Another week, another close SEC matchup. This marks the beginning of LSU’s double meet weekend. The Tigers are set to travel to Missouri to compete on Sunday to make up for the meet canceled earlier this season. Last weekend, the Tigers lost a close matchup with rival Florida due to the Gators’ huge 49.800 on floor in the final rotation. LSU was able to hang close for the majority of the meet. However, Haleigh Bryant’s rough floor landing that took her out of the beam lineup caused fans a bit of concern. Kai Rivers stepped up to the plate and posted a 9.900 in Bryant’s place, showing that the Tigers have some depth waiting in the wings for their opportunity. Despite leaving a few tenths on the table, LSU still posted one of the highest away team totals this season with a 197.825. The lineups this weekend might look slightly different as some athletes get a rest day either Friday or Sunday. In coach Jay Clark’s most recent interview, he emphasized that there might be some new faces in the lineup, especially on floor. Alyona Shchennikova will likely be out due to a knee injury. The knee was taped at the Florida meet but has apparently gotten worse since then. Her prognosis is currently unknown as the staff awaits further imaging.
Alabama’s 197.475 last weekend left a few things to be desired. The Tide could not replicate its 49.500 vault rotation from its meet against Western Michigan and North Carolina, nor did it escape beam wobble free. Makarri Doggette went down with a hard fall on floor, so her availability this week is questionable as well. Luckily, she escaped with a sprain rather than a more serious injury. However, sprains can take their sweet time to heal, so it might take some time before Doggette makes her way back into her typical lineup spots. On the bright side, Alabama has the current SEC Freshman of the Week in Lily Hudson. She has been taking college gymnastics by storm in the last few weeks, including her completely stuck 9.950 floor routine from last weekend. Perhaps she will get another shot at the all around competition with Doggette likely out on vault. Alabama’s highest road score is a low 197, so the Crimson Tide will look to post a big score at LSU to up its NQS. The switch in ranking method is fast approaching, and there are only three away meets remaining. A good score here would mean dropping the 195.875 from the Tide’s season opener.
Both of these teams have been a bit all over the place, so who will win this meet is anyone’s guess. Obviously this is an LSU home meet, so that’s an automatic advantage. However, the win will be extremely lineup dependent. Although LSU has plenty of routine options, not all are created equal. Alabama’s lineups are hit or miss as well. Honestly, get ready for anything ladies and gents.
Here’s the leo that LSU is wearing tonight in case anyone was wondering. Happy Mardi Gras!
Rotation 1: LSU VT, Alabama UB
Makarri Doggette and Alyona Shchennikova are both unavailable tonight.
Rivers (LSU): Yurchenko full, stuck again this week! A little forward with the chest. Good lead off for her! 9.900
Gaskins (ALA): Maloney to pak. Some leg form on the pak. Double layout with a slight hop back. Soft knees in the air. 9.850
Edwards (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, better form this week with a step forward 9.900
Paradise (ALA): Blind, Jaeger. Good distance. Beautiful handstand. Overshoot. Short last handstand. Double layout with an uncontrolled step back.
Arenas (LSU): Yurchenko full, near stuck with a baby hop back. Good extension in the air. If Kathy loves it, I love it. 9.875
Hudson (ALA): Toe hand, Maloney, overshoot. Smooth connection, some leg form. Blind full to stuck double tuck. Chest nice and up on the landing. 9.850
KJ Johnson (LSU): Yurchenko full, small hop back. So high, so much distance. Only the hop on the landing. 9.875
Adams (ALA): Maloney, pak. Maloney half. She wasn’t quite ready for the catch and slips off. Repeats it, some knees but caught it. Toe blind full, double tuck. Stuck. She came back nicely, but she’s clearly not amused with that performance. 9.350
Kiya Johnson (LSU): Yurchenko double full. These are looking much better this year! Somewhat off to the side with a hop back.
Machado (ALA): Maloney, pak salto. Some legs. Toe hand, maloney half. Pretty on that. Blind full, double tuck. Small scoot forward. 9.875
Bryant (LSU): FHS front pike, half. Nice as usual. Just the scoot back. 9.925
Blanco (ALA): Maloney, pak. Nice toe point on that. A little short on the last handstand. Stuck FTDT.
AFTER ONE: LSU 49.500, Alabama 49.300
Season high for LSU on the vault! As they should. The Tigers finally came up with some more solid landings this week and the scores showed it.
Alabama came away with only one 9.9-plus in that rotation, but escaped counting a fall.
