Yale will be hosting a full house for the Barbara & Don Tonry Invitational. Named for the coaches responsible for the Yale gymnastics program, the invitational is in honor of their accomplishments. The team has added the name of its beloved head coach Barbara Tonry, who had been head coach since 1973 until her passing last summer.
Yale goes into this meet on a high, having set a new season-high on bars last weekend. Lindsay Chia has been cruising her way through the season, accumulating a handful of all around titles, while Raegan Walker has been collecting her own titles with season highs of 9.800 or higher on her three events. The Bulldogs will only need to prove that their pair of 194s are no coincidence but a product of consistency and an upward trend for the second half of the season.
Just down the road, Southern Connecticut has had a reasonably steady season thus far, finding its groove on most events, although still finding the right balance for beam. Senior Hannah Stahlbrodt is a shining star in the all around for the Owls and is one to watch in the all around race with Yale’s Chia.
Bridgeport, a team that touts itself as small but mighty, is exactly that. With a roster of a dozen gymnasts, an injury plagued Purple Knights had its ranking for a rollercoaster ride last weekend, but they did put up the best team score on beam, an event they went six for six. Notably, stand-out freshman Alyssa Wiggins was missing from the lineups. However, fellow freshman and stand-out Kiana Session is performing gracefully under pressure. Also missing last weekend was notable bar worker Kat Doran, who has turned in no score under a 9.800 on bars so far this season.
Springfield is coming off a season-high, nothing six and a half points from their previous meet, a wave that could very well carry over to today. The Pride’s depth and consistency mean they could easily find themselves in the mix with some hit routines, including strong routines by MacKenzie MacLeod and Devon Rosier.
Does anyone else loathe when the live stream really wants to wait until the last minute to go live or just me?
Yale is presenting a video honoring the Tonry’s.
Rotation 1: Yale Vault, Bridgeport Bars, SCSU Beam, Springfield Floor
Wilson (Yale): Tucked fty, chest down, takes a step forward. 9.300
Macias (SCSU): They said Daniels, but I disagree. Switch to split half. Side aerial to lay full. Solid. 9.050
Schutz (Springfield): RO 1.5 to front lay, just steps it out, but floaty. FHS front full to front tuck, steps back. 9.575
Aviad (Yale): Layout half, bent knees towards the end. 9.650
We are JUMPING around today. I should’ve skipped my morning cardio.
Kahl (SCSU): Front aerial smallest pause to bhs. Cat leap to side aerial, drops her shoulder but keeps it on. I really enjoy this wrist flick choreo. Switch leap to split quarter, good. 1.5 dismount, stuck cold. 9.325
Titche (Yale): Yurchenko full, some form, takes a step. 9.600
Session (Bridgeport): Only showed the double lay but solid. 9.450
Chambers (Bridgeport): Judges took a minute. Great hs to start, picked gienger just some ankles but good. Giant full double tuck, just a small step back. Clean overall. 9.500
Lindsay (Springfield): Sounds like they said Kaitlyn Linsday. Switch side to popa, good. Ah, super short on the landing and grabs her knee on the last pass, lands short twisting. 8.350
Melanson (SCSU): Front aerial to bhs, gorgeous. Switch leap to straddle quarter, good. Side aerial to lay full, pulls way to the side but good. 9.450
Wang (Yale): Solid Y full, hops it back. 9.675
Jorden (Bridgeport): Little short on the hs, piked gienger, great. Another hs a little short, double lay, but comes up super short. Ah, that was dismount was gorgeous too. 8.950
(Ah, the commentators have their names wrong. I’ll be fixing. They previously said Kat Doran. Doran had a 9.800)
Lee (SCSU): Front toss sissone to leap, cool connection. Front aerial bhs to scale, good. Gainer front full, just a little foot shuffling but good. 9.700
Parquet (Springfield): We jumped in and I missed the name. Leap series a little shy. Closes with a great double pike. 9.700
Diaz (SCSU): Side aerial to barani, OH OKAY. Cat leap to side aerial, good. Little bobble on the full turn. Switch leap to ring, bobble. Tucked front full, stuck it. I could use a different beam angle that isn’t straight on. 9.725
Rosier (Springfield): Front full to front lay, just floats that front lay. Closes with a front tuck? 9.250
Tansowny (SCSU): Side aerial to back tuck, comes off the side. Love the originality, however. Switch leap series, okay. Side somi, good. Side aerial to lay full, stuck. 8.950
M. MacLeod (Springfield): 1.5 to front full, solid. Switch side to popa, looked good. FHS rudi, some ankles. Love the energy of this routine. 9.775
After 1: Yale 48.450, Springfield 47.900, SCSU 47.250, Bridgeport 45.550
Is it a Yale meet without the wrong names being thrown around? Of course not. This broadcast chose chaos. Springfield had a rough floor rotation, including a possible injury. Bridgeport showed up on bars but had a pair of low scores to throw a wrench into things. Yale’s vault had some form issues and they haven’t quite nailed down its landings yet but it’s getting there. Southern looked strong on beam but also had to account for a few lower scores.
