Happy Valentine’s Day Monday afternoon to you! We’ve got a special treat to ease us into the week with this tri. There are really two distinct things going on in this one. First, Minnesota will want a big road number to secure its opening NQS when that kicks in next Monday, which we only found out two days ago* (the Gophers will first have a calculable NQS after February 19). The other teams in the top eight are just doing better than 197.100s on the road. Minnesota wasn’t bad at Illinois, it was just not outstanding enough to feel comfortable. It’s time for a statement away meet.
Secondly, we’ve got a real battle between Pitt and Maryland. Both teams have had similar trajectories score-wise so far in 2022. The Panthers are riding high on superstar freshman Hallie Copperwheat, while the Terps are cobbling some lineups together and waiting for some key players to get healthy. We saw Reese McClure make her return to beam last week after an ankle sprain sidelined her for all of January. Unfortunately, Sophia LeBlanc just announced a torn Achilles, so her floor score is no longer on the table.
*How annoying is it that we don’t go into the season knowing these things!? Irks me every year.
For the uninitiated (read: Pitt fans experiencing BTN+ for the first time), Big Ten meets always start late. Don’t even expect the video feed to kick on at 3:00 ET.
Ten minutes past, still nothing. Sooooo…who’s playing Wordle?
Teams have tweeted lineups! We MUST be getting close.
Rotation 1: UMD VT, Minn UB, Pitt BB
Kogler (UMD): Yfull, some pike an a hop.
Remlinger (Minn): Bail hand clean. Good last handstand. full-in, feet staggered but stuck.
Chamberlain (Pitt): Nice full turn. Bhs bhs loso, really gorgeous extension, no wobbles. Switch to straddle 1/4 was good. RO 3/2, chest forward hop.
Silberman (UMD): Yfull-on tuck, hop.
Hooten (Minn): Looks like we fully skipped her on the stream.
Robatin (Pitt): Front toss bhs, solid. She has good presence. Beat to straddle 3/4, landed a bit leaned back but covered really well. Cat to Liukin, good, touch off balance on the landing but stayed strong. Front tuck 1/1 stuck. Wow!
Gilbert (UMD): Yhalf, soft knees and a step.
Willmarth (Minn): Sigh we still have no scores. Classic. They’re not announcing anything on the stream either. Ray, good turnover. Bail hand, some leg sep. Good handstands n here. Blind full double tuck stuck.
Rubio (UMD): We skipped Weir on the stream. Yfull, HUGE stuck cold. Excellent vault.
Barber (UMD): Yfull, some hip angle and a big hop.
Ewing (Pitt): Front aerial bhs, some soft knees. Switch to switch half, lost her balance, it was a medium leg up check. Side aerial back tuck 1/1, just a foot shuffle.
Loper (Minn): Maloney, good. Pak, caught a little far out. Short last handstand blind 1/1 double tuck stuck.
Washington (Pitt): Bhs layout two feet, just offline on the layout, falls. Switch to split, quite short back leg on the split. Gorgeous handstand work. Front toss to beat, clean. RO 3/2, hop.
Sales (Minn): Blind to Markelov, good. DLO, hop back.
Ramler (Minn): Maloney Pak to short handstand. van Leeuwen was clean. FTDB, staggered feet on landing but stuck.
Copperwheat (Pitt): Switch to split, soft knees. Side somi, slight adjustment in her arms. Bhs loso, no movement on the landing, some soft knees again. Side aerial to beat, slightly off balance on that connection but flowed through it. RO 3/2, dropped it right in, stuck.
Beckwith (Pitt): She has a pink and yellow scrunchy situation going on for this pink meet and it works. Bit of a wait, she’s getting a pep talk from Sam Snider to keep her loose. Quick twitch beam work, great carriage, it’s clear why she’s the anchor. Bhs loso, good. Switch half, short of 180. Beat to split 3/4, bit shy of the split again. Side aerial back tuck 1/1, small hop, she tried to salute to cover it.
AFTER 1: Minnesota 49.425, Maryland 49.150, Pittsburgh 48.950
Heyyy we’ve got scores. Great start across the board. Maryland will have wanted to be a scosh higher on one of its best events, but it’s still very solid. Minnesota will be aiming at mid-49s across the board, so this is right on track. Pitt got right back on track after the fall, so Snider will be pleased with her squad.
Rotation 2: Maryland UB, Minnesota BB, Pittsburgh FX
Koch (Minn):Looks like we skipped her!
Kondo (UMD): Blind to Jaeger immediate bail, messy legs on the bail. DLO, low chest, she saluted forward, not a true stick.
Miller (Pitt): Double tuck, great landing. Front lay front 1/1 to stag, archy and knees on the lay. Tour jete half to split 1/1, really lovely splits, teammates were blocking her feet so couldn’t see rotation. Double pike, sooched her front foot in the lunge.
Drage (UMD): Short handstand. Blind full to Deltchev, some foot form. Bail hand short. DLO, big step back.
Koch (Minn): JK here she is! Beat to Split 3/4, short of 180 by quite a bit. Liukin, lovely. RO 3/2, hop back.
