After a successful showing against UCLA, the Oregon State Beavers will be looking to score another strong number in their second conference dual meet of the season. The tie with UCLA was not without controversy, however, giving us a few things to keep an eye out for going into this matchup. Most notably, OSU will be looking to fix composition issues on beam which led to confusing- though at the end of the day correct- scores. Jade Carey led another masterclass in the all-around, scoring a 39.775 and beating fellow Olympian Jordan Chiles for the all-around title. Lauren Letszch has also established herself as a rising star in her sophomore season, scoring over 9.9 in both of her last two meets after a slow start on the event. Floor overall has been a highlight for the Beavers, reaching the coveted 49.5 mark last week.
Last week, for the first time all year, Washington was able to put up a full slate of rotation scores above 49, en route to a respectable 196.35. The Huskies will, however, go into this matching feeling as if they have more to give, especially with the only home meet held resulting in a sub-196 score. Having Kennadi Davis back has been a big boost, and if she can be added back to the floor lineup, big things may be in store. Speaking of floor, freshman Thu Nguyen made her debut on the apparatus last week, helping the Huskies finish the rotation without going below the 9.8 mark.
Both of the last two meetings between these teams ended up with the Huskies counting major mistakes, ending with scores in the 194s. At the very least, Washington will have an easy target to surpass.
This meet will honor and recognize the 50th anniversary of Title IX and National Girls and Women in Sports Day!
Rotation 1: Washington Vault, Oregon State Bars
Davis (UW) VT: Nice Yurchenko full to lead off, pretty good amplitude. Medium hop back. 9.75
Beeman (OSU) UB: Starts off with a blind to jeager, some bent legs on the catch. Leg separation on the Pak. Stalder with some arm bend to a stuck double tuck. 9.8
Brooks (UW) VT: Yurchenko half, a bit flat in the air. Large hop forward followed by a medium step. 9.675
Weaver (OSU) UB: Starts with a blind full to Geinger, fell in warmup but gets it here, legs together. A bit pike-y in the bail. Giant full to double tuck, stuck! 9.875
Innes (UW) VT: Yet another Yurchenko full. A bit of a smaller hop on the landing, but somewhat worse form in the air, piked at the end to a pretty extreme extent. 9.7
Caso (OSU) UB: Maloney to Pak, a bit archy in the latter. Van Leeuwen, a tiny bit of crazy legs. Stalder again with bent arms to a double tuck, medium step back. 9.825
Navarro (UW) VT: Yurchenko full, essentially stuck, maybe a tiny hop in place. Not her highest vault, but nice form in the air. A bit of a crunchy block looking back at it. 9.775
McMillan (OSU) UB: Maloney to Bail, tiny bit of legs in both. Double layout, arched and then piked, two steps out of it. Short but sweet-ish routine. 9.825
Killough-Wilhelm (UW) VT: Easily the best form in the air of all of the Yurchenko fulls so far, keeps her legs together throughout. Small hop. 9.8
Briones (OSU) UB: Higgins to jeager, can’t grab the bar and falls. Lets go just a bit early. Remounts and does a mostly straddled Pak. Double layout, small hop back. 9.15
Cunningham (UW) VT: Finally a vault with some real amplitude! Gets the stick! Chest a tiny bit down but easily the best of the rotation and it’s not even close. Her 103rd hit routine in a row! 9.875
Carey (OSU) UB: Looking to drop the fall from Briones. Maloney to Bhardwaj, leg separation on both. Straddling to start off the Van Leeuwen. FTDT, stuck! 9.975. Sigh, form and handstands are not the judge’s priority today.
AFTER ONE: Washington 48.9, Oregon State 49.3
Ya know what, vault was never going to be an amazing event for Washington, just being honest here. That being said, this wasn’t a bad job for that lineup by any means. Oregon State will similarly never be great on bars, which perhaps helps Carey stand out. I don’t know, maybe I’m grasping at straws for how her scores are created. Both teams saved their best routines for last.
Rotation 2: Washington Uneven Bars, Oregon State Vault
Commentators are like… how can Washington become good at vault? Magic, probably. Jim Watson is sad that no one knows who he is. Sad times, Jim.
