Reigning national champ No. 2 Texas Woman’s and No. 3 SEMO are familiar adversaries, and intriguingly SEMO is 2-0 this year in the head-to-head. The Redhawks also have the higher season high and the higher average of these two teams, and the gap in their respective NQSs is razor-thin. That said, Texas Woman’s is a big-stage team and has proven incredibly difficult to beat at championship meets hosted in Denton. The Pioneers are nothing if not clutch and really ought to advance, but if it’s going to go wrong today it’s likely to happen on bars. For SEMO, a momentary lapse in late February resulted in a couple of troubling meet scores around 192.000, but there’s no particular reason to expect a recurrence.
It would take errors from the seeds for either West Chester or Yale to upset today, but West Chester is an underrated and ascendant team that has looked steady in the back half of the season, while the sky’s the limit for Yale if it can finally put the pieces together in a single meet. We also can’t neglect to mention Fisk’s star freshman Morgan Price, who will compete in the all around this session and has a very real look at an individual title.
Rotation 1: TWU VT, SEMO UB, Yale BB, West Chester FX
Lazarus (TWU): FTY right to her knees. Auspicious!
Johnson (TWU): FTY, feet landed first! Pretty solid landing.
Gose (TWU): FTY piked down a touch but absolutely PLANTED.
King (TWU): Pretty clean FTY, hop back. Definitely the best technique so far.
Woodring (TWU): Slight pike down on FTY, step in place.
Huff (CC): FTY tucked, chest up, hop to the side.
Johnson (CC): Beauty of a Yurchenko layout, so airy, step back.
Ingle (SEMO): Great Jaeger, lines looking good. Shy on a handstand, blind full double back stuck-ish.
Miller (SEMO): Pike Tkachev to Ezhova lovely, this routine os so fabulous, double lay with ah op forward. Gorgeous.
Webb (SEMO): Jaeger high and clean, maybe a touch too high on the catch? Blind full double back drilled.
Lopez (SEMO): Blind to Jaeger, close with bent elbows, nice overshoot. Blind full with back a little soft to double back short with a biiiig hop forward.
Ockler (SEMO): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, clean. Full out dismount and couldn’t see the landing.
Moffitt (SEMO): Blind to Jaeger, solid handstand on the bail, blind full soft back to double back close to the bar, leans way forward to hold it.
Foret (CC): Missed the start, good bail, toe to toe hecht, DLO a little whippy with a hop back.
Wilson (CC): A former national champ. Toe to Maloney to Pak, great. Half turn swings over vertical without really emphasizing the handstand, drills the FTDB. Is she better than she was when she won last???
Strause (Yale): Moving through her dance, looking very tidy as usual. BHS BHS double full dismount, chest looked a little low.
Wilson (Yale): Nice front tuck, BHS LOSO super steady. Side aerial, armswing. Gainer pike step back.
Meeks (Yale): Naiiiiled BHS LOSO, looks effortless, Side aerial. Switch straddle quarter split half is great, stuck gainer pike. NICE.
Mangiacapre (Yale): Full turn, BHS LOSO looks great. Switch split split 3/4, check. Gainer pike all the way off camera so who knows what happened there. She got a fall score, so either I hallucinated that she hit the series (entirely possible, this broadcast is TAXING me) or she fell on the gainer pike.
Walker (Yale): BHS LOSO, step and falls. Switch split good. BHS gainer full.
Sabatini (Yale): BHS LOSO good, split to straddle 3/4 and I don’t love those leap positions. Side aerial, falls.
Beers (CU): Front aerial, BHS LOSO with a little form. Full turn, adjustment, one and a half twist with a step forward.
Burton (CU): Front aerial side aerial, check but through. Switch split steady. Kickover front to beat. One and a half twist, soft knees but stuck!
Fred (WCU): Double pike, slight shuffle on the landing. Switch side wolf full. OK middle pass, landed on her heels on the third pass and stumbled back a few steps.