Rotation 2: Springfield Vault, Yale Bars, Bridgeport Beam, SCSU Floor
Boyd (SCSU): Opens with a rudi, great. Whip half to barani, little low in amplitude. Leaps, okay. Closes with a 1.5 to front tuck but runs it back a little. 9.400
Reminder that SCSU also competed at home yesterday. What a weekend.
Aviad (Yale): Double tuck with a step forward. 9.675
Showing us Springfield vaults but zero faces since everyone lands facing away from the camera? So far a pretty clean layout Yurchenko and a piked Y with a bit of a hop.
Floor judges having a chat.
Camera just jumping from person standing to person standing to person standing.
Aucoin (Bridgeport): Switch leap to tuck 3/4, slightly shy. Hitch kick to side aerial, drops the shoulder but saves it. Side aerial to ro, honestly I love aerial series. More of this. Backwalkover, graceful. Piked gainer off end. 9.375
Ortiz (SCSU): FHS front full, steps across and to the side. 9.325
Chia (Yale): Straddle jaeger, beautiful. These handstands are beautiful. Giant full to double tuck. STUCK. Ohhhh yes. 9.725
Springfield (they just called the Falcons..) had some leg form on a layout yurchenko with leg separation, and a big bounce. That vault has incredible potential. I’ll go back and find some names since we aren’t given any. We don’t believe in Springfield erasure in this house.
Toy (Yale): Good opening hs, straddle jaeger such height. FTDB, looks like maybe just a shuffle on the landing. 9.850
Wilson (SCSU): Front lay to front full, some leg and knee form. Falls on her pass, a weird bounce and can’t get the punch she needs. 8.700
Richardson (Bridgeport): Front toss, a wobble. Repeats the front toss to bhs for the connection, smart. Comes off on the full turn. Leap series okay, but comes off. Beat to straddle 3/4, fights. Gainer full off side, just hops in place. 8.325
Walker (Yale): Ends with double lay and a small hop back. 9.800
Girolamo (SCSU): Double pike, some feet but keeps it in control. Switch side to popa, bouncy. Front full front tuck, keeps it in. Strange bounce on the last pass, fhs rudi to stag. Same corner her teammate had a weird bounce. 9.400
Session (Bridgeport): LOSO beat, soft knees but great connection. BHS LOSO, drops the shoulder but keeps it on. Switch side, a little hesitant but solid. Gainer full off side, can’t tell if she shuffled her feet. 9.750
Doran (Bridgeport): Great turn. Front aerial, swings through the wobble and connects to the bhs, good. Great leaps. Side aerial to full, stuck. 9.750
Zebdi (SCSU): Front pass to stag, good. FHS rudi to split jump, some soft knees on the jump. 9.750
Javinett (Bridgeport): BHS LOSO but comes off before finishing the triple series, ahh. Switch leap to jump, great. Beat to split 3/4, just a little shy on the split. RO 1.5, looks like she stuck it.
After 2: Yale 97.550, SCSU 94.775, Springfield 94.750, Bridgeport 93.125
That was a tough beam rotation for Bridgeport but what they hit looked great. Yale’s lowest counted score was a 9.725, so not a shabby bar rotation overall. Southern struggled through some tumbling passes on floor. And we didn’t get much from Springfield but overall, its vaults looked like it’s improving with more power as the season goes on.
Rotation 3: SCSU Vault, Springfield Bars, Yale Beam, Bridgeport Floor
Aucoin (Bridgeport): Rudi, tiniest bit short but no twisty ankles. Little shy on the switch ring half. Front lay to front full, great. Switch side to straddle jump, great toe point. 1.5 to front pike, keeps it inbounds. 9.475
Mangiacapre (Yale): Pike gainer off end, super wide feet but sticks. 9.150
Daniels (SCSU): Layout Y, super clean, just a hop in place. 8.750
Chambers (Bridgeport): FHS double full, some form in the air but gets it all the way around. Enjoying this choreo. FHS front full to front lay, keeps that in. Great leap series, good amplitude. Ends with fhs rudi, has her chest down but good otherwise! 9.575
Zebdi (SCSU): Tucked fty with a hop on the landing. 9.600
Wilson (Yale): Hopped on the tucked full dismount. 9.575
Richardson (Bridgeport): 1.5 to front tuck, really goes forward on the tuck. 9.475
Walker (Yale): BHS LOSO, small wobble, clean otherwise. Front aerial to split jump, great. Switch leap to split jump to beat. Side aerial to lay full, just a hop. Incredibly clean otherwise. 9.825
Session (Bridgeport): Switch side to popa, good. 1.5 to a floaty front lay. Closes with a double pike but jumps forward a bit. Good overall. 9.600
Chia (Yale): Side aerial but comes off the side. Switch leap to straddle 3/4, good. Side aerial to lay full, stuck. 8.775
Springfield: Straddle jaeger, gorgeous. Toe on dismount, stuck.
