The USAG Dismount: Week 7

Recap

The Big Storyline: The Golden Rams 193-plus streak came to an end, falling just shy thanks to struggling uncharacteristically on beam. However, their consistency on the remaining events kept them afloat. Southern Connecticut tied its season high, continuing its rise to peak as the team makes it way into the second half of the season. The Owls freshman Emelia Diaz brought a competitive and notable beam routine to the lineup. West Chester’s Jessica Meakim pocketed three event scores over a 9.600 to help the team to victory. 

Implications: Although fellow USAG and GEC competitor Yale didn’t have its best meet against Temple, it outscored both West Chester and Southern Connecticut, causing West Chester to forgo its third place spot to the Bulldogs, as well as it’s second place spot in the GEC rankings. The margin is slim, and with this unusual score from West Chester, it could slid back into the top three with a solid outing next weekend. Southern Connecticut remains in a similar position to last week, despite this high score, as the rankings roll over into NQS. A strong rest of the season could help the Owls move up in the USAG and GEC rankings, though.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Both Temple and Yale had a few struggles, putting up less than their ideal scores for the season. Yale struggled on bars, dropping nearly a point from its season-high last weekend, although Yale hasn’t found a consistent stride on bars yet this year. Uncharacteristic mistakes from Raegan Walker put some added pressure on the Bulldogs, as her usually high beam and bar scores have really helped the team this season. Yale’s floor consistency helped to keep the Bulldogs afloat as well as Lindsay Chia who helped guide Yale through the meet. Temple was forced to count a fall on bars but was able to bring it home on floor after breaking into a low 49. 

Implications: With Yale working through a few consistency issues, it moves up by chance thanks to a few other GEC teams underperforming this weekend. This gives Yale just enough breathing room to rest, recover and improve for the remainder of the season, assuming it finds the stride needed to peak at the right time. Yale will slide into second place in the GEC after this weekend, and with NQS coming into play. As far as its place in the USAG rankings, the Bulldogs pushed past West Chester there as well, wiggling into third, although a strong meet from Air Force can bump then into fourth there. 

Records: Temple’s Sarah Stallings tied her career high on bars with a 9.800.

Controversies: Bars judges had quite a few meetings when it came to scoring, but beam judges had it rough when they couldn’t agree on Hannah Statllings’ beam start value.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: San Jose State continued its amazing season, posting another score over 196. Even with the beam lineup not performing to its potential, the Spartans were able to put together a countable score for NQS. Texas Woman’s put together a season high performance of its own, partially thanks to a trio of 9.875s from Steelie King, Daisy Woodring and Madeline Gose. The Pioneers’ 49.100 was the teams best this year, and bars was much improved. Isabel Goyco, who is mostly known for her floor performances, led the team on uneven bars this week. Unfortunately, Sacramento State counted a fall on beam, so the Hornets couldn’t quite stay in the race. Despite counting mistakes on beam and floor, Alaska posted its second highest team score of the season. Inconsistency continues to be an issue for the Seawolves. Of note, Mackenzie Robinson was missing from the lineups this week for Alaska. She typically contributes on two or three events. 

Implications: The Pioneers’ season high score was with counting a lower beam score. TWU still has room to grow even after posting one of the highest scores in the USAG this season. Madeline Gose is definitely starting to hit her stride again this season, sticking her Yurchenko full for a new career high. TWU will move up tentatively up to the second position among USAG teams. The Pioneers are only behind conference foe Lindenwood who posted two consecutive 194s on Friday and Sunday. TWU is pushing its way into the conference title talk, peaking at just the right time. However, the Pioneers will have to fend off the surging Illinois State Redbirds and their duo of 9.9-plus vaulters. 

Records: Several Pioneers posted new career highs, including Madeline Gose’s 9.875 on vault and Emily Six’s 9.775 on beam.

The Big Storyline: The Sharks swam their way to victory, claiming not only the team title but taking first in every event. Hannah Zebdi helped to guide Southern Connecticut, scoring over a 9.600 for the seventh time this season, along with Cassidy Girolamo who has scored over a 9.700 in the past two meets on floor. Brown was forced to count a fall on bars but didn’t count a single score below a 9.700 on floor, turning things around and scoring a new season high by just over half a point. Rhode Island nearly tied its season high on bars and floor, with Olivia Keyes and Kelsey Gates delivering big scores. 

Implications: Brown will eventually see itself moving up in the rankings once it has an NQS, landing in the top half of the conference. Southern Connecticut won’t move much, hovering in seventh place but without a full conference of NQS accounted for. It’ll slide into the middle of the pack for now. Despite a strong showing, LIU will continue to sit in eighth in the EAGL conference, but with a few more high scores, it could surpass New Hampshire at some point during the rest of the season. Rhode Island will be just barely edged out by Springfield, most likely dropping into fourth place in the East once the weekend comes to an end. The Anchorwomen should find themselves staying in the top ten in the NCGA. 

