LIVE BLOG: No. 57 Yale at No. 52 LIU

This will be just the second time for Yale and LIU meeting up, as Yale didn’t compete during LIUs inaugural season. It’s a meeting of two neighboring conferences, the meeting EAGL and the inaugural season for the GEC. Inaugural gymnastics for everyone. When last matched, just two weeks ago, LIU just outscored Yale by a slim twenty-five thousandths of a point. 

LIU had a record high beam score on the road last weekend with a 48.800, beating a 48.525 previously scored. LIU has been on a hot streak, already beating all but two of their team scores from last season, including nearly toppling their 192.725 at the EAGL championships last spring. Their highest score, a 193.100, could be well within reach if not surpassed if the Sharks hit and keep things clean. I hear Jaws music in the background. The Sharks can easily rely on Ilka Juk and Talia Folino to continue their chomp away on their beam records. If you watch just one person on beam, keep your eyes peeled for Juk’s dismount. 

Yale has yet to score above a 191.000 so far this season, while LIU just posted a 192.650. This is a rocky start for Yale as it typically notches scores in the 193 to 195 range, Yale does have Lindsay Chia claiming all around titles in both meets. Yale lost Claire Qu in the opening meet of the season due to an injury on beam and has not yet returned to the lineups. Yale is capable of putting up those solid, reliable, routines. It’s just a dusting-off process between the Bulldogs and their full potential.

Announcing teams!

Warm-ups are underway!

I’m really loving the blue on blue on blue on blue at this meet.

First time at home for LIU with a crowd.

Rotation 1: LIU Vault, Yale Bars

Koopman (LIU): Tucked fty with a bounce forward, chest a bit down. 9.600

Aviad (Yale): Tkatchev, nice. Really hitting these handstands, some arms on the bail. Gaint full to stuck double tuck. Solid. 9.625

Juk (LIU): Y full, form troubles, stumbled off to the side. 9.450

Will update scores as I get them. The screen keeps cutting in and out…

Wilson (Yale): Bar judges are grabbing a coffee. Release good, a little short on handstand but nice giant full, takes a step back on the double tuck. 9.800

Miller (LIU): Y full, minimal form issues, hops in place but good. 9.725

Chia (Yale): Bar judges living their best life, again. Toe blind straddle jaeger, pretty. Layout 1.5, stuck. Some hiccups with pirouettes but smoothed it out. 9.675

Loo (LIU): Y full, chest quite a bit down and takes a step. 9.675

Toy (Yale): Blind to straddle jaeger, great height. Bail, some foot separation otherwise nice. Double tuck, steps back, but clean. 9.700

Bedminster (LIU): Yfull, comes up short, and puts her hands down. 8.850

Finally getting scores.

Wang (Yale): Gorgeous straddle jaeger, saves the handstand after. Stuck ftdb. Nice. 9.750

Ricketts (LIU): Y full, chest down with a big step forward but pretty clean otherwise. 9.625

Walker (Yale): Blind to straddle jaeger. Yale is HITTING today. Nice double lay, hops forward. 9.775

Drutau (Yale): Exhibiton. Blind to straddle jaeger, big release but just too far away to catch. Little archy on the bail. Ftdb for dismount, steps back.

After 1: Yale 48.700, LIU 48.075

LIU has only twisting vaults in their lineup! A few hiccups and rough landings today, but it’s still early in the season. Yale went hit for hit on bars, an improvement over last week, and they’re dropping a 9.525 and pocketed four routines over a 9.700. A few handstands caused some hiccups but otherwise, they were their usual selves. LIU posted four vaults over a 9.600.

The LIU leotards are new today, and they’re a ridiculous shark camo pattern. I’m definitely not searching the internet for this pattern later. More shark leotards please. But also more teams with patterns using their mascot.

Scores have been updated.

