The extra-long NCAA gymnastics weekend wraps up this Monday evening with a Big Ten rivalry showdown between Iowa and Nebraska! The home Huskers face an uphill battle as the Hawkeyes enter as heavy favorites in the battle for corn bragging rights.
Expectations were relatively low for Iowa entering this season, losing Lauren Guerin and Claire Kaji who were instrumental for the program over the last few years. But, both the freshmen and returnees have started out quite strong and consistent, improving on the start to the 2022 season that saw the Hawkeyes make a run to the regional finals. Adeline Kenlin and Jerquavia are leading the way, as expected, but the roster of roleplayers are all finding ways to step up. Last week, Linda Zivat stuck her Tsuk full on vault for a near-perfect 9.975 while freshman Karina Munoz is averaging over a 9.8 on her three events—vault, bars and floor.
After a successful summer helping Canada win a bronze medal at Worlds, Emma Spence is leading the Huskers as they look to rebound from missing regionals last season. Spence boasts the top average on three of four events for Nebraska, while Ayzhia Hall has been integral in pacing the team on beam. The Huskers use primarily upperclassmen in their lineups and are expecting to build upon scores from 2022, which they have so far to currently sit on the right side of the regionals bubble. A second 196 for the season at home would be clutch for Nebraska tonight.
Follow along with live scores and video! (Big Ten Network)
Rotation 1: Nebraska Vault, Iowa Bars
Currently waiting on Nebraska and Northwestern women’s basketball to finish up… The Huskers are up 12 with just seconds left on the clock and have no need to be fouling or taking timeouts, but here we are.
McClelland (Neb): 9.600
Zuhlke (Iowa): 9.775
Kuenemann (Neb): Yfull. Good block, pikes down for the landing but nice form, small hop in place. 9.775
Castellanos (Iowa): Gets underway after a long pause, mounts with an archy handstand, good Ray, nice handstand, bail, double layout, leg separation and a hop back. 9.800
Hall (Neb): Yfull. Nice height, slightly off to the side, lands close to the right line and takes a hop that direction as well, good lines in the air, chest down a tad. 9.725
McSweeny (Iowa): Good opening handstand, blind change to piked Jaeger to overshoot, smooth, good handstand, dismounts FTDT, college salute. 9.750
Comin (Neb): Yfull. Very similar to Hall’s in its misdirection, more piked down on the landing. 9.775
LaPlante (Iowa): Hits her opening handstand, blind change to Jaeger, caught very close, takes an empty swing into her overshoot, short handstand, dismounts double layout, takes a step. 9.175
Davis (Neb): Yfull. Gets the landing, knee form issues in the air, big pike down. 9.850
Kenlin (Iowa): Opens on the low bar, great handstand, toe on, Maloney to Pak, floaty, toe full is short to stuck double tuck. 9.800
Spence (Neb): Y1.5. Good block, off to the side slightly and bent knees in the air. 9.825
Mūnoz (Iowa): Gets going with a good handstand, piked Jaeger, bail, bent arms on the catch and a break in the air, clear hip to double layout, near stick. 9.700
Barth (Neb): Exhibition. 9.600
Rojas (Iowa): Exhibition. 8.850
After 1: Nebraska 48.950, Iowa 48.825
Pretty average opening rotations for both teams, with the Hawkeyes falling just slightly under theirs and surrendering the lead after one. The Huskers only got one stick and couldn’t break the 49 barrier with just one 10.0 start value, but carry good momentum with a hit lineup. Iowa’s most iffy event is bars, so expect it to only get better from here.
