

Rotation 2: North Carolina vault; George Washington bars; N.C. State floor

Jordan (NCSU): front double twist, fall, front full to front layout, Rudi, good landing. 9.100

Culton (UNC): Yurchenko full, good eight, small hop on landing. 9.700

Raymond (GW): blind full to bail to handstand, a bit of form issues, blind full to double tuck dismount. 9.775

Greenlow (UNC): Yurchenko full, pike down but great upgrade from her, she used to compete a tucked Yurchenko full. 9.625

Warhol (GW): Gienger to overshoot, double layout, a bit of form, decent handstands. 9.775

Silverstein (UNC): Yurchenko half, stuck! 9.750

Cox (NCSU): Rudi, good leaps, wolf jump full, a tad out of control, front full twist to front pike, 1.5 twist to front layout. 9.775

Thompson (UNC): beautiful Yurchenko full, a tad piked, small hop on landing. 9.800

Chambliss (GW): Ray, a little close, beautiful bail to handstand, blind full to double tuck, step forward. 9.700

Aldridge (UNC): Yurchenko full, pretty in the air, basically stuck. 9.800

Benson (NCSU): double pike, beautiful landing, 1.5 twist to front pike, double tuck, very good landings. 9.825

Summey (UNC): Yurchenko full, a tad piked on landing, but stuck again! 9.825

Munnelly (GW): Maloney to free hip, bail to handstand, blind full with form issues to double tuck, stuck landing. 9.800

Zona (GW): blind full to Tkatchev, bail to handstand, blind full to double tuck, step forward, some form issues throughout. 9.500

Nelson (NCSU): 2.5 twist to punch front, double pike, 1.5 twist to front pike, sassy routine, great landings! 9.825

Silverman (GW): blind change to pike Jaeger to overshoot, blind full to double tuck with pointed toes, gorgeous handstands and forms, this routine was just superior, wow! 9.825

Shepard (NCSU): double pike, beautiful straight legs in the air and good landing, beautiful leaps, front layout to front full, another good landing, perhaps a tad overrotated, double tuck, OOB with one foot. 9.725

Negrete (NCSU): This is the top-ranked floor routine in the EAGL! Double pike, a tad overrotated, switch ring to split full, good leaps, front full twist to front layout, great landing, another good leap combination, double tuck, step forward. Good interpretation of the music! 9.850

AFTER 2: NC State 98.125; North Carolina 97.750; George Washington 97.725

NC State started its second rotation with a fall but managed to hit the following five routine and leads the competition at the half-way point. North Carolina had a great vault rotation with four practically stuck vaults. George Washington did well on bars and sits behind the Tar Heels by only 0.025 points. The highlight of this second rotation was GW’s Anneliese Silverman’s bar routine, which by comparison was heavily underscored.

Rotation 3: N.C. State vault; North Carolina bars; George Washington beam

Jordan (NCSU): Yurchenko full, small pike down and hop on landing. 9.750

Shearer (UNC): blind half to Jaeger, bail to what probably was supposed to be a handstand (very low), double layout dismount, almost stuck. 9.725

Zona (GW): full turn, cat leap, she stops, cat leap again to side aerial BHS + LOSO, very bent back knee and big wobble, switch leap to straddle quarter, 1.5 twist dismount, she fights for the landing. 9.625

Benson (NCSU): Yurchenko half on punch front, a bit overrotated, big hop forward. 9.800

Thompson (UNC): piked Gienger, bail to handstand, full-in dismount, hop back, beautiful handstands. 9.675

Shepard (NCSU): high Yurchenko full, small hop back. 9.850

Cohen (GW): BHS + BHS + LOSO, solid landing, switch leap to split jump, front aerial to split jump, bent leg on the aerial, cat leap to Gainer full off the side of the beam, stuck. 9.800

Negrete (NCSU): Another very good Yurchenko full, controlled hop back. 9.800

Summey (UNC): blind half to straddled Jaeger, far from the bar but she catches it, bail to handstand, blind full a tad messy to double tuck dismount, it looked low and the coach touched her, it will be a deduction. 9.000

Hunter O. (NCSU): Yurchenko half, not the greatest amplitude but almost stuck landing. 9.775

Whitman (GW): front aerial to roundoff, unique series, switch leap to leap jump, a tad short, full turn, tiny balance check, front toss to beat jump, front punch full, stuck. 9.775

Hunter G. (NCSU): Yurchenko half, she went for the stick but her knees buckled and one knee touched the ground. 9.475

Greene (UNC): blind full to Tkatchev, fall, bail to handstand, good, short final handstand, full-in dismount, hop back. 9.050

