This is the second of back-to-back weeks competing against each other for BYU and Southern Utah, as the teams faced off in Cedar City last Friday.
BYU has found its footing in recent weeks after a rocky start, and being in front of its home fans should energize it even more. The Cougars’ floor choreography is always a delight — led by Rebekah Ripley’s Barbie Girl routine this season, among others. Freshman Kylie Eaquinto posted a 9.900 for her Yurchenko full last week, and classmate Madison Raesly-Patton seems to be finding a groove as well.
Southern Utah continues to have a quietly good season. The Thunderbirds nearly broke 197 last week and certainly have that in mind for the future. Karley McClain continues to be a force in the all around, as evidenced by her many MRGC Gymnast of the Week honors. Beam has been a source of strength for much of the season for the Thunderbirds, and Trista Goodman recently returned to the bars lineup, where Shylen Murakami is always one to watch.
Rotation 1: BYU VT, SUU UB
Dudley (BYU): yfull, not great distance and pike down. 9.85
Kho (SUU): reins in first hs; Maloney to pak, some legs; loose low bar pirouette; ftdt, tiny foot movement. Solid start for SUU. 9.825
Raesly-Patton (BYU): yfull on tuck, small hop. 9.825
Schwartze (SUU): nice piked jaeger; bail hs, hit; hitting handstands well so far. blind full double tuck, nearly to her knees (but saves it!) with a step. 9.675
Benson (BYU): yfull, nice distance, clean form throughout and a stick. chest maybe slightly low but quickly brings it up. 9.9
Bentley (SUU): good first hs; ray flexed feet to bail, solid; short final hs; dlo with a hop in place. Nice rebound after Schwartze’s less than ideal finish. 9.85
Ripley (BYU): fhs pike half, nice in air, decent hop back and to the side, but it’s so good to see her competing again after her knee surgeries! 9.75
Ka. McClain (SUU): gienger caught slightly close but works through it; bail hs, solid; don’t think she’s missed a handstand in this routine. dlo, small slide back. 9.825
Mason (BYU): throws her y1.5, knees in air and sits it. 9.275
Murakami (SUU): great first hs; beautiful straddled jaeger immediate to bail, hit; solid final hs and puts the exclamation mark on the routine with a stuck ftdt. 9.925
Eaquinto (BYU): only does a full today, but it’s a good one. tiniest slide back. 9.85
Neff (SUU): Maloney to bail hs, good; slightly short final hs; blind full double tuck, small step. Solid finish to the rotation. 9.825
Rollins (BYU, exh): yfull on tuck, small hop back. Good vault to have in your back pocket.
(SUU, exh): straddled jaeger to bail, off on the bail but saves it. Hit her dismount but I missed the exact details.
After 1: SUU 49.250, BYU 49.175
Good starts from both teams and we’ve got a close meet! Both were able to put mistakes behind them and finish out their respective lineups strong. Murakami shone on bars per usual, while Benson’s vault was a highlight for BYU.
Rotation 2: SUU VT, BYU UB
Vultaggio (SUU): yfull, pretty clean in air for the most part but piking and a hop. 9.725
Lealaogata (BYU): Maloney to pak, good; final hs hit; small step on her dlo.
Cacciola (SUU): yfull with good distance and preflight leg sep, slightly low chest and a hop step back. 9.85
Long wait for Benson to go on bars. Must be a judging discrepancy somewhere. 9.75 for Lealaogata when it’s all said and done.
Benson (BYU): nice first hs; straddled Tkatchev, some feet; bail fine; hit final hs; dlo with a tiny hop.
Ka. McClain (SUU): yfull, not as good as usual with a low chest but stuck. 9.825
Bramblett (BYU): straddled jaeger to bail, hit; good hs; stuck dlo to close. 9.95
Our commentator says he loves that his partner compares gymnastics to ball sports. Me too, my man.
Kho (SUU): y1.5 with some form and a good-sized step. directionally slightly to the side. 9.85
Eaquinto (BYU): great Maloney to pak; short final hs; dlo with a step. Solid overall. 9.775
Pardue (SUU): y1.5, some knees and a tiny step. Nice one from the freshman. 9.875
Hunter (BYU): straddled Tkatchev, great; bail hs hit; hs work nice in this routine. dlo, step back. 9.875
Smith (SUU): yfull on tuck, tiny hop. 9.825
Alvarado (BYU): great opening hs; floaty pak, arches next hs. Van Leeuwen, nice; stuck dlo. Only real deduction was that hs. 9.9
After 2: SUU 98.475, BYU 98.400
We’ve got a good meet, folks! Great rotations from both teams — even if the landings aren’t quite there, they’re pretty darn close on both sides. This should be an exciting second half of the meet!
Rotation 3: BYU BB, SUU FX
Mason (BYU): bhs loso, slight knees but secure; cat leap side aerial, she’s completely off and I think she hit the side of the beam and is in pretty good pain. Looks like maybe her ribcage. She won’t finish the routine.
Cacciola (SUU): solid double tuck to open. front full front lay, well-controlled; hits her leap combo. closes with a rudi to split jump, well done. Good start for SUU. 9.875
Raesly-Patton (BYU): front aerial split jump, secure; switch leap split jump, good positions; bhs loso, rock solid; stuck ro 1.5. Really nicely done after the unfortunate events of the last routine. 9.85
Vultaggio (SUU): double pike, fine but slightly large lunge; solid leaps; back 1.5 to lay across the side, it never gets old! closes with a solid double tuck. She’s mobbed by her teammates in excitement.