Rotation 2: Iowa Vault, Nebraska Bars
Chambers (Iowa): Yfull. Good off the table, slightly off to the right, pikes down, hop forward. 9.650
McClelland (Neb): Hit handstand, blind change, small foot separation, Jaeger, bail, nice last handstand, dismounts double layout, hop forward. 9.600
Zuhlke (Iowa): FHS tucked Tsuk full. Her usual flexed feet in the air, just a small hop back, good height. 9.825
Gibson (Neb): Mounts to the low bar, hit handstand, toe on, Maloney to Pak, whipped a bit, wonky half pirouette, dismounts double layout, too much distance, chest down lunge forward. 9.600
LaPlante (Iowa): Yfull. Clean in the air, good height, pikes down slightly for a hop back. 9.750
Simpton (Neb): Starts down low, good handstand, toe on, Maloney to Pak, easy, half pirouette hit, last handstand is good, dismounts double layout, not enough rotation, major pike down and a few steps forward and chest way down, stays on her feet though. 9.550
Mūnoz (Iowa): Yfull. Great block and height, small hop back, legs glued together, flairs it out slightly. 9.850
Colombo (Neb): Gets underway with a hit handstand, Eagle grip to piked Jaeger, Pak, lost momentum but works it, sticks her double front half dismount. 9.750
Zivat (Iowa): Tsuk full. Powerful block, flairs to go for the stick, small hop to her left. 9.850
Spence (Neb): Great opening handstand, Maloney to Pak, close but works into the toe on, Maloney half is good, giant full double tuck small hop. 9.825
Henderson (Iowa): Yfull. Massive off the table, clean in the air, small hop back. 9.850
Davis (Neb): Hits her first handstand, Maloney to clear hip to Hindorff, very close, low on her bail and falls, missed her hands, remounts, dismounts double layout, small hop. 9.225
Bácskay (Neb): Exhibition. 9.650
Rotation 2: Iowa 49.125, Nebraska 48.325
After 2: Iowa 97.950, Nebraska 97.275
Nebraska’s bars issues continue to plague them, as the small errors combined with the miss from Davis in the anchor spot lost the Huskers the lead, big time. Thankfully for the Huskers, their best two events are ahead of them. Iowa will be happy to be above 49 on vault and take a healthy lead into its premier event. The Hawkeyes are in a position at the halfway point where all they need to do now is hit and the victory shouldn’t be too hard to manage. They’ll try to capitalize this next rotation and cushion the lead in case beam doesn’t go swimmingly.
Rotation 3: Nebraska Beam, Iowa Floor
Hall (Neb): Mounts and starts with a full turn, BHS LOSO, big check to her right, bent at the hips, front aerial, small check, split jump ring jump, dismounts RO 1.5, lean into her salute. 9.650
Castillo (Iowa): Opens up with a front tuck through to double pike, big height, good landing, hits the leap series, double tuck to close, chest slightly forward. 9.825
Simpton (Neb): Begins with her flight series, BHS BHS LOSO, right to the end of the beam, full turn, cartwheel down to one knee, split jump to sheep jump, slight adjustment, gainer full, chest down but sticks. 9.875
Judges conference on floor creating a long wait.
Libby (Iowa): Finally is able to go, FHS front double full, soft knees but good landing, RO 1.5 front layout, no issues, switch ring to switch half, ends with a FHS Rudi, great. 9.800
Gard (Neb): Starts with BHS LOSO, hits, full turn, big smiles after she finishes every skill, split jump to split 3/4, didn’t quite hit 180, side aerial, off but adjusted in the air, split leap to gainer pike, big step back. 9.750
Zivat (Iowa): Mounts with a front tuck to double tuck, controls the lunge, tour jete half to split full, bobbles in the landing, Rudi LOSO. 9.800
Colombo (Neb): Opens low on the beam with choreo, front aerial BHS BHS, slow in the change of direction but kept moving, split jump to double stag, check to the side, full turn, dismounts cartwheel 1.5, sticks, bent knees in the air. 9.800
Mūnoz (Iowa): Front tuck to double tuck to begin, great lunge, switch half to wolf full, not much height, rushed, double pike to close, slightly short, small hop forward into choreo. 9.875
Spence (Neb): Gets going with a double wolf turn, front aerial BHS BHS, smooth, switch leap to beat jump, a little off, short of 180, dismounts RO 1.5, way under rotated, giant lunge back, couldn’t tell if she quickly sat or not, kinda crunched her leg under her. 9.475
Kenlin (Iowa): Mounts with FHS front double full, moves quickly into choreo to cover the landing, switch leap to tour jete ring half, amazing shape in the air, RO 1.5 front layout, beautiful. 9.800
McClelland (Neb): Starts with a double wolf turn, cartwheel up, BHS LOSO, nice height, straddle jump, beat jump to double stag, hits, BHS tucked 1.5, sticks! 9.925
Henderson (Iowa): Gigantic full-in to begin, perfect landing, switch side to straddle full to straddle jump, good amplitude, front tuck to double tuck, chest up perfect landing again! 9.925
Rotation 3: Nebraska 49.000, Iowa 49.225
After 3: Iowa 147.175, Nebraska 146.275
It wasn’t the highest-scoring floor rotation we’ve ever seen from Iowa, but it was still able to extend its lead over Nebraska who was finally able to hit 49 on the evening. The Spence fall left a few tenths on the table, but the Huskers are trending in the right direction to finish out the night, even though a season-best is likely out of the question. The Hawkeyes are also probably not going to hit a season-high, but still have a low-196 road score they could distance themselves from with a respectable total on beam.