Beckwith (Pitt): Double stag was pretty. RO 3/2 front lay, really floated the twisting skill but had to pull the lay in pretty hard. Clean leaps.
Debarberie (UMD): Ray immediate bail, pretty off balance on the bail. Blind full DLO, holds the stick.
Tyson (Minn): Off kilter on her triple series, falls. Switch to straddle 1/4, little off balance. RO 3/2, step forward and to the side.
Silberman (UMD): Gienger, good. Short bail hand. Arched last handstand. DLO, low chest, stepped into the salute.
Hutchinson (Pitt): Tour jete 1/2 split 1/1, seemed a touch off balance in the air, good splits. RO 3/2 front 1/1, landed back on her heels and had to step sideways.
Loper (Minn): Pike front toss, just an arm adjustment. Switch to straddle 1/4, not quite 180s on those today. RO HUGE 3/2, stuck cold.
Tsiknias (UMD): Blind to Jaeger, clean. Bail hand, no problems. DLO, hop back.
Ewing (Pitt): HUGE double tuck, deduction-free lunge. Swtich half wolf full, no issues. Little messy in her legs on her combo pass, but landed it well. Double pike, another great lunge.
Barber (UMD): Short handstand. Clear hip hand to Hindorff immediate bail, clean throughout. Short handstand DLO, covers a step forward by saluting.
Nylin (Minn): We skipped over Sonier. We heard Minnesota had “A couple falls.” Aaand we’re not going to see this either.
Copperwheat (Pitt): Double tuck, stellar control. Some soft knees in her leaps. Little on her heels on her combo pass, but she covered it well. Double pike, big lunge but doesn’t move the front foot.
Gerdes (Minn): Bhs loso, good. This was supposed to be Nylin but she was subbed out. Split to double stag, check. Side aerial 1/1 stuck.
Washington (Pitt): Double pike, stepped her front foot in the lunge. Nice leaps, really lovely lines. Front lay front full, clean. Huge double tuck, great landing.
We caught Ramler sticking her dismount, because she is Lexy Ramler.
Rickey, I think, I’m so sorry my EAGL ID’s are not up to snuff! (Pitt, exh.): 5/2 twist, one of my favorite passes! Balked on her leaps, tried to cover I think by adding a second wofl 1/1, not sure what judge will do. Underrotates her combo pass and sits her punch front, she seems a little just off after that. Punch lay to end, smart of her not to do a full tumble if she was feeling badly.
AFTER 2: Maryland 98.475, Pittsburgh 98.050, Minnesota 97.475
I just got word from Drew Porsche, friend of CGN and statistics wizard, that Minnesota’s bar total was top 10 all time, and the Terps just tied their No. 2 all-time score on bars with a 49.325.
Stellar for Maryland! Bars is a tough event for the Terps, so going through not just cleanly but with a near-best score all time is a gold star. Minnesota had falls from Koch and Tyson and a major mistake from Sonier, plus the rest of the crew was just not up to its usual numbers. Rough day! Being away for the second half of a double is no joke, and the Gophers felt it there. Luckily for them, floor and vault are excellent events, so there’s plenty of time to get this one back on track. Pitt broke 49 on floor, and will be thrilled with how this one is rolling along; its about keeping that momentum going into vault.
Rotation 3: Maryland BB, Minnesota FX, Pittsburgh VT
Weir (UMD): Bhs loso, clean. She’s patient in her beam work. Switch to switch 1/4, shy of 180 on the latter. Switch to loso, she did adjust a foot in between, we’ll see what the judges do there. Bhs 3/2, true stick.
Miller (Pitt): FTY, hips and a hop.
Koch (Minn): Bounce back time for the Gophers, and for Koch personally. FHS rudi, clean.
Beckwith (Pitt): Yfull tucked, hop back.
Silberman (UMD): Bhs bhs loso, knees throughout. Switch to straddle 1/4, excellent oversplits. RO 3/2, big step forward.
Leneave (Minn): Double pike, low chest. Switch half to wolf 1/1. RO 3/2 front lay, arched the lay a little good landing. Double tuck, has to cowboy it a bit to pull it around, but lands well.
McClure (UMD): Cat to front aerial bhs, really floated calmly though. Swtich to split 1/4, little short on the latter. Front aerial, leg up check. Gainer rudi, step back. Looks like a 9.800 SV for her, something to do with that bobbled aerial I’d guess.
Chamberlain (Pitt): Yfull, hop back and some hips in the air.
Ramler (Minn): FHS rudi to straddle, clean. RO 3/2 front lay, no problems there.
Washington (Pitt): Yfull, huge! Big hop back.
Kogler (UMD): Switch to straddle 1/4, good. Bhs bhs loso, no deductions. Front walkover, gotta get that forward motion! Switchto split, low back leg. Gainer 1/1, stuck.
Gerdes (Minn): Double pike, great landing. She’s in for Nylin again, not sure what’s going on there.
Debarberie (UMD): Bhs loso, small check, just dropped a shoulder. Switch to tuck 3/4, chest forward on the tuck. Cat to front aerial, clean. RO 3/2, feet were far apart, had to move them together a good bit.