Records: Southern Connecticut’s Chelsea Baker scored a career high 9.750 on bars, as did Audrey Arnold with a 9.700. On beam Madison Tansowny scored a new best of 9.650. Angela Xing set a career-high on vault with a 9.725. Taylor Schulze scored a 9.800 on bars for a new personal best as did Lauren McKeown with a 9.550. McKenna Weiner scored a new high of 9.650 on beam and 9.775 on floor. Abby Walsh pocketed a new high on floor as well, with a 9.750, as did Angela Xing with a 9.725. Lauren Lazaro followed with a new high of 9.700. Ilka Juk set a personal and program record for LIU on beam with a 9.925. Olivia Keyes set a new all around program record for Rhode Island with a 37.950.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Illinois State came away with its second win against conference foe Lindenwood this weekend. Alana Laster and Angelica Labat both came up with stuck Yurchenko one and a halves again to earn the top two scores on the event. The floor team is finally hitting its stride led by the consistency of freshman Jaye Mack. The Redbirds avoided counting a fall on bars and pushed through a slightly wobbly beam rotation to take the victory. Lindenwood fell behind in the second rotation after being forced to count a fall on bars and never fully recovered. The Lions counted a few too many 9.6s to post a total that approached 195. 

Implications: Illinois State will continue to lead the conference rankings after posting two 195-plus scores this weekend. The Redbirds’ vault and floor teams are leading the way right now with some room for growth on bars and beam. However, Illinois State seems to have its general lineups set in stone. The top six should continue to improve through post season. Lindenwood will continue to lead the USAG standings for the time being. However, it is beginning to back itself into a corner with several 194 scores. The next score to drop is a 193.625. The Lions will need to pick the pace back up to fend off the surging TWU Pioneers. 

Records: Madison Rush tied her beam career high with a 9.800 while Jaye Mack tied her floor career high of 9.900. 

Controversies: The bars broke during warm ups, so the competition got off to a late start. The good news is that the Redbirds had plenty of time to play tag while waiting for the equipment to be fixed.

Update 2/19 AM: This meet was canceled due to COVID protocols within the Bridgeport program. Penn is searching for a new opponent for Sunday or Monday night.

Update 2/19 PM: Ursinus replaced Bridgeport.

Recap (Ursinus v Penn)

The Big Storyline: Originally scheduled to face Bridgeport, Ursinus stepped in after Bridgeport could no longer attend due to COVID protocols. After competing once already this weekend, Ursinus went ahead and rested a few gymnasts, put a few new faces in the lineup and added nearly three points to its team score. The result? A new season high in addition to several event highs. What a weekend! Host Penn notched a new season high and best home score in program history, all while counting a fall. After all that, the all-around title was a difference of just 0.075 between Alyssa DeLorme and Sydney Kraez.  

Implications: Penn easily continues to lead the GEC, with Yale nearly a full point behind. All that’s left for Penn is to continue its streak of big scores to close out its season and possibly eye the title of the first GEC championship. With this big score, Ursinus should find itself moving up a few spots in the East, and with NQS in account, it should be within the top half. In the NCGA as a whole, it should improve as well.

Records: Penn set a program record on vault with a 49.175. For Ursinus, Alyssa DeLorme set a new career-high with a 9.650 on bars, as did Carly Troilo and Adison Tanguay both with a 9.275. Alyssa DeLorme set a new high in the all-around with a 38.275.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: TWU started the meet in the lead with a huge 49.200 on floor. However, counting a fall on bars caused the Pioneers to fall off of UC Davis’ pace. Despite some strong individual performances, Air Force couldn’t quite put it all together today. Floor continued to be the place that the Falcons shined while the other events fell a bit flat. Although the team’s score did not rival its best performances of the season, a mid-193 increased the NQS as the Falcons dropped the 191.975 from the season opener. UC Davis put together its first 196-plus score of the year thanks to season highs on three events. Alaska fought through the competition to avoid counting any falls. Its team performance fell just one tenth short of Friday’s effort. There were still signs of inconsistency that need to be worked out, but Alyssa Manley continued to be a steady force within each lineup. 

Implications: Although Sunday’s performance was not quite as lights-out as Friday, Texas Woman’s will leave California with two countable NQS scores. The pressure will be on Lindenwood to continue pushing forward as the Pioneers inch closer and closer. With the switch to NQS, TWU will jump to No. 2 in USAG heading into week eight. With another good score next week, the Pioneers will be able to drop a 192.925, whereas Lindenwood’s drop score is a 193.625. That means TWU stands more to gain with a strong performance next week. Air Force continues to have intermittent struggles on bars and beam. That inconsistency 

Records: Sierra Muns increased her floor career high to 9.900 with a sky-high double pike. Steelie King’s matching 9.900 on beam was also a career high.