A midweek MRGC matchup is underway tonight as Boise State travels to take on conference leader Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds have been dominant in the MRGC this season and have only kept progressing, scoring 197s the last two meets. Southern Utah has been led by 5th year Karley McClain who has scored over 39.400 in the all around five times this season as well as sophomore Ellie Cacciola who has become a mainstay in three lineups this season.
As for Boise State, the Broncos were inconsistent to start the season, struggling on their signature event, bars. But over the last few weeks, the team has found some consistency and scored three consecutive 196s. Juniors Courtney Blackson and Emily Lopez have been stalwarts all season for Boise State, and last week Lopez recorded the first 10.0 in program history on bars. If both teams compete to their potential, this meet could be a preview of next month’s conference championships.
Rotation 1: Southern Utah VT, Boise State UB
Cacciola (VT): Nearly stuck yfull, really small hop. Lands with her chest a bit forward, but nice distance. 9.825
Little (UB): Great opening handstand. Maloney to Pak, no visible leg separation. Pirouette is fine. Nice final handstand, giant full, double tuck, small step. Good opening routine. 9.800
Karley McClain (VT): Yfull, comes on a bit high on to the table and doesn’t get as much amplitude as possible. Pikes the vault down and lands short a result, having to take a step forward. 9.700
Morden (UB): A little short on the first handstand. Piked Jaeger and falls. Remounts, nice bail. Hit final handstand. FTDT with a step. 8.900
C. Kho (VT): Nice Yurchenko 1.5, awesome distance with a hop forward and some bent knees in the air. 9.900
McGovern (UB): First handstand might have been a little short. Gienger to overshoot, short of vertical and some leg separation and bent arms in both elements. Good handstand, FTDT with a step. 9.650
Pardue (VT): Yurchenko 1.5, not as much amplitude or distance as Kho, but better leg form. Just a crossover step on the landing. 9.825
Hamby (UB): Good handstand, great straight arm catch on the Ray, connected to overshoot. Last handstand is a little short and hops on her double layout. 9.850
Smith (VT): Yurchenko full on, tuck off. Good distance and chest up landing, just a hop backwards. 9.800
Blackson (UB): Good handstand, nice bail. Khorkina is excellent, really gets good amplitude over the bar. Double layout is stuck with a small arm wave. Nice. 9.925
Kennedi McClain (VT): Yfull, good height, has to pike down some and take a step. 9.725
Lopez (UB): Good first handstand. Piked Jaeger, another aggressive handstand. Nice bail, another great handstand, double layout with a hop up on her toes in place. 9.950
After 1: Boise State 49.175, Southern Utah 49.075
After one, the Broncos have a one tenth lead over Southern Utah thanks to the dynamic duo of Blackson and Lopez who closed out Boise State’s lineup with massive scores after a fall. Vault was okay for Southern Utah, although a couple of big steps held its score down. It was exciting to finally see the debut of Kennedi McClain, and Caitlin Kho’s Yurchenko 1.5 was one of the best she’s ever done. This meet is delivering in terms of a close match up!
Rotation 2: Boise State VT, Southern Utah UB
S. Kho (VT): Yfull with a medium sized hop, has to pike down a bit. 9.725
(UB): Good first handstand. Maloney to Pak, small leg separation on the Maloney. A bit late on the pirouette. Good final handstand. Toe on, FTDT with a big step backwards. 9.800
Loyim (VT): Yurchenko layout half, with two really big steps out of it. 9.700
Goodman (UB): Nice first handstand. Great position on the half blind half. Nice piked Jaeger, good handstand, dynamic Pak. Giant full into a double tuck, stuck but has her chest down and takes an armswing. 9.825
Vulaj (VT): Yurchenko full on, pike off. Great amplitude and form, just a very small hop. 9.875
Thomas (UB): Clean first handstand. Maloney to Pak, flexed feet on the Pak. Final handstand is solid, double layout with a step back. 9.850
Popp (VT): Front handspring pike half, great block off the table. Just a hop back and her chest was a little down. 9.850
Long delay before McClain on bars, not sure what’s going on.
McClain (UB): Hit first handstand. Gienger, short handstand after. Bail is solid. Great final handstand, double layout with a small hop. 9.900
Lopez (VT): Flairs out her yfull, excellent body shape, just a hop back. 9.875
Murakami (UB): Hit first handstand. Nice straddled Jaeger, great amplitude, overshoot after is solid. Wonderful final handstand, FTDT is stuck with just a little bit of leg form in the air. 9.900
Blackson (VT): Yurchenko 1.5 with two big steps forward, really clean form in the air. 9.775
Coutu (UB): Good first handstand, Ray and just misses the catch. Remounts stalder, bail, double layout with a step. 9.200
After 2: Southern Utah 98.350, Boise State 98.275
Southern Utah grabs the lead after a strong bar rotation led by Murakami and McClain, still unclear about what the long delay was about. Vulaj and Popp were excellent on vault for Boise State, but the Broncos score was kept down by having to count two 9.7s. After two, this meet is still within a tenth!