Rotation 2: Alabama VT, LSU UB
Olsen (ALA): Yurchenko double full. Some leg crossing in the air with a hop back. Pretty good lead off routine for her! 9.900
Kiya Johnson (LSU): Maloney, Overshoot. Some form on that. Toe hand. Double layout, the smallest hop back. Some handstands missed in there.
Quinn (ALA): Yurchenko 1.5. Soft knees on the landing with a hop forward. 9.850
Rivers (LSU): Toe hand, Maloney, overshoot. Almost overdid that shoot with some arch and leg separation. Tkatchev. Double layout, stuck. Nice chest up on the landing. 9.875
Paradise (ALA): Yurchenko 1.5 with a hop to the side. Twisted right until she landed. 9.850
Dunne (LSU): Tkatchev, pak salto. Smooth connection this week. Double layout, some leg and foot form throughout. Hop back. 9.800
Waligora (ALA): Yurchenko 1.5. Little to no height and had to sit it down this week. Missed the timing a bit.
Bryant (LSU): Blind, Jaeger. Good distance and height. overshoot hand. Her handstands are on another level. Double front with a half dismount. The tiniest step forward. 9.925
Graber (ALA): Yurchenko 1.5. She finally got the stick this week! Her best vault of the season. 9.975!
Arenas (LSU): Her first bar routine ever! Toe hand, Tkatchev. Pak salto, her legs were so far apart. Double layout. She let go sooooooo early and nearly dragged her knees on the lunge forward. 9.350. She looked like she got tight after her awkward pak salto. Hopefully she’ll get another shot at redemption.
Hudson (ALA): Yurchenko 1.5, good height and form in the air. Hop to the side. 9.875
Durante (LSU): Blind, Jaeger. Just lovely. Pak salto. Some leg form there. Good last handstand. FTDT. She stuck it with her chest on her knees. So basically it was perfect. 9.950
AFTER TWO: LSU 98.950, Alabama 98.750
Both teams escaped without counting a fall in that rotation. Lexi Graber put together a near perfect vault performance while Lily Hudson made her return to the lineup. LSU’s bar performance was highlighted by Durante and Bryant’s 9.9-plus routines. I will never stop emphasizing how much Haleigh’s bars has improved this year. We’re still within two tenths, folks! This competition is getting juicy!
Rotation 3: LSU BB, Alabama FX
Desiderio (LSU): Switch leap, switch half. A little under split on the second leap. BHS LOSO, slightly off but covers well. Front Aerial, solid. Cat leap, gainer full. Stuck. As always. Another good lead off routine for Christina. 9.900
Waligora (ALA): Front lay, front double full. Almost OOB. Some loss of control. A leap, kind of off on that. A side Aerial? Back 1.5, front lay. Looked OOB to me, but I didn’t see a hand raise from the judge. On it, not over. 9.850
Rivers (LSU): She’s baaaaaack! BHS LOSO. So solid. Switch half, a slight bobble there. Switch toe-feet, straddle 1/4. RO back double full. Stuck it with a stagger of the feet. She fought for that routine. 9.850
Gaskins (ALA): Deep breaths… I can’t wait for the Sweet Home alabama in the PMAC. Double layout. Kathy says it’s better… Y turn to wolf full. Switch leap, switch half. Good extension. Double tuck, took several steps and fell out of bounds. Is this new music? I’m devastated. 9.050
Dean (LSU): Side Aerial, BHS. Some leg and foot form in there. No wobbles. Switch leap, stag jump. Front Aerial, beat jump. She means business today! Side Aerial, back full dismount. Stuck, some soft knees in the air. 9.900. OK.
Machado (ALA): Double pike, overcooked with a large hop back. Back 1.5, front pike. Not quite around on the turn. Triple wolf turn… Switch leap, switch half. Some lack of dynamics. Double tuck. Best landing of the routine. 9.850
Bryant (LSU): Front Aerial, BHS. Switch leap, straddle 1/4. Fine. Front tuck. Solid. That’s so hard. Split jump by itself? Why? Punch Rudi, stuck. 9.950
Hudson (ALA): Front lay, front double full. A little short today with a step back. Switch half, wolf full. Back 2.5 twist with good control. Double tuck, good landing there too. 9.900. A little high for me.
Finnegan (LSU): BHS LOSO LOSO. Just gorgeous! Switch leap, split jump. Slight correction. Front Aerial. Nice. Side Aerial, tuck full. Stuck with a large chest lean. She looked like she mistimed the step in for the full. 9.900. Here we gooooooo
Blanco (ALA): Double pike. Nice one. A bit off on her leap, I’m sure she knew how much rotation to do. Double tuck. Pretty short with a step forward. Front full, front tuck. Mistimed that punch too. Not sure what happened. 9.750
Kiya Johnson (LSU): BHS LOSO. Solid. Switch leap, switch leap, split jump. Under split position on all of them. Front toss. Those are much improved. BHS back 1.5. Stuck. I think she’s finally getting the hang of that dismount. 10.0. Absolutely not.
