Long Island University has been on a hot streak of late, smashing its way through program record after program record, both team and individual. Ilka Juk and Mara Titarsolej continue to rewrite the history books as the Sharks swim through their second season. Although LIU sits in the basement in the EAGL conference, that’s no sign of weakness in the team, rather the opposite. This young team grows stronger and stronger with each passing week. So although they may not pocket a win today, their growth continues by bounds. The only way to measure the success of LIU is against previous performance, and the team is poised to hit 195 again anytime soon.
North Carolina, on the other hand, sits firmly in the middle of the rankings of the EAGL. It was recently passed in the standings by Pittsburgh despite a consistent season of scores within the 195 and 196 range. The Tar Heels could feel some pressure by LIU, as an off meet could lead to a win for the home team, so long as they keep the beam demons at bay and continue their upward path on bars, the meet could go smoothly. Could being the operative word as we move towards the final weeks of the season, when both fatigue and the desire to peak at the right time wear on teams evenly. With an injured Lali Dekanoidze, North Carolina could be feeling some additional added pressure although Julie Knower can be relied on to bring it home.
LIU debuts a new ocean-themed warm-up leo, I’m into it. Bonus: I believe a new comp leo as well.
LIU comp leo.
Anthem and then things will be underway!
Rotation 1: LIU Vault, North Carolina Bars
Koopman (LIU): FTY, bounces it in place, clean. 9.850
Shearer (UNC): Straddle jaeger, good. Solid hs, double lay, hits it. 9.750
Loo (LIU): FTY, chest a little down, bounces it back, good height. 9.825
Greene (UNC): Great handstand full, solid tkatchev. Beautiful hs throughout, ftdb with another stick for UNC. 9.875
Miller (LIU): FTY, chest slightly down, bounces that in place, too. 9.800
Greenlow (UNC): Little short on that first hs, some foot separation on gienger. Double front, takes a step. 9.700
Ricketts (LIU): FTY, clean, hops it back. 9.825
Knower (UNC): Piked gienger, foot separation. Great routine, really hit those hs. Ftdb, steps it forward. Incredible height though. 9.800
Bedminster (LIU): FTY, kind of a weird block, steps way off the side. This will be the score LIU will want to drop. 9.500
Schaefer (UNC): Gorgeous straddle jaeger. A little short on a few hs. Ftdb, sticks it cold. 9.925
Juk (LIU): FTY, pikes it down with a low chest, takes a step back but good last vault for LIU. 9.675
Culton (UNC): Tkatchev, great form. Good form on bail to hs, too. Double tuck, sticks it with a few arm swings. 9.950
After 1: UNC 49.300, LIU 48.975
This should be LIUs best vault rotation of the year, despite those hiccups. That new leo magic. Not to be outdone, UNC bested its previous bar high score by a few tenths, as well. Both teams coming in here showing just what it means to peak at this point in the season. UNC struggled a little on vault last week, so the Tar Heels will be looking to improve on that. If LIU keeps the momentum going after vault, the team’s previous 49.200 on bars is the score to beat.
Rotation 2: North Carolina Vault, LIU Bars
Greene (UNC): FTY, chest down, bounces it forward and takes a step.
Bedminster (LIU): Toe on shaposh, some form on the bail with leg separation, just a little shy on that last hs. Double lay with the tiniest hop but tried to hold onto it with her toes. 9.775
Schaefer (UNC): Tucked fty, hops. 9.825
Juk (LIU): Toe on shaposh, pak with some leg separation. Falls over on the pirouette half but keeps swinging. Low landing on the dismount. 9.425
Summey (UNC): FTY, sticks it. Has leg separation coming onto the vault. 9.875
Sanchez (LIU): Great first hs, misses her hands on a straddle jaeger. Pak, good. Fights through her pirouette on lb as well. Double lay, comes up short and puts her hands down. 8.150
Shinohara (UNC): FTY, big hop back. 9.800
Miller (LIU): Judges taking a minute with Sanchez’s score. Comes off on the shaposh. Bail to hs a little wiggly. Short on the last hs. Double lay, just a step back. 8.925
Knower (UNC): FTY, hops back, but clean. 9.775
LIU will be counting a fall, no matter. But big scores from Castellanos and Titarsolej can still make a difference today.
Castellanos (LIU): Almost over on that first hs, clean bail to hs follows. Straddle tkatchev, good. Double lay, looks like she stuck it. 9.725
Weil (UNC): FHS front pike, lunges it forward. Clean otherwise. 9.525
Titarsolej (LIU): Toe on shaposh, clean to a beautiful pak. Gorgeous hs work. Handstand full to double tuck. Sticks it. Beautiful routine. 10.000!!
After 2: UNC 98.275, LIU 96.825
Well, not the bar rotation LIU dreamed of as a team BUT Titarsolej’s 10.000 on bars marks the first ten not just for her, but the LIU program as well. The pressure was on for Castellanos and Titarsolej and they delivered, so not too bad of a bar rotation for the Sharks, but they did have to count a fall. The Tar Heels continued on par on vault, with a nearly identical store to their last meet.
As a fun touch, the stream continues to drop during the touch. Fingers crossed this is fixed so beam and floor aren’t a blurry puzzle.