Cascadden (WCU): Missed the first pass but great positions on her switch side Popa. Front lay front full, slightly soft knees on the full and a big step forward. One and a half front pike, nice, hop back.
Lacey (WCU): Front double full, slight fumble on the landing but fully rotated. Rudi at the end well controlled.
Rodriguez (WCU): Double pike HUGE and I think she was out of bounds on the lunge. Front lay front tuck, at last close to the line again.
Fanara (WCU): Double pike, lunge goes forward, finishes with a very nice double tuck.
Kissinger (WCU): Rudi LOSO, very slight shuffle. Tour jete full, rotated but split maybe a bit questionable. One and a half twist, Rudi double stag and tiny scoot forward.
Sepulveda (UB): 2.5 punch front NICE. Rudi back tuck, messy punch, she may have intended a LOSO I can’t remember.
Kenney (UB): Rudi LOSO, front full front tuck
After 1: SEMO 48.95, TWU 48.80, WCU 48.55, Yale ?
Yale’s lead off beam score is missing, and with three fall routines in that rotation, losing a hit is an influential bureaucratic error. Similar situation occurred with Air Force earlier.
SEMO is a magnificently talented bars team and can’t complain about being in the lead after one but left some tenths on the table with dismounts. For Yale, that rotation was a pretty devastating oopsie.
Rotation 2: WCU VT, TWU UB, SEMO BB, Yale FX
Allen (WCU): Tucked FTY, hop but pretty controlled.
Kissinger (WCU): Front double full vault, step straight forward. Nice.
Rodriguez (WCU): Tuck FTY, big pace back.
Eskew (WCU): Bailed on her first vault run, I think she gets a redo. Did it again. Judges giving her a third try. Full on tuck off, short with a big step forward but she’s physically alive which is what matters.
Johnson (WCU): Just lopes down the runway, effortless speed, FTY with a big bounce back.
Carroll (WCU): FTY, piked down with low chest and a step to the side.
Chambers (UB): Front tuck half, messy form and a hop forward.
King (TWU): Jaeger, high and close, hit her heels and can’t kip out. Stops and re-kips. Something to double back, flung WAY out.
Johnson (TWU): Full turn to Tkachev nice, good bail. Shy handstand, blind full double back with a hop forward.
Podges (TWU): Loooovely Jager, her technique is so wonderful, good Pak. Blind full double back with chest SLIGHTLY low and a step back.
Pierce (TWU): Fought for hr first handstand, Jaeger good, toe front half dismount stuck dead.
Ferrari (TWU): Blind to Jager, nice, sketchy handstand, blind to straddle back lovely. DLO piked down but stuck-ish.
Griffith (TWU): Missed the start, good bail, FTDB with a step forward.
Schmitz (CC): Blind to Jaeger, bail, really nice. Blind full double back, scoot back. Wow.
Maxwell (SEMO): BHS LOSO, big check. Got through the rest with minimal drama. I think. There was a lot going on and I’m trying my best.
Webb (SEMO): Big check on the first skill just as the commentator was telling us all to watch. Beautiful front aerial to Korbut. Do more Korbuts, everybody.
Moffitt (SEMO): Fell on a leap. Nice one and a half dismount.
Ingle (SEMO): BHS BHS LOSO, medium check. Double full dismount underrotated with a hop-scoot back.
Reader (SEMO): Kickover front from knees to BHS, great. Leg up check on leaps, kickover front, big check. Stuck gainer pike.
Speller (SEMO): A fall to drop here. Front aerial to BHS, slow connection but creditable. Switch switch half, good. Liukin, nice, punch front full stuck. Nice.
Foret (CC): Full turn, overturned it with a substantial check. BHS LOSO, stepped the back foot in front but avoided an obvious check. Fall a moment later. Straddle to split 3/4, wayyy short of position, switch to gainer full.
Stephens (CC): Front aerial, looovely, BHS LOSO with an adjustment. Switch to ring, actually really nice which is refreshing today. Tuck one and a half dismount and couldn’t see feet but looked solid.
