Gymnastics’ version of the Duel in the Desert is rarely a close affair. These teams tend to ebb and flow alternately as time passes. This year’s dual might not be ultra-close, but it’s one of the closer ones in recent history. Arizona cracked the 196 barrier for the first time last week at Washington and obviously has room to grow, while Arizona State seems to have a longer road to its own (higher) ultimate potential. While the Sun Devils have the obvious upper hand here, the ascendent Wildcats at home do have just a chance to shake up the dynamics of the Pac-12 today.
Rotation 1:
Lost this entire rotation to stream issues. It didn’t work at all for twenty minutes and then kept showing ads on repeat. Specifically Glenn Youngkin ads. I don’t even live in Virginia.
After 1:
Rotation 2:
Jaslow (ASU): Decent FTY, a little hip angle and a hop.
Mueller (UA): Tkachev, high but not much counter, bail with a little leg separation and has to do an extra sole circle. Double layout a little starfishy, stuck-ish. 9.7
Reeves (ASU): FTY, massive form throughout. 9.75
Linton (UA): Tkachev, bail, double layout good with a hop in place. Handstands weren’t perfect but 9.75 feels really harsh.
White (ASU): FTY, decent height with a hop back.
Hargrove (UA): Full turn to Tkachev, sideways in the air and falls. FTDB high with a step back.
Mangahas (ASU): FTY, flare out with a hop back nice.
Deets (UA): Full turn to Tkachev good, double layout pretty in the first salto and then loses form, step back.
Scharf (ASU): Super clean FTY stuck-ish, 9.9
McCabe (UA): Pike Jaeger great, full turn to bail very clean. Cast to direct double layout, flexed feet but stuck.
Theodorou (ASU): Half on, tuck half off good, hop back.
Fears (UA): Great Tkachev, clear hip to bail super clean. Double layout with a little leg separation but stuck, awesome.
After 2: Arizona State 98.475, Arizona 97.875
Rotation 3: Arizona BB, Arizona State FX
Fears (UA): BHS LOSO clean, side aerial to sissone, switch to straddle 1/4 very pretty. one and a half twist, step back.
Jaslow (ASU): Double pike a little deep, lunges out okay. Front lay front full with a quick step forward. Double tuck, chest low and awkward landing.
Deets (UA): BHS LOSO, check. Hitch kick switch side, cat leap kickover front, good dismount.
Gutierrez (ASU): Two and a half twist good, well-controlled Rudi.
Herry (UA): Stream freaked out for a second again, good straddle dance series, wow this stream absolutely wants me dead.
Glenn Youngkin again.
Clark (ASU): Double pike directly connected to Glenn Youngkin.
Mueller (UA): Side aerial to LOSO aggressive and clean, full turn, switch to split. One and a half twist with a hop back. Great.
Theodorou (ASU): Full in, form and a low chest, tour jete half wolf full wolf full. One and a half, front lay.
Castles (UA): BHS LOSO, teensy hip adjustment. Switch to split, full turn, double wolf pretty (yeah I know) and a one and a half twist with a hop to salute.
Mangahas (ASU): Full in, overrotated with two steps back and OOB, I thought she got lucky not to sit that. Slightly low chest on the second pass, wolf full wolf full solid.
Linton (UA): Double wolf well controlled. Great triple series, switch to split with a check, side aerial back full stuck.
Scharf (ASU): Front through double back, overrotated with a couple of extra steps. Front full front tuck, switch half wolf full, double pike underrotated with a step forward.
After 3: Arizona State 147.425, Arizona 147.050
Rotation 4: Arizona State BB, Arizona FX
Thompson (ASU): BHS BHS LOSO solid. Steady leaps, full turn, side aerial back full with a scoot back. Nice routine to open. 9.85
Orman (UA): Rudi, hops to the side and OOB. Switch side Popa a little underrotated, double back good. 9.575
Reeves (ASU): Triple series with serious leg form, switch to split, full turn with a check. Front aerial, one and a half twist mostly tucked. 9.8
Castles (UA): Two and a half punch front solid, just a little leg sep. One and a half through double full STUCK. Switch ring to switch ring half, great. 9.825, what’s a girl gotta do to get a 9.85+ out of these judges as an Arizona gymast…
Gutierrez (ASU): BHS LOSO solid, Rulfova. Front handspring, beat to switch side a little short of position, one and a half twist. 9,9
Mueller (UA): Double pike a little overrotated, switch side Popa is great. One and a half front lay to sissone, great double tuck.
White (ASU): BHS LOSO pretty, full turn, looked like a check on an aerial or something, split to double stag good. Side aerial back full with a hop.
Fears (UA): Lovely double tuck, switch side Popa with great positions, two and a half twist with great control. One and a half front full. 9.9 DESERVED.
Clark (ASU): BHS LOSO, split to… open double stag? Weird position. Front aerial, check, one and a half twist with a step back.
Herry (UA): Double tuck, super control, precise leap rotation. One and a half front lay with a little shuffle, double pike with a snappy landing. Awesome.
Scharf (ASU): BHS LOSO great, side somi very precise. Switch , lean, split to wolf to make sure she has a dance combo. One and a half with a baby step back.
Hargrove (UA): Full in overrotated, scoot back. whip half front full bouncy. Ring leap tour jete half, double back also slightly overcooked.
FINAL: Arizona State 196.600, Arizona 196.400
Season highs for both and a significant one for Arizona, which is now firmly back inside the regionals cutoff. Great to see freshman Fears having a breakout meet.
AA Champ: Alysen Fears (UA) 39.350
VT Champ: Hannah Scharf, Alex Theodorou (ASU) 9.900
UB Champ: Hannah Scharf (ASU) 9.900
BB Champ: Jasmine Gutierrez (ASU) 9.900
FX Champ: Alysen Fears, Malia Hargrove (UA) 9.900
Live Blog by Rebecca Scally
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