Chambliss (GW): BHS + LOSO, her second foot missed the beam and she falls, full turn, switch leap to straddle quarter, split full, a bit underrotated, wobble, BHS + BH + double twist dismount, difficult dismount! 9.200

Greenlow (UNC): Gienger to overshoot, a little form, double Arabian dismount, nearly stuck. Carolina needed a good routine! 9.800

Silverman (GW): full turn, side aerial, split half on the side of the beam, switch leap to wolf jump full, front aerial to BHS, tiny hesitation in between, side aerial to back full dismount, nearly stuck, very good routine! 9.825

Culton (UNC): stalder to Tkatchev, bail to handstand, a tad short, stalder to double tuck dismount, stuck, beautiful routine! 9.925

Shek (GW): switch leap to switch leap half, short on the second one, full turn, BHS + LOSO, cat leap to side aerial, side aerial to full twist dismount, hop back, another solid rotation for GW! 9.825

AFTER 3: NC State 147.100; George Washington 146.575; North Carolina 146.000

Barring disasters in the final rotation, NC State will likely win this first session of the EAGL championship. The Pack are not having their best meet, but they are looking solid and superior to their opponents. North Carolina had a rough rotation on bars, ending its chances of victory. George Washington is probably the most impressive team here today. After a difficult season, the Colonials are having a great meet, it’s very nice to see. The highlight of the rotation was Carolina’s Elizabeth Culton’s bar routine, which scored a 9.925, the first 9.9+ of the meet.

Rotation 4: N.C. State bars; North Carolina beam; George Washington floor

Jordan (NCSU): Tkatchev, Pak salto, good final handstand, floated double layout, hop forward. 9.725

Summey (UNC): BHS + LOSO, solid landing, full turn, beat jump, straddle 3/4, 1.5 twist to layout front, Rudi, a tad short of rotation. 9.850

Kaplan (GW): double pike, good landing, side aerial half, 1.5 dismount. 9.725

Nelson (NCSU): Tkatchev, bail to handstand, blind full to double tuck. 9.725

Greenlow (UNC): BHS + LOSO, side somi, good leap series, 1.5 twist, hop forward. 9.775

Zona (GW): I missed the first pass but it was a good one, double back, good landing. 9.825

Kent (NCSU): Jaeger to overshoot, double layout, hop back. 9.800

Shearer (UNC): full turn, BHS + LOSO, back leg a tad bent, cat leap to front toss, switch leap to straddle quarter, both a bit short, front walkover with one harm to Gainer full. 9.850

Robinson (NCSU): Jaeger, Pak salto, blind full to double tuck dismount, hop forward. 9.850

Whitman (GW): front double, super difficult and great landing, front double twist to punch front, good leaps, front double twist. Three E passes on this routine, super impressive! 9.900

Cox (NCSU): Tkatchev, bail to handstand, double layout, step back, very good form throughout. 9.800

Thompson (UNC): BHS + LOSO + LOSO, solid, switch leap to straddle quarter, full turn, 1.5 twist, almost stuck. 9.900

Crasa (GW): punch front to double pike, front full twist to front layout, double tuck, good landing, perhaps chest a tad low. 9.850

Shepard (NCSU): Jaeger, beautiful Pak salto, full-in dismount, tiny hop back. 9.775

Culton (UNC): She’s 5th in the nation! BHS + LOSO, solid, switch leap to straddle quarter, front aerial, full turn, heel held right up, cat leap to switch straddle quarter, side aerial to full twist dismount, stuck. 9.900

Warhol (GW): Front full twist to front layout, double tuck, a bit low on her leaps. 9.850

Greene (UNC): cat leap to front aerial, a bit short of rotation, BHS + LOSO, switch leap to straddle quarter, a bit short, 1.5 twist dismount, step forward. 9.750

Chambliss (GW): double pike, a bit of a large step, 1.5 twist to front pike, a bit of bent legs, double tuck, beautiful landing. 9.800

FINAL: NC State 196.050; George Washington 195.800; North Carolina 195.275

NC State won the first session of the EAGL championship. It wasn’t a perfect meet for the Pack but they did enough to edge the rest of the field. George Washington impressed with a 195.800, less than three tenths behind the leader. It was its best score of the season. Carolina’s bar rotation but the Tar Heels out of contention, but they finished strong on beam with two 9.900s by Thompson and Culton. The highlight of the final rotation was GW’sKendall Whitman’s floor routine, which included three E tumbling passes and scored a 9.900.

Leading in the AA: Culton (UNC) 39.375; VT: Chambliss (GW) and Shepard (NCSU) 9.850; UB: Culton (UNC) 9.925; BB: Culton and Thompson (UNC) 9.900; FX: Whitman (GW) 9.900.


Live Blog by Talitha Ilacqua

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