Garcia (OSU) VT: Starting off with a Yurchenko full. Pretty large step/hop combo there. 9.725
Moody (UW) UB: Maloney to Pak, loses the form in the latter skill. Bit of a short final handstand. Chest forward on the FTDT dismount landing, small hop back. 9.825
Briones (OSU) VT: They switched the lineup order for some reason. Yurchenko full, piked in the air, a hop on the landing. Basically the same vault as Garcia. 9.775
Russon (UW) UB: Starts with a blind to jeager, a bit of arm bend in the blind. Jeager to overshoot is nice. Blind full to double tuck, great handstand and a stick. A few struggles but shows really good fight. Not the first time the blind change has been an issue. 9.75
Letszch (OSU) VT: Another Yurchenko full, literally the same landing as the last two vaulters. Similar pike in the air as well. I’m not convinced that OSU isn’t putting up the same person three times. 9.85
Oppegard (UW) UB: Blind change to Jeager, a bit of leg bend but good height. A tiny bit shy on the bail. Double layout, puts a knee down. Yeesh.net 9.075
Gonzales (OSU) VT: I’m not sure about how the score progression is going here. Full on, pike off. Nice form in the air, normal amplitude issues. Small hop back. 9.875
Brooks (UW) UB: Sharposhnikova to hip circle on the high bar, legs throughout. Nice handstand on the bail. Blund bull to double tuck, large hop forward. UW bars is not looking its best today. 9.775
Dagen (OSU) VT: Yurchenko 1.5, pretty tucked in the air. Large bound forward and to the side. It was… fine… I guess. 9.85
Tubbs (UW) UB: Maloney to Bail, good handstand on the latter. Double layout, tiny hop back, great height, however. Gets UW back on track. 9.85
Carey (OSU) VT: Double twisting Yurchenko, piked down, crossed legs, her usual. She is ranked first in the country on vault due to that difficulty. It was pretty stuck. It’ll go 10, I’m sure. Wow, only 9.95!
Killough-Wilhelm (UW) UB: Pressure to hit here and replace the fall, but if anyone can do it it’s her. Piked jeager to overshoot, very smooth, great toepoint. Blind to front 1/2 to double tuck, amazing form and a stuck dismount. It’s really interesting to look at a routine like this versus Carey’s because Killough-Wilhelm has that natural swing in a way that Carey doesn’t. 9.925
AFTER TWO: Washington 98.025, Oregon State 98.6
Alright, alright, alright. I won’t lie I was getting a bit nervous about Washington’s bars in the middle of the rotation, but Killough-Wilhelm and Tubbs really got things back on track. Not the absolute best in terms of those little form mistakes, but there’s a lot of material to build on in the future. Oregon State was once again saved by Carey for the most part, though Gonzales was a highlight with her full-on. This was really one of Carey’s best vaults in college. Washington on pace for a much needed home 196.
Rotation 3: Washington Balance Beam, Oregon State Floor
Brooks (UW) BB: Jim Watson just got her confused with Moody *side eye*. Chalk-ography never gets old. Full turn. Front toss to back handspring, solid. Switch to split, again no wobbles to be found. Front aerial to beat jump. Dismounts with a stag leap to gainer full, stuck. AMAZING work in the leadoff position. 9.825, it could’ve been a little bit higher for me. 9.75/9.9 split…. hm.
Peterson (OSU) FX: First pass is a back 3/2 to front 1/1, slide to the left on landing, very Cha Cha Slide. Switch side half. Switch half to Popa, underrotated. Double tuck is a struggle, chest down and a large step forward. 9.725
Roberts (UW) BB: Back handspring to bhs to loso and she’s off, oh it’s one of those days for Washington I guess. Full turn to get back on track. Switch leap to stag ring, much improved from a few weeks ago. Cat leap to gainer full, a bit of a wobble on the cat leap. 8.9
Miller (OSU) FX: Double pike to start off, her legs were mostly cut off but looked like a good landing, Switch half to Popa, again rotation is mildly suspect. Back 3/2 to front layout, crossed legs on the former. Final pass is a double tuck, small foot slide. 9.825
Moody (UW) BB: It’s actually her this time! Back handspring to loso, solid. Switch leap to split jump, broken connection potentially. Full turn. Side aerial to split jump, no wobble there but that still isn’t a leap series, the dance element has to be a C, contrary to the commentators’ belief. Roundoff to back 3/2, stuck. 9.6, unsure about start value but a shame regardless.
Young (OSU) FX: Starting off with a double pike, a little bit out of control with the front foot. Double tuck second pass, keeps the front foot planted. Switch leap to switch ring half, nope, not even close to passable. Finishes up with a front layout to front full, a bit short but nothing major. 9.8
Navarro (UW) BB: Back handspring to bhs to loso, large wobble on that. Maybe this isn’t going to Washington’s year on beam. Beat jump to switch side. Full turn. Roundoff to back 3/2, basically stuck. 9.75, maybe I’m just being unnecessarily negative.
Gonzales (OSU) FX: Front full to front layout, great twisting form on that even if it’s not the hardest skill. Switch full to sissone, around ish. Double pike to finish out, a tiny bit underrotated, step forward. Switch ring to switch half, very nice. 9.875
Davis (UW) BB: Back handspring to back handspring to loso, only a small adjustment. Beat to straddle 3/4, a tiny bit off on that. Full turn. Roundoff to back 3/2, stuck! Good ending to a less than stellar routine all around. 9.85
Commentators finally figure out what a dance series is.
