We have quite the spread this session, ranging from No. 5 Alabama to host and No. 25 Washington, as well as a handful of individual qualifiers. Alabama is the easy favorite to win here, however, household gymnastics name Luisa Blanco was injured recently at the SEC Championship and continues to practice. It remains to see how Alabama will proceed so far as resting her or only doing some events. This could open the door ever so slightly for Michigan State who ranks pretty close to Alabama on floor. Mathematically, both BYU and Washington could challenge Michigan State for a second-place finish in this session, Washington’s season high is three tenths behind Michigan State, and BYU is just a slim margin behind that. A few errant steps and an out of bounds could threaten Michigan State if BYU or Washington capitalize on any mistakes.
Some individual qualifiers, specifically those from San Jose State and Stanford, will depend on whether or not their teams have advanced. Your individual qualifiers today include Kyla Kessler (UCD, AA), Kinsey Davis (Nebraska, VT), Keanna Abraham (UCD, VT), Kinsey Davis (Nebraska, UB), Jolie Miller (SEMO, UB), Anna Kaziska (SEMO, BB), Kinsey Davis (Nebraska, BB), Anna Kaziska (SEMO, FX). Lauren MacPherson (SJS, AA) and Taylor Lawson (Stanford, FX) are dependent on which team advances.
We’re doing team hype videos currently.
Rotation 1: Michigan State VT, BYU UB, Washington BB, Alabama FX
Garcia (MSU): Y full, looked good. 9.825
Olsen (Alabama): Piked full in, just some flexed feet. Great extension on the leap series. Front tuck through to double pike, nice. 9.850
Brooks (UW): Front toss to BHS, good. Switch leap to split jump, tiny soft front foot. Front aerial, good. Great start to the rotation. 9.850
Smith (MSU): Y full, great distance, small pike down. 9.850
Hsu (MSU): Y full, pikes down and hops back. 9.800
Hunter (BYU): Straddle tkatchev, some flexed foeet but nice height. Slightly loose in the bail. Double lay, hops back. 9.825
Navarro (UW): Excellent triple series. Beat to switch side, nice. RO double, slightly staggered feet but another great routine. 9.825
Alabama floor looking good in the corner of my eye.
Mason (BYU): Toe on shaposh, good, pak. Little shy on the last hs, Double lay, hops in place. 9.850
Stephen (MSU): Y full, does the bounce onto toes but otherwise stays put. 9.900
Gaskins (Alabama): Big double lay. Y turn, love it. Beautiful leap series, Alabama’s extension in leaps really sets them apart. Double tuck to close, high but chest slightly down on the landing from here. 9.850
Davis (Nebraska): Y full looked stuck to me! That was a great vault.
Machado (Alabama): Double pike, nice. Her twisting form is gorgeous in her second pass. Switch leap switch side, nice. Double tuck to close and doesn’t move her feet. 9.875
Davis (UW): BHS BHS LOSO, good. Foot looked slightly off-center but meant nothing to her. Front aerial, good. Just a hop forward on the dismount. 9.850
Pitou (BYU): Straddle jaeger, good height. Bail to hs, great tension. FTDB, doesn’t quite rotate that as much as she could and takes a big hop forward. 9.775
Killough-Wilhelm (UW): Front aerial to BHS LOSO, flawless. UW working beam like it’s nothing. Front toss beat, good. Side aerial to 1.5, stuck or shuffled the tiniest bit. 9.900
Macpherson (SJS): Tkatchev, some feet. A little short on a hs, good bail though. Short on the last hs. FTDB and sticks it. 9.850
Graber (Alabama): FTDB, leg separation on the second rotation. Switch side, great. Double pike, great height. 9.950
UW with another hit beam routine.
Kaziska (SEMO): 2.5 to open, just some ankle form. RO 1.5 to a floaty front lay. FHS rudi to end. Nice overall. 9.850
Kessler (UC Davis): Bobbles on the series, keeps it on though. Little shy on the full split her in jumps. Sticks her dismount. 9.775
After 1: Alabama 49.500, UW 49.275, MSU 49.200, BYU 49.075
Alabama pulling away right at the start and Michigan State had a solid vault rotation, however, UW has entered the chat with an ice-cold beam rotation. Don’t count out BYU just yet. If you’ve been watching regionals at all today, then you know it doesn’t mean anything until the last routine. However, momentum does have magic.
Rotation 2: Alabama VT, Michigan State UB, BYU BB, Washington FX
Stephen (MSU): Shaposh, good. Bail to hs was floaty. Little shy on the last hs. Double tuck, fights for the stick.
Ono (BYU): BHS LOSO, good. Little shy on the leap series but great otherwise.
Quinn (Alabama): Y 1.5, slightly underrotated, takes a step back.
Loomis (MSU): Straddle jaeger, good, pak. Great last hs, giant full to double tuck, tiny foot shuffle.
Olsen (Alabama): Y double, knee foot form, but looked stuck.
Mason (BYU): BHS LOSO, solid. Side aerial, good. Switch leap split jump, little low on the back leg in the split jump. RO 1.5 and sticks it cold.