Rotation 2: LIU Bars, Yale Vault

Wilson (Yale): Y tucked full, just a small hop. Nice. 9.675

Bedminster (LIU): Bail, little bit of form. Short on the handstand before the dismount, double lay, a bit short and takes a few steps forward. 9.425

Meeks (Yale): Layout yurchenko, bounces back. 9.425

Castellanos (LIU): Bail, clean. Little short on the handstand, tkatchev, okay. Sticks a double lay. 9.700

Aviad (Yale): Sits down yurchenko half. Yale will want the rest of the lineup to hit. 8.925

Juk (LIU): Great pak, some leg separation. Giant full to double tuck, just a step back. 9.450

Titche (Yale): Y full, chest down, takes a step back. Yale needed that. 9.625

Sanchez (LIU): Piked jaeger, little short on the handstand, some leg separation on the pak, short on last handstand. Takes a couple steps forward on the double lay. 9.675

Walker (Yale): Y half, small hop. 9.800

Miller (LIU): Shaposh, nice. Bail had some form. Double lay, bounces back but nice. 9.725

Chia (Yale): Y full, big bounce back. 9.650

Titarsolej (LIU): Maloney to pak, nice. Solid handstands. Giant full to double tuck, just a small step back. Great routine. 9.900

After 2: Yale 96.875, LIU 96.775

This is a tight meet so far, we’re headed into the third rotation with just a tenth between the two teams. LIU had a really solid bar rotation while Yale faltered a little on vault after a fall, but got their momentum back and were able to drop it. Yale will want big scores on floor since they’ll be ending on beam, everyone’s favorite event to end on. LIU will be checking beam off their to-do list hoping to keep that momentum going after bars.

Apparently, Seina Cho will be competing floor for the first time for Yale. LIU’s 48.700 on bars is a program record. Edit: Apparently not?

Rotation 3: LIU Beam, Yale Floor

Bixler (LIU): BHS LOSO, takes a step forward but smooth. Cat leap to side aerial, nice. Switch leap, tuck 3/4, slight bobble. Split half, good. Small wobble on the full turn. RO 1.5 stuck. Alright, LIU. 9.700

Meeks (Yale): Opens with a double pike, but goes oob and sits it down. Front full to front tuck, sits it down. Switch ring pass, nice. Ends with a rudi, little short on the twisting. Not quite what Yale would want but they’re putting six routines up today. 8.075

Folino (LIU): BHS LOSO, drops her shoulder but saves it. Switch leap split jump, good. Front aerial split jump, bobbles. Side aerial to lay full, sticks. 9.650

Titche (Yale): Double pike, nice, just a step back. FHS front lay front full, little underrotated but holds onto it. Closes with a double tuck, a little short but good routine. 9.550

Castellanos (LIU): BHS BHS LOSO, comes off. Ring jump beat, nice. Side aerial to lay full, stuck. 9.050

Wilson (Yale): Floor camera has chosen an artistic angle. 1.5 to front lay, step forward. Leaps, nice. Okay back to normal. Closes with a double pike, a couple steps forward. Yale needed this. 9.750

Each team has a fall they want to drop so far.

Dorten (LIU): Ring beat, great. BHS LOSO, solid. Cat leap side serial. Jump series a little shy on the split but solid. Punch front lay, deep landing and hops. 9.700

Chia (Yale): Rudi to split, not quite controlled but lots of height. Leaps, great amplitude. 1.5 to front lay, good, just a few stutter steps to keep it in. Still love this Bad Guy floor music. 9.800

Ricketts (LIU): Front aerial wobble to split jump, good otherwise. BHS LOSO, small balance check. Switch leap switch leap, pause, split jump, great splits though. BHS tuck 1.5, a bit of form in the air. 9.725

Toy (Yale): Opens with double pike, good. Switch side popa, nice. Front lay to front full, solid. A much wanted routine for Yale. Ends with fhs rudi, small hop but good otherwise. 9.625

Juk (LIU): RO LOSO mount, good. BHS BHS LOSO, nice. She is attacking. Leap series, solid. Love her front walkover choreo. BHS full to layout full to small step. That. Dismount. Love it. 9.825

Judges are having a meeting on floor.