Dagen (OSU) FX: New first pass for her, front layout to Rudi, nicely landed. Missed the leaps checking scores but looked good enough. Finishing up with a double pike, small slide back with the front foot. Palatable. 9.9
Killough-Wilhelm (UW) BB: Hoping for the best! Front aerial , she’s off. Welp. Oh this is just bad. Lone back handspring. Back handspring to loso, another fall. Welp, I’m out of here folks. Piked front toss to beat jump. Switch to split is nice. Andddd of course she sticks her side aerial to back 3/2 dismount. Currently crying. 8.7, I don’t want to talk about it.
Letzsch (OSU) FX: Back 3/2 to front full, fully tucked in the second salto. Switch ring half to sissone, not terrible. Backspin is also a thing that happened. Double tuck, step forward. 9.8
AFTER THREE: Washington 145.95, Oregon State 147.8
I have nothing left to say. I guess we’ll see what happens in the fourth rotation! Hoping for some bright moments.
Rotation 4: Washington Floor, Oregon State Beam
Peterson (OSU) BB: Here’s to hoping this goes a little better. Back handspring to bhs to loso, a bit crooked in the air but no wobble. Full turn. Switch half, no connection out of that. Spilt jump to straddle 3/4 to get the leap series. Gainer pike off the end is stuck. 9.8
Innes (UW) FX: Starting off with a front double full, very large step out of it. Switch to wolf jump full to wolf jump full, pretty good as far as that connection goes. Back 3/2 to front layout, very floaty. Ends with a Rudi, keeps the front foot planted. A bit of a struggle on the first pass but besides that, good work. 9.8
Domingo (OSU) BB: Front aerial to back pike, solid, a tiny bit slow in connection. Full turn, slight wobble out of that. She did a split as choreography, apparently that counts as a composition requirement. Three leaps connected, nicely done. Gainer full is stuck. 9.85
Roberts (UW) FX: Starting off with a double tuck, great control on that. Follows that up with a back 3/2 to front layout, dances out of it. Switch half to wolf full, a bit janky. Finishes up with a double pike, short, step forward. 9.725
Letzsch (OSU) BB: Pretty sure the announcer just called her leche. Front aerial, small wobble, to back tuck. Not sure about the connection there. Split jump to ring jump to beat, still a bit slow in connection. Full turn. Front gainer full, small hop forward. Interesting move to not be going for those connections with gusto after last week. 9.875. Apparently it’s good enough for the judges.
Killough-Wilhelm (UW) FX: Front double full, controlled nicely. Front aerial goes well here. Switch to switch ring half, okay position in the latter. Comes back with a back 3/2 to front layout, very floaty and well controlled. She’s excited after a big redemption routine. 9.825
Gonzales (OSU) BB: Jim Watson is bamboozled by lineup changes. Front aerial to back tuck, again slow connection there but doesn’t fully stop moving. Full turn. Side aerial is solid. OSU didn’t know that cat leap to side aerial isn’t a leap series. Cat leap to switch half, finally a real dance connection. Front gainer full is stuck. 9.95
Navarro (UW) FX: Starts off with a double tuck, very nice control on that, keeps the front foot planted. Switch side to Popa, a little off-axis but nice positions. Back 3/2 to front layout, another great landing. Double pike to close, great landing again, maybe a tad low with the chest. Great work across the board. 9.825.
Dagen (OSU) BB: Back handspring to loso, small hip bend there. Switch leap to switch half, yet another slow connection. Full turn. Roundoff to back 3/2 dismount, stuck. The connections arent abhorrently terrible, but it’s the type of thing that a strict judge could latch onto. Not that it’ll happen. 9.875
Cunningham (UW) FX: Front tuck through to double tuck, hops out of it, no deductions there. Switch half to wolf full to wolf full, underrotated, especially the final wolf full. Double pike to finish, amazing, front foot planted. Great work, as usual. 9.925
Carey (OSU) BB: Full turn. Front aerial to split jump, new composition for her. Back handspring to loso, no wobbles there. Switch to switch side, pretty good. Gainer full, stuck. A really good routine for her, could this be the one that gets her a gym slam? 9.95, not quite but still great work.
Nguyen (UW) FX: Starts off with a double tuck, no major errors on landing. Front full to front pike, another good landing. Switch leap to switch ring half, a little bit of a hoppy landing on that. Closes with a double pike, chest way up on that! Stellar ending to a great floor rotation. 9.9
Final: Washington 195.225, Oregon State 197.300
Well that was mildly a doozy, but the final rotation ended up being the best for both teams. Oregon State put up its second season high of the past week. The Beavers also put up a 49.5 on beam again, fixing some of the composition issues which plagued the lineup. This could have been a really good meet for Washington, with bars and floor showing major promise. However, beam was the Huskies’ achilles heel. Obviously Carey was out of the lineup, but UW beating out OSU on floor is a big step for the Huskies.
Event Winners:
Vault: Carey (OSU) 9.95
Bars: Carey (OSU) 9.975
Beam: Carey, Gonzales (OSU) 9.95
Floor: Cunningham (UW) 9.925
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Live blog by Ian LeWarn
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