Navarro (UW): High double tuck to open. RO 1.5 front lay, keeps it in. Ends with a double pike, chest down a little.
Graber with a deeper-ish landing on a y 1.5, it’ll still get a big score though.
Jackard (MSU): Straddle jaeger, she flips that fast, bail looked good. Great last hs, too. Giant full is so .. graceful? Double tuck, a step forward.
No one really finding sticks on vault yet today for any team.
Thompson (UW): Whip through to double tuck, her form is gorgeous. Love everything about this routine, tbh. Double pike, nice.
Abraham (Davis): Y 1.5, steps forward, nice power though.
Miner-Van Tassell (BYU): Side aerial to split jump, feet could be a little pointier. BHS LOSO, solid. Stuck the dismount.
Harkness (MSU): Good first hs, picked gienger, nice. Bail looked good. FTDB, stuck. Absolutely great routine.
Cunningham (UW): Missed the opening pass but looked good. Double pike has great height. UW really keeping it going.
BYU hitting on beam today, too. But honestly, you’ve got some incredible beam teams this regional. I’m not mad about it.
Davis (Nebraska): Looked like a maloney to a kch tkatchev, oh okay. Love it. Just some feet. Small foot shuffle on the double lay. I love that routine composition.
Davis (UW): I saw the fhs front 1.5 (?) to loso on floor opening pass as Nebraska Davis finished and love that. Some leg form in her last pass but good overall.
Updated all the Davis.
Brooks (UW): The front lay rockets and somehow is so floaty and graceful. Switch ring to wolf hop full, good. Slightly underrotates that last pass but does a quick step and smooths that over.
Macpherson (SJS): Great series, small bobble. Another bobble after but fights through everything. Gainer loso, small dropping of the shoulder. RO 1.5, small step back.
Judges are chatting after Brooks routine.
Kessler (Davis): Front full to front lay and the heiiigght on both is great. Nice leaps. Great double pike. Nice routine.
After 2: Alabama 98.900, UW 98.525, MSU 98.425, BYU 98.325
Raise your hand if this was how you pictured this regional going and then put it down because you’re lying. You may have hoped for a surprise twist but did you expect it? Okay maybe a little. Alabama needs to not meltdown on bars and beam to close things out in the second half of this meet. If I’m MSU I’m covering the mats in maple syrup to find some landings and stop leaving tenths behind. Between Washing and BYU it’s a spread of two tenths between the three teams. Almost like dismounts mean something. If you’re Washington, well, find those landings on vault, and don’t drop anything on bars to really upset more brackets today.
Rotation 3: Washington VT, Alabama UB, Michigan State BB, BYU FX
Waligora (Alabama): Little shy on the first hs, straddle jaeger was on the finger tips. Shy on the last hs, FTD lay, good. 9.950
Wiedeman (MSU): BHS LOSO, good. MSU can’t miss anything this rotation. Cat leap to front toss beat, shoulder looked dropped but she showed no sign of that. Good leaps. Dismount, just a shuffle. 9.800
Navarro (UW): Y 1.5, hops it, some leg form in the air. 9.875
Adams (Alabama): Shaposh out of the corner of my eye. Giant full to double tuck, hops. 9.900
Kalefe (MSU): BHS BHS LOSO, great. Solid leap series. Gainer full, good. 9.875
Kilough-Wilhelm (UW): Y full, pikes it down slightly and bounces on the toes. 9.900
Machado (Alabama): Maloney to pak, nice. Great bar routine with a stuck double tuck. 9.900
Beaston (BYU): Front lay to rudi, good. Double tuck great, just a shuffle. Good routine from BYU who wants to get into second today. 9.825
UW liked Cunningham’s vault.
Doggette (Alabama): Great height on the tkatchev to pak. Shy on the last hs. Double lay, small hop. 9.900
Thompson (UW): Y full, hops it forward. 9.800
Blanco (Alabama): Shy on the last hs, shuffles forward a few times on the dismount. 9.900
Schulte (MSU): Holds her scale for emphasis. Switch leap switch half, nice, nice extension. BHS LOSO, good. MSU needed this, great routine. 9.925
Kessler (Davis): Y full, hops back, good height though. 9.800
Mitchell (MSU): Wobbles on the series. Front aerial, wobbles. Not what MSU wants deep in the lineup. Good jump series, great split. Sticks the dismount. 9.700
Rieder (BYU): Into the pop BYU music. FHS front double full, great. 9.850
Millier (SEMO): Piked tkatchev, love it. Hops back on the double lay. A little form in the leap series, but nice otherwise. FHS rudi, some form with the ankles. 9.800
Garcia (MSU): Alright, MSU wants a big score and nothing given away. BHS LOSO, small balance check. Smooth leap series. Switch leap to split jump, a little soft in the foot form but great split. Side aerial to lay full and sticks it without question. Insert eye ball emoji here. 9.850
Miner-Van Tassell (BYU): Opens with a big double lay. Beautiful double pike, toes pointed, bounces back a bit. Great leap series. RO 1.5 to front full, good. 9.875
Davis (Nebraska): Switch leap to straddle quarter, excellent. Did a BHS BHS, choreos back to the top of the beam. Repeats BHS BHS. Love the top of foot choreo. Side aerial to tuck full, stuck. 9.200
Vitkauskas (BYU): Front double full, that’s quuuiiiick. RO 1.5 to front lay, incredible height. Love the way she stalls that front lay. Switch side to popa, perfect. Rudi to end. Her twisting form makes me happy. 9.875
Macpherson (SJS): Clean double pike to open. Good leaps. RO 1.5 to a front lay. Ends with a high double tuck, small steps. Good.