Margraf (BYU): front aerial back tuck, secure; leap combo solid; front full, tiny step. 9.8
We’re getting a brief Allix Mason update, she’s icing her ribcage AND knee. Ooof.
Smith (SUU): whip to double tuck and her front foot slides back in her lunge; leap combo to a drop to floor which is always fun; rudi split, solid, maybe slightly short of 180 on the split. 9.875
Ono (BYU): bhs bhs loso, her hips are slightly off and she can’t save it. BYU will have to count this one. straddle straddle 1/2, slightly tentative; gainer full, small foot slide. 9.05
Ka. McClain (SUU): great double pike to open — no full-in this week; back 1.5 to lay, nice; switch half wolf full, nicely done; stuck double tuck before a VERY controlled lunge to close. Another great routine from her! 9.925
Dudley (BYU): bhs loso, secure; nails her split straddle 1/4 straddle half combo; slight check on her full turn; cat leap side aerial, rock solid; ro 1.5 step forward. A hit routine, just like the doctor ordered. 9.75
Schwartze (SUU): fhs double full, nice; triple leap combo, precise positions; fhs rudi loso and makes sure those feet don’t move. 9.925
Rollins (BYU): switch straddle 1/4, lovely; front aerial bhs loso, clean and secure; gainer full stuck. Great way for BYU to end the rotation. 9.95
Gull (SUU): solid double pike to open; back 1.5 front half split jump, hit; leap combo not fully rotating around; nice double tuck to close. 9.9
After 3: SUU 147.975, BYU 146.800
It’s not easy to finish a rotation after a leadoff fall and injury, but BYU did just that. Still counting a fall, but really impressed at the grit this team showed. SUU absolutely nailed floor and didn’t go below 9.875 at all. Through three, this is the makings of a great away score for the Thunderbirds.
Rotation 4: SUU BB, BYU FX
Murakami (SUU): very exquisite mount sequence; bhs bhs loso, the tiniest adjustment; split jump sheep jump, small check; stuck gainer full. Always good when you hit your leadoff routine. 9.8
Millar (BYU): switch side popa – starting with her leap pass! double tuck, very close to oob. Not sure if her heel actually touched. lay lay full, step back instead of forward. 9.8 so probably didn’t go oob.
Smith (SUU): ro loso series, solid; hits her leaps; ro 1.5 stuck. Great routine for her. 9.9
Longer wait for Benson on floor.
Benson (BYU): good double tuck to open; leap series, slightly shy of 180; front lay lay full, nice; good control on her double pike to close the routine. 9.85
Cacciola (SUU): bhs loso, secure; beat jump standing loso, big check but she stays on! Great fight there. Switch leap switch leap split jump, good; ro 1.5 stuck. Not her best, but she stayed on. 9.725
Dudley (BYU): double pike, hit; front full front lay, good; switch side wolf full, very nice; closing double tuck with good control. 9.875
Schwartze (SUU): bhs loso, secure; slight check on her full turn; beat jump loso beat jump, solid; split jump sheep jump good split position and a small check. stuck gainer full but low chest. Lots of tiny things, no major errors. 9.7
Schooley (BYU): switch side half, good position; back 1.5 to lay, solid; switch ring switch side, nice; very intense music change here. double tuck to close, well-controlled.
McClain (SUU): bhs loso good; switch split, secure; cat leap side aerial, rock solid; split straddle 1/4, another good leap connection; ro 1.5 stuck. That’ll complete her AA set today and it should be another good score! 9.85
Rollins (BYU): some Top Gun action. Double tuck STUCK to open; very unique leap pass, switch side double stag full; lay lay full, would like a tad more control but not egregious, just a tiny back foot slide. Allix Mason just congratulated her, which is good to see! 9.85
Vultaggio (SUU): bhs loso loso, nailed it! switch split, switch leap is slightly shy of 180. Tiny check on her full turn. ro 1.5 stuck to close. That’s 6 for 6 on beam for SUU! 9.875
Ripley (BYU): front punch through to double tuck, solid; switch side popa wolf full with good positions; nice double pike to close. Great routine to close the meet out, and in style! Omg, they just showed a guy holding a “Let’s Go Barbie!” sign. 9.9
Goodman (?, SUU, exh): cat leap side aerial, secure; split double stag, nice; stuck gainer full. The team is stoked for her!
BYU exhibition on floor just went down with an apparent knee injury.
FINAL: SUU 197.125, BYU 196.150
SUU hit 197 for the first time this season and will love to have this away score on the books once NQS sets in. The Thunderbirds also hit all six beam routines, even if there were checks here and there. It was a signature BYU floor performance and the Cougars managed a 196 despite the adversity of the beam rotation.
Event Winners:
VT: Benson (BYU) 9.900
UB: Bramblett (BYU) 9.950
BB: Rollins (BYU) 9,950
FX: Ka. McClain, Schwartze (SUU), 9.925
AA: Ka. McClain 39.425
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Live blog by Tara Graeve
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