Remlinger (Minn): Clean leaps. Good landing on her combo pass. Double tuck, bounced backward out of it.
Barber (UMD): Front aerial to beat, one shoulder was a little low on the landing but she covered well. Deduction-free bhs loso. Front toss to beat, clean. She is ON. Switch to split, good. RO 2/1, hop back.
Loper (Minn): 5/2, stellar landing. Ends with her combo pass, no deductions there.
Rubio (UMD, exh): Straddle to straddle 3/4, dropped her chest. Front tuck bhs, clean but I’m not sure she’ll get that connection, she definitely paused. Cartwheel tuck 3/2, true stick.
Jencks (Minn. exh): Little short on her jump shapes. Combo pass was clean. Punch rudi, little low but clean landing.
AFTER 3: Maryland, 147.475, Pittsburgh 147.050, Minnesota 146.850
The Gophers started to get back on track there, from what was their lowest event total in 40 meets on beam. Coming back from that to a 49.375 is nothing to sneeze at, that takes guts. They’re definitely not rolling with full lineups here, which makes sense because they’re on the second meet of a double.
Maryland is rolling through this one. Hitting a 49.000 on beam is exactly what the Terps needed to do going into floor. Pitt also notched a 49.000 on vault. Both teams just need to close out strong and they’ll have a shot at some season-best numbers here.
Rotation 4: Maryland floor, Minnesota vault, Pittsburgh bars
Grotenhuis (Minn): Yfull, piked it in a bit and had to hop, she didn’t need to pike it down! It was big!
Gillings (Pitt): Blidn to Jaeger, ncie. Short handstand to bail hand, also short. Blind full quite late to double tuck, step.
Rudio (UMD): RO 3/2 front lay, leg form in the twist. Swtich side popa, great 180s. Double tuck, chest forward on the landing and a touch off balance.
Jencks (Minn): Yfull, tidy in the air, big hop back.
Ewing (Pitt): Blind to front giant pike Jaeger, some soft knees. GREAT clear hip hand to bail hand, very nice there! Blind full good to slung out double tuck, sticks!
Hooten (Minn): Y1.5, soft knees, true stick.
Silberman (UMD): Rudi loso, little archy and some leg sep, she really travelled on that, which the judges can take. Clean switch side Popa. FHS 2/1, great landing!
Loper (Minn): Y1.5, really popped it up, I think they’ll give a stick, she did pop onto her toes. 10! so they did give the stick haha.
Fall for Pitt on her dismount from Hutchinson.
R. LeBlanc (UMD): Stepped to the side a bit on her FHS 2/1. FHS front 1/1 front lay, clean. Switch side wolf 1/1, rotation was clean. RO layout, gotta get that back tumbling requirement! FHS rudi, lunged to the side quite a bit.
Gerdes (Minn): Yfull, some hip angle, hop.
Chamberlain (Pitt): Good handstand to FTDB, stuck.
Osterhout (UMD): Pitt is SCREAMING for a score in the background. Front through double tuck, couldn’t see her foot but she leaned quite a bit back on her lunge. Switch ring to switch full, low front leg on the ring. Popa Popa nice. Double pike, did lift her front heel in the lunge.
Copperwheat (Pitt): Okay the screams were for Chamberlain’s 9.950, I think. Wow! Blind to HUGE Jaeger, good catch. Short handstand to bail hand, great handstand on the catch. FTDB, stuck, her feet were a bit staggered.
Rothenbuescher (UMD): Double pike, hopped her feet right in place, didn’t need to lunge.
Macy, I think again I am so sorry Pitt! (Pitt, exh.): Blind to pike Jaeger, took it way too far out, falls.
Barber (UMD): Full-in, great landing but she did lunge forward. RO 3/2 front pike, good there, clean landing. Switch to Popa Popa, good splits. Double tuck, solid landing there. This’ll be a big number.
Glauber (UMD, exh.): Double pike, good landing. RO 3/2 front lay, low on both, really had to pull the lay down to make it to her feet. Good save. Switch ring, low front leg to short switch full. Double tuck, low chest and bounces back into her lunge.
FINAL: Maryland 196.700, Pittsburgh 196.450, Minnesota 196.225
Wow! That’s only Maryland’s third-ever win over Minnesota, and it was Pitt’s first ever win over the Gophers. Both Maryland and Pitt put up their fourth-best program scores on the heels of great bars totals. Pitt set a new bar record here.
The Gophers just look tired. They had a Sunday-Friday-Monday stretch here, and that’s a lot of gymnastics. This is no indication of the team as a whole. Plus, an over-196 for a kind of disaster meet is not bad. Really only beam was extremely off. The other three held up just fine.
EVENT WINNERS:
AA: Loper, 39.675
VT: Loper, 10.0
UB: Ramler, 9.975
BB: Loper, Kogler, 9.875
FX: Loper 9.925
Live blog by Emily Minehart
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Gosh following this meet is near impossible. Thank you for helping provide some insight into what is happening!