After 3: Alabama 148.450, UW 147.875, MSU 147.775, BYU 147.550
For Alabama to close things up, they need to not implode like [redacted] earlier today. Otherwise, Alabama will be here again Saturday. Washington, we’re paying attention. The Huskies need to hit bars and MSU needs to hit floor to overcome that tenth deficit behind Washington if it wants to live to see Saturday. Michigan has been scoring consistently in the 49.275 to 49.475 range on floor this season, with a few highs and lows taken out. A good day, it can go 49.675. Washington can go 49.325 on a good day on bars, otherwise is between a high 48 and low 49. BYU usually goes low 49s on vault. What does this mean? Stick. Everything. Spartans do have a bigger score they can bring on floor but going big here with adrenaline could mean out-of-bounds mistakes.
Rotation 4: BYU VT, Washington UB, Alabama BB, Michigan State FX
Pitou (BYU): Stuck y full, good. 9.800
Kilough-Wilhelm (UW): Piked jaeger, good. Sticks her double tuck. Solid. 9.900
Burgess (Alabama): Great series. Switch side, good. Switch leap series nice. Great routine. 9.900
Ewing (MSU): FHS front double full to open, some ankle form. Little shy on the leap series from this angle. RO 1.5 to front tuck half. 9.625
Russon (UW): Great first hs, blind to straddle jaeger, great distance. Soldi last hs, good giant full to double tuck, sticks it on her toes. 9.900
Olsen (Alabama): Good leap series from what I caught. BHS LOSO, nice. Sticks the double pike. 9.950
Mason (BYU): Y full, just a hop. 9.800
Excellent routijen from MSU.
Griffith (BYU): Yurchenko lay half, nice. 9.900
Brooks (UW): Shaposh, good. Bail to hs a little wiggly, can’t have this. Little shy o the last hs, blind full to double tuck, hops. 9.800
Graber (Alabama): Small wobble on the series. Switch leap to straddle 3/4, bobbles. Cat leap to front toss to scale. Gainer full off side, nice. 9.825
BYU sits down a vault.
Mitchell (MSU): Double tuck to open, no complaints. Ro 1.5 to front lay, keeps it in. Closes with a stuck double pike. MSU wants to see Saturday. 9.875
Thompson (UW): Straddle jaeger, some leg separation after catching. Good bail hs. Good last hs. Double lay, a hop and shuffle. Tenths tenths tenths. 9.850
Macpherson (SJS): Y full, steps back. 9.750
Harkness (MSU): FTDB to open. Switch leap series has beautiful form. Double tuck, chest slightly down. 9.900
Thomas (UW): Straddle jaeger, good. Leg separation in the pak. Okay last hs. Double lay with a big step forward. 9.750
Waligora (Alabama): Good series, Alabama is rolling. Side aerial, leg comes up. Good routine otherwise. RO 1.5, stuck. 9.850
Schulte (MSU): FTDB, nearly stuck. Big routine for MSU.
Bowles (UW): Double lay, just a step forward. Great routine. 9.850
Jumped ahead of myself on that bar rotation.
Hudson (Alabama): Great leap series. Alabama is putting on a clinic today for closing on beam. Wobble on the side aerial. Whoops. RO 1.5, small steps. 9.850
Hofelich (MSU): Double pike, great. RO 1.5 to front lay, good. Closes with a double tuck and sticks it! 9.950
Kessler a little shy on some handstands but a nice routine overall.
Kaziska (SEMO): Front aerial to split jump was nice. Her full turn is so elegant. Ending while teams scream, great leap series. Great composure. Nerves of steel award for her. RO 1.5, stuck cold. Great routine! 9.850
Final: Alabama 197.900, MSU 197.325, Washington 197.175, BYU 196.625
That was … a meet. Alabama clinched a spot for Saturday and could’ve counted a fall along the way, if they wanted, but didn’t. Michigan State has also locked up a spot, just stepping past Washington in this last rotation. The Spartans brought it home on floor, and they did so with several stuck landings and big floor routines. BYU had a solid meet, no big errors and they have everything to be proud of. Washington, well, Washington came so close. They’ll take third and the Huskies will end their season just .15 behind second. This was a meet of tenths. Welcome to the brutal and competitive postseason.
VT: Olsen 9.950
UB: Waligora 9.950
BB: Olsen 9.950
FX: Hudson, Schulte, Graber, Hofelich 9.950
AA: Kilhough-Wilhelm, 39.550
Live Blog by Allison Freeman
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