Graber (ALA): FTDT. Nice! “This routine has to go dummy if she starts with a dab.” (a comment from a nearby viewer) Good leap pass. Switch side, Wolf 1.5. Around. Fine. Front through to double pike. Large lunge back. 9.925
AFTER THREE: LSU 148.600, Alabama 147.975
Beam season high for the Tigers with a 49.650! We’re on 198 watch!
Honestly, there was a hint of drugs involved in some of the scores, but it was indeed the best beam LSU has done this season.
Alabama was OK on floor tonight, but the Tide left some tenths up for grabs. Once again, the team avoided counting a fall. However, Alabama needs to start hitting six routines on events if it wants to start consistently getting the big team scores.
Rotation 4: Alabama BB, LSU FX
The score isn’t as close going into this event, but get ready for some big floor scores. It is Friday night in the PMAC in front of a sell-out crowd after all.
Burgess (ALA): One-hand BHS LOSO. So pretty. Cat leap, switch side. A little interesting technique on the cat. Switch leap, beat jump. Did not hit the split position. Side Aerial, full dismount. Stuck. 9.900. OK.
Desiderio (LSU): Double layout. Good control. Back 1.5, front layout. Pretty form on the layout. A little under on her leap pass. Double tuck. Came in with her knees a little straighter than I’d like. Bouncy on the landing. 9.900
Olsen (ALA): Switch leap, switch half. Fine. Some soft back knee. BHS LOSO. Had to lift up the front foot. Front walkover. BHS BHS two-feet, double pike. Stuck again this week. Again very low amplitude. 9.900
Dunne (LSU): Front tuck through to double tuck. Fine. Switch leap, switch half ring. Not very dynamic. Double pike. Low on the chest, but controls it well. 9.900
Graber (ALA): BHS layout two feet. A little off to the side with a wobble. Switch leap, straddle 3/4. A check on that too. Cat leap, front toss to scale. Gainer full, stuck. 9.90
Will anyone go below 9.9 this rotation?
KJ Johnson (LSU): FTDT. A little off center. Good control. Back 1.5 front layout. Good amplitude on the second flip. Switch side, popa. Double tuck, a little short this week with her chest down. Otherwise good routine. 9.875
Waligora (ALA): BHS LOSO. Solid. Side Aerial. A bit over the side, but managed well. Small check. Split jump, tuck full. Small check and a smile. RO back 1.5, stuck. I’ll have another 9.90 please. 9.925. Thank you.
Finnegan (LSU): Double Arabian, has to take the lunge back to control. Low back leg on the leap series. Back 2.5 twist, front layout. May or may not have landed OOB. Kathy doesn’t seem concerned so neither am I. She did carry that layout a bit further than she should’ve. 9.900
Hudson (ALA): Front Aerial, BHS LOSO. Solid. Switch leap, beat jump. Nice. Side Aerial. Good again. RO back 1.5 dismount. The smallest hop forward. 9.925
Bryant (LSU): FHS front double front. Pretty large step forward today. Switch ring, switch half. LOSO for the back skill requirement. Front lay, Rudi. She pulled it out, but it was pretty low. Unless I missed it, she took a pass out.
Blanco (ALA): BHS LOSO LOSO! She goes for the triple series this week, and it was sooooo nice. Such a beam queen. Switch leap, beat jump. RO double full dismount. Stuck. I’m hearing 10 chants! It might just be today. 9.975. Booooooooooooo
Kiya Johnson is no longer going in the anchor spot, so we’re done here in Baton Rouge.
Final: LSU 198.050, Alabama 197.600
Well Alabama’s 195 road score is no more. The Tide fought through each rotation and ultimately peaked on the final event, not counting a score below 9.900.
LSU will be happy to come away with its first 198-plus of the season. Tune in to see the Tigers compete again on Sunday. That road matchup will give us some more information about the health and durability of the Tigers. Bryant competed floor tonight but still looked a little timid even with two passes. Kiya Johnson was rested on floor tonight after her beam 10.0, so we’ll see if she makes an appearance in the lineup at Mizzou.
AA Winner: Haleigh Bryant 39.675
VT Winner: Lexi Graber 9.975
UB Winner: Sami Durante 9.950
BB Winner: Kiya Johsnon 10.000
FX Winner: Lexi Graber 9.925
Live Blog by Tavia Smith
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