Rotation 3: Southern Utah BB, Boise State FX
Murakami (BB): Big wobble on a full turn. Bhs, loso, is going for another loso and falls on her back. Remounts, cat leap, side aerial i solid. Split jump, sheep jump, good. Stuck gainer full, glad she was okay after that fall, it looked scary. 9.125
Vulaj (FX): Back 1.5, front full, good form and control. Switch leap, tour jete full, splits are fine. L hop full. Great amplitude on the double pike to finish, controlled step. 9.825
Smith (BB): Round off, loso, leg up check. Cat leap, split 3/4, short of split. Stuck 1.5 with a lean. 9.775
Lucas (FX): Huge double pike to start, opens just a smidge too early and takes a step forward. Back 1.5, front lay, good control. Double tuck is good, steps a little to the side in her lunge. 9.775
K. Kho (BB): Bhs, back layout and falls. Straddle jump, straddle 3/4, excellent positions. Straddle jump, standing loso and another leg up check. Gainer pike with a step. 9.300
Loyim (FX): Whip to double tuck as the first pass, lunge back is lacking al ittle control. Switch side, popa is solid. Solo punch front. Good straddle jump. Dynamic double pike to finish, nice control. 9.850
Cacciola (BB): Full turn with a check, everyone has looked just a bit off today. Solid bhs loso. Beat jump, loso with a small wobble. Switch leap, switch leap, split jump. Back 1.5 with a small step. 9.875
McGovern (FX): Rudi, loso, lacking some ampltiude and a bit of messy form on the Rudi. Tour jete half, tuck jump 1.5, messy tuck jump position. Double tuck to finish, nice amplitude and control. 9.875
Karley McClain (BB): Bhs loso and falls. Switch leap, split jump. Cat leap, side aerial, big wobble. Split jump, straddle quarter is nice. Back 1.5 with a step. Not a good beam day for Southern Utah. 9.250
Blackson (FX): Front double full, front tuck, very clean. Split full, split full, good splits. Finishes with a back 2.5 with a little bit of a messy step out. 9.875
Vultaggio (BB): Bhs, loso, loso, chest down wobble. Switch leap, split jump is good. Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.725
Leitch (FX): Opens with a double pike, nice chest up landing position. Switch half, wolf full. Front lay, front full, landing looks a little jarring. Stuck double tuck to end. 9.800
After 3: Boise State 147.500, Southern Utah 146.275
Well, that was a rough rotation for Southern Utah, having to count two falls. If Boise State can hit beam, the Broncos will take this meet. Boise State looked solid on floor, its landing have improved a lot since the beginning of the season, Blackson and McGovern were especially impressive.
Rotation 4: Boise State BB, Southern Utah FX
Vulaj (BB): Bhs, loso, some bent knees and arm wave. Switch leap, switch leap, short of split on the first. Front toss, lands low and has another balance check. Back 1.5 with a step backwards. 9.725
Cacciola (FX): Double tuck, lands short and has to take a step forward. Front full, front lay, great rise on the layout. Switch ring, switch half. Rudi, split jump, short of split and almost goes out of bounds, but keeps it in bounds. 9.750
Little (BB): Bhs, loso lands a bit awkwardly and has a wobble. Nice full turn. Switch leap, straddle quarter. Front aerial beat jump is sgood. Love the leg up hold choreography. Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.775
Vultaggio (FX): Slightly uncontrolled doubke pike to start. Switch side, popa. Back 1.5, front lay, has to tuck it over and lands really low. Excellent double tuck to finish, good chest up landing. 9.625
Elkbachi (BB): Clean opening full turn. Bhs loso is good, really nice extension. Beat jump, side aerial is secure. Straddle half, beat jump, small hesitation between the two. Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.800
Karley McClain (FX): Dynamic double pike to open, nice landing control. Back 1.5, front layout is excellent, lovely layout shap and dynamics. Switch half, wolf jump full, switch half looked a bit short of split. Double tuck to finish is nice! Great routine. 9.900
Lopez (BB): Bhs, loso, bhs is clean. Split jump, straddle half, good positions. Front toss, lands with her chest a little low, but works out of it well. Stuck gainer full, really good. 9.900
Ingrassia (FX): Front tuck through to double pike, a little bit of a stumble on the lunge out of it. Switch half, wolf full, wolf full, landing positions got a little bit indistinct at the end. Double tuck to finish is solid. 9.900
Loyim (BB): Bhs, loso, loso is pristine. Wobbles on the full turn. Side aerial. Switch leap, switch leap, front leg is low on both switch leaps. Gainer full with a hop. 9.825
Gull (FX): Double pike to open, well controlled. Back 1.5, front half, split jump. Jump is a little bit out of control. Tour jete half, wolf full, not the highest leaps. Closes with a double tuck, some leg separation in the air, but good control. 9.850
Popp (BB): Clean front aerial. Bhs, bhs layout and falls. Cat leap, balks, redoes cat leap, switch half. Gainer full dismount. 9.000
Schwartze (FX): Front double full to open, some leg separation on the twist. Switch leap, tour jete half, wolf full, her front leg was low on the first switch leap. Rudi, loso to finish, takes it right to the corner, solid. 9.850
FINAL: Boise State 196.525, Southern Utah 195.525
Boise State came out on top in this MRGC matchup, and this score will be a good away score for its NQS. Blackson and Lopez continue to impress this season. For Southern Utah, this meet is a dip after scoring two consecutive 197s, but in the scheme of NQS pretty insignificant.
VT: Caitlin Kho 9.9, SUU
UB: Emily Lopez 9.950, Boise State
BB: Emily Lopez 9.900, Boise State
FX: Karley McClain, Emma Ingrassia 9.900, SUU
AA: Karley McClain 38.750 SUU
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Live blog by Rebecca Williams
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