Holt (Yale): Front double full, pretty nice. One and a half front lay, a little low but landed well,
Brueck (Yale): Great double back. Potential near-OOB on the second pass, tour jete half split full with iffy splits.
Meeks (Yale): Front full front lay stuck YES. Full turn good. Switch ring switch ring full, positions started off iffy and deteriorated. I forgot to write about the other passes because I was just enjoying it but she was good.
Wang (Yale): Nice double pike. Switch side Popa well-extended, one nd a half comes in way low and very nearly sits it.
Strause (Yale): Two and a half punch front, slight shuffle but well-rotated. Nice double pike.
Wilson (Yale): One and a half front lay looks good! Switch to switch ring half, sketchy position. Bounced back a little on double pike but stayed in.
Beers (CU): Front through double pike fantastic. Tour jete half, iffy split, to Popa Popa. Nailed the double back. Tour jete half, iffy split again.
Whitaker (CU): Front double full, big step, chaotic leap series. Rudi to double stag, chest a little forward and hop forward.
After 2: TWU 97.35 SEMO 96.9 WCU 96.88 Yale 96.15
Hearing from the commentator that WCU is very close to SEMO, which is exciting. Definitely not the beam rotation SEMO can produce.
Rotation 3: Yale VT, WCU UB, TWU BB, SEMO FX
Aviad (Yale): Yurchenko half tucked, stuck! Nice!
Titche (Yale): FTY to her knees.
Walker (Yale): Tuck-ish half, medium hop.
Sabatini (Yale): FTY pikey with a big hop back and to one side.
Wang (Yale): Very normal FTY with a pace back.
WIlson (Yale): Tuck full, medium hop back.
Beers (CU): FTY nice and extended, tiny hop.
Whitaker (CU): Tucked FTY, cross step back.
Betts (WCU): Blind full to bail, DLO pikely with a small step. Solid start.
Rodriguez (WCU): Blind full to Pak, maybe a little low, FTDB with a big step back.
Kelly (WCU): Missed start, straddle back, blind full double back nailed.
Wicker (WCU): Blind full to Tkachev, good bail, shy on a handstand, DLO pikey with a step forward.
Eskew (WCU): Really nice Pak, DLO with a pace forward but extended the whole way.
Coleman (WCU): Blind to Jaeger to overshoot, lovely! Shy on a handstand, clear hip blind full double back with a step forward.
Sepulveda (UB): Tkachev, toe to overshoot nice. Nailed dismount.
Chambers (UB): Nice bail, blind full to Gienger, dismount short with a big step forward.
Six (TWU): BHS LOSO good, nice straddle leaps. Nailed kickover front, nice one and a half dismount. Hearing 9.8.
Woodring (TWU): Made series, switch switch to split, slightly shaky full turn. Kickover front, check. One and a half twist with a hop forward.
Kunzman (TWU): Nailed the triple series, wow. Switch switch, fabulous, one and a half twist with a hop back. TWU is rocking and rolling today.
King (TWU): Full turn, tiiiny adjustment. BHS LOSO, lean. One and a half dismount to hop-bounce.
Podges (TWU): BHS LOSO lovely as always, switch half. Nailed double pike.
Pierce (TWU): Kickover front… didn’t get the connection. Tries it again to BHS, nice. Switch to split 1/4 good. Tuck front full stuck.
Lavelle (CC): Saw a fall. BHS LOSO off again. One and a half twist, sat. That was an oopsie and we don’t need to dwell on it.
Walton (CU): Steady BHS LOSO. Lean on side aerial. Split to straddle 3/4, big check.
Maxwell (SEMO): Good double back. Punch Rudi with chest maybe a TOUCH low but no big deal.
Desch (SEMO): Double pike, slightly shuffly. Double tuck to finish, low chest and lunge goes forward.
Webb (SEMO): May have missed the first pass, good Rudi to leap, switch ring to split full jump nicely rotated. Good combo pass to finish.