Rotation 3: LIU Beam, North Carolina Floor
Bixler (LIU): BHS LOSO, good. Cat leap to side aerial, solid. Switch leap to tuck 3/4, ice cold. RO 1.5, just a tiny step. 9.825
Nam (UNC): Opens with a clean double pike. FHS rudi, fairly sure her music stopped. So it’s a lot of offbeat clapping to help. Leap series, nice. RO 1.5 to front full, great form. 9.875
Folino (LIU): First time back in the lineup after a leg injury. BHS LOSO, small balance check. Switch leap split jump, looked good. Minor balance check on the full turn. Front aerial to split jump, a little soft on the front foot. Side aerial to lay full, some foot shuffling. Solid routine overall. 9.700
St. Brice (UNC): 1.5 to front lay, so floaty. Little soft on the full splits in the leap series. Double pike, chest a little down on the landing. Clean overall. 9.800
Castellanos (LIU): BHS BHS LOSO, nice. Flutter to ring series, doesn’t move. Side aerial to full, sticks it. 9.900
Greenlow (UNC): Double pike to open looked good. Leap series had some good height. Front tuck pass nice, some ankle form in the air on the back twisting. RO 1.5 to front lay, clean. 9.800
Doten (LIU): Stunning split ring to beat jump. BHS LOSO super smooth. Cat leap to side aerial, small check. Great jump series, doesn’t hold back. Front full, sticks it. 9.875
Culton (UNC): Opens with a double tuck, big step back but keeps it in. Front lay to front full, steps forward. Switch ring to switch side, nice. Stumbles on the rudi, juuuuust keeps it in. 9.675
Ricketts (LIU): Front aerial, kind of a weird bobble. BHS LOSO, good. Switch leap switch leap split jump looks so easy. BHS tuck 1.5, takes a big step back. 9.675
Knower (UNC): Opens with a high double pike. FHS front full to front lay. Shuffles her toes to keep that in control. Tiniest bit shy on the 180 in her leap series. Ends with a double tuck, looks like she steps out of bounds on that.
Juk (LIU): Beautiful mount. BHS BHS LOSO, doesn’t move. Small check on the full turn. Switch leap to leap, good. BHS full to lay full, looks like she doesn’t move. Even without that score, it looks like LIU will have a new season high on beam. 9.975
Weil (UNC): Opens with a double tuck. Front full to front lay, solid. Switch side to popa, nice. Double pike, good. Music stopped as she was going into the last pass. 9.825
Cashman with exhibition for UNC.
After 3: UNC 147.325, LIU 146.050
Great beam rotation for LIU, the dropped score was a 9.675 after a strong rally from the Sharks after bars. UNC had a few tenths given away on floor with some stumbles and going out of bounds, but not a bad rotation for the Tar Heels. LIU’s 49.225 on beam will be a new season high today, and a 49 even on floor would tie the team record program high. LIU went over a 49 last month so it’s doable.
Rotation 4: North Carolina Beam, LIU Floor
Summey (UNC): BHS LOSO, good. Enjoying the wall formation the beam cheering squad has. Drops the chest on the jump series. Cat leap, wobbles. Repeats, cat leap to side somi. RO 1.5 lay, takes a step back. 9.700
Barrington (LIU): Double tuck, small step. RO 2.5, drops out of the sky and doesn’t move her feet. Ro 1.5 to front lay, clean. 9.875
Shearer (UNC): Her toe point is incredible. BHS LOSO, minor knee bend. Cat leap to front toss, covers up the tiniest of checks. Switch leap to straddle quarter looked good. Front hs one arm, to gainer lay full off the side. More of that. 9.825
Koopman (LIU): Opens with a triple full, some ankle crossing form but powerful pass. Switch ring to cat leap 1.5, clean. The music is SO quiet. RO 1.5 to front tuck, I think she stepped out but couldn’t tell. 9.800
Greenlow (UNC): Waiting on the judges. Fun chest press mount. BHS LOSO, weird foot shuffle slipping but keeps it on. Cat leap to side aerial, controlled. Switch leap switch leap beat jump, very well connected. RO 1.5 clean with a hop forward. 9.675
Folino (LIU): RO 1.5 to front lay, so bouncy. Some flexed feet on the leap but great shape otherwise. RO double pike, good, tiniest of chest down. Great leap series to end. 9.750
Nam (UNC): BHS LOSO, takes a step back to smooth it out. Switch leap to split quarter, good. Cat leap to side aerial, no issues. RO 1.5, small hop forward. 9.775
Jones (LIU): Front double full to open, beautiful. RO 1.5 to front lay, just some leg separation on the front lay. Little shy on the leap series shapes. Ends with a rudi, chest was a bit down. 9.775
Culton (UNC): Clean BHS LOSO. Cat leap to switch side, good. Front aerial to beat, connected nicely. Side aerial to lay full, stuck. 9.975
Bedminster (LIU): RO 1.5 to front lay, powerful. Sky high double tuck. Switch side to popa, nice. 9.800
Knower (UNC): BHS LOSO, good. Front toss, solid. Great shape and form in leap. RO 1.5, takes a step forward. 9.875
Loo (LIU): A little short on the double lay, so her chest was a bit down. Switch side popa, nice. Front tuck through to double tuck, good. Clean overall. 9.775
Final: UNC 196.475, LIU 195.075
What a meet for both teams. The Tar Heels will walk away undefeated once again. LIU notched the first program 10.000, ever, and the first in a long time in the EAGL conference. Although LIU had a few hiccups, including counting a fall on bars, the team broke into the 195 range for the second time. And without that fall, would’ve scored another program high.
VT: Summey 9.875
UB: Titarsolej 10.000
BB: Culton 9.975
FX: Barrington 9.875
AA: Knower 39.200
Live Blog by Allison Freeman
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