The NCGA Dismount: Week 4

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Western Michigan continued its 196-plus streak, led by a program-record-tying all-around performance from Sarah Moravansky. UW-Oshkosh posted a season high, the first 190-plus by any NCGA team in 2022. 

Implications: Western Michigan entered this week at No. 18 in the country, and the Broncos will likely remain in a similar position next week. The one-two punch of all-arounders Payton Murphy and Sarah Moravansky is proving to be just what the team needs to make a move up the rankings. If this scoring trend continues, the Broncos’ regional fate will not come down to the final week of the season. Eastern Michigan crossed the 195.000 mark for the first time this season while Ball State’s 10.0 SV vaults only got better. For the time being, UW-Oshkosh will move to the top of the NCGA after its groundbreaking performance. The Titans looked like they were in a league of their own, so we’ll see if that trend persists when they head back to competing against other Division III foes. 

Records: Oshkosh’s 191.650 was the second highest team total in program history. The team was led by a huge 9.750 on vault from Emily Gilot. Ella Chemotti’s 9.950 was enough for a new career high and a beam event victory. 

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Hamline captured its first score over 180 while Gustavus was forced to only put four athletes in its vault lineup. Although Whitewater captured the team victory, its beam performance kept the overall score lower than the Warhawks will want to count when the rankings switch to SAS. 

Implications: UW-Whitewater will want to leave its beam performance this weekend behind it. After a solid season opener, the Warhawks’ team score this weekend will not help it to move up the NCGA rankings. Hamline’s team score improved by four and a half points courtesy of event winning scores from Madeline Sowinski and an improved team floor performance. Bars continues to hold the Pipers down, but adding Julia Cheely will ultimately prove to be a step in the right direction. Gustavus’ lineup choices this week might indicate that something bigger was at play. Originally, Annie Corbett was slated to compete on more events than she tallied. If Corbett is out long term, that could be difficult for the Gusties to overcome. Only four athletes competed on vault, so the fifth score counted was a zero. That drastically impacted the overall team score. It begs the question: Do the Gusties not have a fifth athlete capable of vaulting? Or was COVID to do with the limited lineup? Even if the start value is lower, a low score is definitely better than no score. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out next weekend. For reference, the Gusties have been putting up five athletes on the event all season, but both Corbett and Esteb were out of the lineup this week despite competing on other events. 

Records: Sophia Redding continued her streak of 9.6-plus bar routines for the Gusties. Her 9.625 this weekend marks three straight.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Both teams put up similar performances to last week. Alex Wood upgraded to a Yurchenko full, increasing La Crosse’s vault scoring potential. 

Implications: La Crosse will move down in the rankings some this week after UW-Oshkosh put up a huge 191.650 at its quad meet at Eastern Michigan. However, staying in the 188-plus range does keep the Eagles in the running for now. UW-La Crosse wasn’t as consistent this week, with no scores eclipsing the 9.600 mark. Also, Rachel Chesley was not seen in any of her normal lineup spots. Considering her scoring potential on the three events she’s competed thus far in 2022, losing her long term could lower the peak scoring level of this team. UW-Eau Claire continued to have struggles on bars this week. Hopefully senior Bailey Thomas did not get injured during her routine because that could spell even more trouble for the Blu Golds.

Records: Tia Ravara’s event winning beam score of 9.650 was a new career high.

Recap

The Big Storyline: West Chester swept past Ursinus with a nearly 13-point margin after the Bears struggled to fill their lineups due to protocols and injuries. 

Implications: A meeting of two teams across conferences, Ursinus will be most hurt in its respective standings in the NCGA after dropping five points this week following its opening score last weekend of 185.825. The Owls found beam to be the biggest challenge, scoring a 44.050, counting just a single score over a 9.000. Floor proved to pose another challenge, as they scored just over 1.500 over the previous week, missing Lindsay Thornton and Taylor Cusick’s strong floor routines this matchup. West Chester continued to improve its season, most likely continuing to secure its second place in the GEC, scoring a season-high, improving on most events, allowing just a tenth difference on beam, but losing five tenths on floor, but still its second-best showing on the event so far this season and counting not a single score under 9.625.

Records: West Chester scored a season-high of 193.125, as Golden Rams Jessica Meakim tied her career high on vault with a 9.800, and Lily McFarland set several career highs with a 9.725 on vault, 9.800 on beam and 9.750 on floor. Hyla Betts swung her way to a personal best of 9.700.

Recap (Brockport v Ithaca)

The Big Storyline: Brockport and Ithaca both topped their previous season highs in this NCGA-East matchup. 

Implications: Brockport continues to lead the NCGA-East, and Ithaca looks to shift into second. Brockport could also soon find itself shifting into first within the NCGA. Brockport kept its scores close, staying strong on vault, dominating its previous bar scores this season and as a program by adding another two points on top of its rising bar score the previous week, lead by Gabbi Gare, Taylor Bushey, and Emma Grace Sargent. Brockport added nearly two points to its beam rotation, and found nearly a half point it was missing last week on floor, where Naimah Muhammed boosted the lineup with a dazzling 9.800. The puzzle pieces have begun to shift for Brockport. The Bombers tacked on an extra three points to its team total this season, scoring a new season high of 187.425. Ithaca, too, bolstered its bar score, adding just under two points to the bar score, counting no score under a 9.075, and guided by Cameryn Nichols’ 9.400. On floor, the Bombers found their stride with Jillian Freyman’s 9.750. Since its first meet of the year, Ithaca has found its rhythm on floor, having improved to a 48.075 from a 46.750. 

Records: The Golden Eagles set a new program record on bars, pocketing a 48.425, and Gabbi Gare tied the program record high with a 9.775, which has been in place since 2011.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Not to be outdone by Oshkosh and Brockport, UW-Whitewater also surpassed the 190 threshold for the first time this season. Stout and Winona State also posted season highs. 

Implications: Crossing the 190 mark puts Whitewater into the top tier of NCGA teams so far this season. After a somewhat lack-luster performance earlier this weekend, the Warhawks will be happy to have shown what they’re really made of. The Whitewater vault squad really impressed, counting only scores above 9.525. Although this performance was five points superior to its last meet, Whitewater still left some tenths on the table. Stout was led by Krulich’s 9.800 on floor and sixth year Mikala Bugge’s 9.700 on vault. Although the Blue Devils still had some inconsistency, they’ll be happy that more scores are creeping into the 9.6-plus range. Bars and beam were a bit of a struggle for Winona State this weekend. However, Izzy Kropiwiec’s huge 9.750 on floor and Kennedy O’Connor’s 9.700 on vault were stand out performances. The Warriors continue to be on the upswing. Hopefully that continues as we move into February. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: Both teams held steady in the second meet of the year for each. 

Implications: Rhode Island College and Springfield will both hold steady at fourth and fifth in the NCGA-East, respectively. RIC continues to inch forward, improving on all of its events except for bars, where it dropped three-quarters of a point and was forced to count a 7.750 today. However, Kelsey Gates and Olivia Keyes continue to lead the way for the program, each finishing with over 37.000 in the all-around. Springfield had a few struggles, with beam seeing the most improvement, adding over a point and a half to its performance today and pocketing four scores over an 8.900 to help the effort. 

Records: Gates set a new program and personal record on floor for the second week in a row with a 9.850.