Wang (Yale): Love this choreo. Opens with a double pike, great. Leap series good, a little shy on the split jump at the end. Double tuck, so solid. RO 1.5 to front lay, solid. Much needed. 9.825

Koopman exhibition for LIU.

Ah, Cho doing exhibition for Yale. First time the senior will be doing floor.

After 3: Yale 145.425, LIU 145.375

Both teams had the PRESSURE after having a fall early in the lineup. And the meet is within .05, so no pressure for anyone in the last rotation. OH a score changed and we are TIED. Ricketts score was bumped to a 9.725. And a Yale score changed so Yale is once again ahead. Not sure about all the score changes. Wang’s floor score bumped to a 9.825.

Well, Yale has the pressure ending on beam. They’re ahead by .05 once again, until the next score change. Both teams scored within the high 47s on their respective final events last weekend. This will absolutely be a battle of hitting routine for routine and giving nothing away.

Rotation 4: LIU Floor, Yale Beam

Mangiacapre (Yale): BHS LOSO, leg comes up but keeps it on. Switch leap to split jump split 3/4, good. Front aerial, leg pops up but saves it. Piked gainer off end, steps forward. 9.575

Barrington (LIU): Opens with a big double tuck, some form. Leap series was a little shy on the 180, but good amplitude. RO 2.5 good, steps to the side. Good last pass, solid routine. 9.750

Yale will want Mangiacapre’s score to be the low score.

Wilson (Yale): Front tuck, steps back. Switch leap split jump, solid. BHS LOSO, a bit of knees and steps back but solid. Cat leap side aerial to tuck full, has a hop. 9.650

Koopman (LIU): RO triple, just a little shy on that last bit. Leap series, good. RO 1.5 to punch, some form but solid. 9.750

Walker (Yale): BHS LOSO, good. Front aerial to split jump, nice. Switch leap split jump beat, great. Just the dismount. Side aerial to stuck lay full. 9.900

LIU with the higher scores so far.

Jones (LIU): Punch double full, good. Pops out of the front lay pass just a little. Leap series good, little bouncy at the end. Rudi to end, solid.

29.125 for Yale so far, 29.275 for LIU. LIU is ahead by .1 so far.

Toy (Yale): BHS LOSO, small balance check. Switch ring, good. Wobble on the sheep jump, but nice series otherwise. Side aerial to lay full, small hop back. 9.625

Folino (LIU): Double tuck to open, solid. Switch ring, good. 1.5 to front lay, stuck. Closes with a double pike, a little bit of a deep landing but great otherwise. 9.750

Chia (Yale): Chia hasn’t scored less than a 9.650 so far today. BHS LOSO, comes off. Pressure is on for Yale. Switch leap straddle 3/4, great. Cat leap side aerial to lay full, stuck. 9.300

Miller (LIU): Double pike to open. Double tuck, a step back. Switch half popa, good. Front full to front pike, solid. 9.600

Meeks (Yale): BHS LOSO, wobble but fights and saves it. Switch leap split 1/4 split 1/2, solid. Side aerial, wobbles. She’s fighting for everything. Piked gainer off end. 9.700

It’s looking like LIU will just edge Yale.

Loo (LIU): Opens with a double lay. Great leaps. Front tuck through to double tuck, chest down a bit but solid. 9.800

Exhibition for Yale from Drutau.

Final: LIU 194.200, Yale 193.875

Waiting on final scores, but looks like, as of now, LIU will have this by at least .075. LIU took the win by a slim margin of .325 today. LIU had a program-high on bars and although Yale had some hiccups on beam, they still had four routines over a 9.650.

Vault: Walker 9.800

Bars: Titarsolej 9.900

Beam: Walker 9.900

Floor: Wang 9.825

All around: Wilson 38.875

Live Blog by Allison Freeman

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