Gwinn (Bridgeport): Front full to front lay, good. Ends with a rudi, some form but good. 9.675
Toy (Yale): BHS LOSO, good. Switch ring, looked nice. Split jump, sheep, good. Side aerial to lay full, stuck! 9.825
Sipes (Springfield): Ends with a huge double lay, just a step forward. 8.150
Morris (Springfield): Bail to low, good. Almost wobbles on the squat on. Ends with a double tuck and steps back. 8.575
Cho (Yale): Front toss to bhs swing down, good. Comes off on split jump series. RO 1.5, takes a few steps. 9.025
After 3: Yale 145.050, SCSU 142.650, Bridgeport 140.925, Springfield 137.650
Yale had some bobbles to fight through on beam. Bridgeport showed up strong on floor and currently has the second-best floor score of the meet so far, just a tenth behind Springfield with its 47.900. Southern had a good showing on vault, counting only 9.5s or higher.
I know we still have a rotation to go, but Springfield’s MacKenzie MacLeod currently sits at the top on floor with a 9.775. This also looks like a new career-high for her, too. But, you know, why show Springfield?
Rotation 4: Bridgeport Vault, SCSU Bars, Springfield Beam, Yale Floor
Fields (SCSU): Hiccup on the handstand, misses the piked gienger. 8.050
Wilson (Yale): 1.5 to front lay, beautiful and keeps it in by a toe. Switch leap to switch ring half, kind of a wonky shape on the ring but beautiful first leap. Closes with a double pike, controlled. Also kept that in narrowly. Good overall, though. 9.750
Schutz (Springfield): Piked gainer off end, good. 9.175
Doran (Bridgeport): Hopped on the landing, but fairly clean otherwise. 9.400
“The Springfield Purple Knights”
Girolamo (SCSU): Great release. Giant full to double tuck, hops in place. 9.475
Titche (Yale): Double pike, opens up fast and has to take a step back. Switch side to popa, just a little shy on the jump. Front lay to front full, good. Double tuck, also barely keeps this in bounds. 9.475
Yale struggling with control today.
Session (Bridgeport): Tucked fty, seems stuck. 9.600
Mangiacapre (Yale): FHS front full to front lay, looks like she kept it in. Great leaps, beautiful form. Closes with a double pike but it short and puts her hands down. 9.050
Morris (Springfield): BHS LOSO, comes off. Switch leap series, good. Front walkover, bobbles. Hitch kick to gainer full, just a step forward. 8.900
Chambers (Bridgeport): FHS front tuck half, some form but great power. 9.600
Munshi (SCSU): Blind to straddle jaeger, good. Bail to hs, little wiggy. Ahh, collapses in the last pirouette. Blind full to double tuck, just a step back. 8.900
Chia (Yale): Opens with a rudi to jump, good. Good leap series, could use a liiiiittle more definition. Great last pass with a floaty front lay. 9.775
Baker (SCSU): Straddle jaeger, good. Ah, the handstand went awry. Double tuck, just a hop. 8.925
Toy (Yale): Great leap series. Front lay to front full, bounces forward but stays in. FHS rudi to split jump, great. 9.775
Wang (Yale): Ftdb, some form, keeps it in. Switch half popa, good. Double tuck, lands with her chest down. Great last pass. 9.700
MacLeod (Springfield): Side somi to tuck full, stuck. 9.650
Final: Yale 193.525, SCSU 189.400, Bridgeport 187.450, Springfield 183.750
The Bulldogs defend today, winning the Tonry Invitational with a margin of just over four points. Springfield had at least one record broken today, and Bridgeport came back swinging to fill out its lineups. The Owls were knocking on the door of a 190.000 and came so close.
VT: Walker 9.775
UB: Toy, Wang 9.850
BB: Toy, Walker 9.825
FX: Chia, MacCleod, Toy 9.775
AA: Wilson 38.450
Live Blog by Allison Freeman
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