Rotation 4: Iowa Beam, Nebraska Floor
Henderson (Iowa): Opens down low, full turn, BHS LOSO, problem-free, switch leap to split side, good height, RO double tuck dismount, big hop back. 9.875
Kuenemann (Neb): Mounts with a double pike, good lunge, front layout front full, switch half to wolf 1.5, under rotated, RO 1.5, front layout, rushed landing. 9.725
Zuhkle (Iowa): Full turn to start things, BHS BHS LOSO, tiniest of adjustments, switch leap to split 3/4, shy of 180, cartwheel to stuck gainer full, piked down to get it. 9.825
Gard (Neb): Begins with with a good double pike, switch ring to tour jete half, bouncy, front layout front full, double tuck, very short, big lunge forward to keep it up. 9.550
Ebeling (Iowa): Gets underway with BHS LOSO, check to her right, full turn, split jump ring jump beat jump, too quick in the ring position, front aerial, a bit nervy, dismounts gainer pike, tiny hop forward. 9.750
Rourke (Neb): Some choreo to start, front tuck to double tuck, slightly under, lunge forward, double pike, chest up but a slide back in the lunge, switch half to straddle full wolf full. 9.750
Nick (Iowa): Wobbles on her leap mount, works through it, BHS LOSO, easy, full turn, tiny check, front aerial, mini check, RO 1.5, gets the stick. 9.725
Piringer (Neb): First pass double tuck, tiny slide back, RO 1.5 front layout, lovely, switch side straddle full, fully rotated, ends with a double pike, chest down and lunge forward. 9.800
Kenlin (Iowa): Straddle split on the beam to begin, BHS LOSO, confident, front aerial split jump split 3/4, full turn, so fluid, cartwheel gainer full, holds the stick! 9.925
McClelland (Neb): Mounts with a solid front double full, RO 1.5 front layout, well controlled, switch half to straddle 3/4, closes with a Rudi to double stag. 9.850
Mūnoz (Iowa): Gets underway with a switch leap to switch half, a bit off, moving aggressively, full turn, BHS LOSO, shaky but stays on, BHS gainer full and just an arm circle. 9.925
Spence (Neb): Starts with a front tuck to double tuck, great, switch ring to tour jete full, hangs in the air on that series, ends the meet with a double pike, perfect lunge. 9.900
Rotation 4: Iowa 49.300, Nebraska 49.025
FINAL: Iowa 196.475, Nebraska 195.300
A season-high on beam is exactly how the Hawkeyes wanted to end their evening, as they take an easy road victory over the Huskers with an unexpectedly good performance from freshman Mūnoz, who won the all around and two event titles. Nebraska finished up on a solid note with another 49 and its highest total of the day, but it’s trend of low home scores continues as it’s three best totals have all come on the road. For a team trying to get back into the regionals picture, the Huskers have to find a way to improve on home turf.
VT: Davis (Neb), Henderson (Iowa), Mūnoz (Iowa), Zivat (Iowa), 9.850
UB: Spence (Neb), 9.825
BB: Kenlin (Iowa), McClelland (Neb), Mūnoz, 9.925
FX: Henderson, 9.925
AA: Mūnoz, 39.350
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Live blog by Brandis Heffner
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