Moffitt (SEMO): Missed first pass, front full front lay reaaaally nice. Double pike way short, big step forward.
Greene (SEMO): Front lay to Rudi, powerful with a slightly wonky lunge. Double back short, big lunge forward. Tour jete half split full, iffy splits,
Martinez (CC): Nice double pike.Front lay to Rudi really solid.
After 3: Nobody knows, not even the teams
Rotation 4: SEMO VT, Yale UB, WCU BB, TWU FX
Maxwell (SEMO): Nice FTY tuck, hop straight back.
Reader (SEMO): FTY, very piked with a tiny hop forward.
Webb (SEMO): Piked down FTY, big hop forward.
Lopez (SEMO): Better FTY, still a touch low but step goes back.
Greene (SEMO): FTY, nice! Big hop back but dynamics a totally different world to the last two.
Ockler (SEMO): Another nice FTY with a hop back and SEMO is done.
Martinez (CC): FTY, deep with a big step back.
Foret (CC): STUCK FTY. Wow.
Aviad (Yale): Half turn to Tkachev, think she might have hit a foot on the floor. Pace back on the dismount.
Wilson (Yale): Nice Ray to overshoot! Blind full, back a little soft, double tuck with low chest and a little hop. k
Meeks (Yale): Tkachev to overshoot, think she hit her foot again. Blind full, way off and falls.
Wang (Yale): Blind to Jaeger, caught close, good bail.
Walker (Yale): Good Jaeger, got the bail, DLO a little over with a substantial hop-stagger forward.
Henry (Yale): Blind to Jaeger, too far and falls.
Beers (CU): Nice Tkachev, not much counterrotation, toe front pike dismount with low chest.
Allen (WCU): Triple series, check on the leap series. Gainer full, tiny scoot.
Kissinger (WCU): Switch split nice, BHS BHS LOSO, leg up and falls. Switch straddle quarter.
Marshall (WCU): Switch to straddle quarter, BHS LOSO bend check. Switch gainer pike off screen.
Rodriguez (WCU): Full turn, switch to split 3/4 with a little adjustment in the beginning. Switch half. Front gainer full off screen.
Whitaker (WCU): Switch split, beat split full, iffy splits but steady. Nice BHS LOSO. Stuck one and a half dismount.
McFarland (WCU): Great BHS LOSO. Full turn, check. Cat leap side aerial, check. Clean switch split half. One and a half twist with a baby hop.
Sepulveda (UB): Liukin, works for it but gets it. Cat leap switch side with one leg a little below horizontal. Kickover front BHS, tentative, punch front full off camera.
Javinett (UB): BHS LOSO really nice, she’s always had very pretty hands and little things add a lot. Switch LOSO, dead on. Something to split 3/4, clean again, one and a half with a little hop forward. NICE. I have literally no clue what the judges have been doing… all meet… but to me that routine is event final material.
Podges (TWU): Punch front full really nice, wolf half switch half wolf full is nice. Rudi maybe a little short.
Gose (TWU): Great double pike. Front full lay tidy and pretty, Rudi with a clean lunge. Not a lot to complain about there.
King (TWU): Double pike clos to the line. One and a half front lay, great. Double tuck scoot back.
Johnson (TWU): Nice double pike, a little rebound back on Rudi. Hearing 9.9 but this commentator is not always right.
Woodring (TWU): Big double pike, slightly scooty lunge, way short on double back and rebounds forward.
Pierce (TWU): Great front double full. Switch side Popa, huge straddle positions, one and a half front step slightly overpowered with a big cross step forward.
Walsh (CU): Front through double back, short with a big step forward. Double pike to her knees.
Johnson (CC): Last routine of the meet and it’s a special one. Front through double back, a little overrotated, switch side straddle half. One and a half front lay, just so much gas in those legs, bounce forward but not extreme. Rockstar.
FINAL: I couldn’t tell you, bro. Wish I could.
VT:
UB:
BB:
FX:
AA:
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