Happy meet day! Today is Denver’s home opener, and the Pioneers will be facing off with the Arizona State Sundevils. Both teams are coming off a week one win, but Denver’s score was a full point higher than Arizona State’s.
The Pioneers scored a 196.85 at their first meet, and with some slight improvements they could hit the 197 mark. Some of those improvements could be made on floor. Denver’s highest floor score last week was a 9.85 from Jessica Hutchinson, so if just a few of those scores could jump up into the 9.9 range, the Pioneers could easily be looking at a 197.
Floor was also a weak spot for Arizona State last week. The Sundevils had to count a 9.025 from Emily White after Alex Theodorou fell on both of her tumbling passes. But even though they counted a fall, the Sundevils were still able to score a 195.725, which shows a tremendous amount of potential. While the odds favor Denver no matter what, Arizona State has the chance to put up a solid road score if it can correct last week’s mistakes on floor. A 196 on the road would be a great way to bounce back and get the season back on track!
I’m here in person at Magness Arena, and we’ve got a pretty good turnout considering the freezing temperatures in Denver today! It seems like fans are excited to see their Pioneers return to action!
Rotation 1: Denver VT, Arizona State UB
Brusch (DU): Super clean Yurchenko full to start out the meet, she flared it out and took a small hop back. 9.8
Reeves (ASU): Starts with a blind to Jaeger to bail combination, super clean form throughout. She’s really hitting every one of these handstands. Finishes with a nice double layout with a step back. Great leadoff for Arizona State! Interesting, they seem to have started her at a 9.9, I don’t really know why because it looked great to me. 9.675
B. Mabanta (DU): Another flared out Yurchenko full, and this one had even more height than the last! Same as before, a small hop back on the landing. 9.825
Barbanente (ASU): Starts with a jump over the low bar and then a blind to piked Jaeger to bail connection. A little short on her last handstand, and takes a tiny hop backwards on the double layout. 9.825
Ulrich (DU): Nice front pike half! She had a small hop back on the landing but when she’s able to stick that it’ll be a great score! It’s awesome to see a front pike half in Denver’s lineup, I can’t remember the last time it had one. 9.75
Samiley (ASU): Mounts on the high bar and starts with a blind to Jaeger to bail connection. Her form is super clean. Short on the last handstand and sticks the double layout! Maybe a slight pike down but that’s picky. 9.85
Casali (DU): Beautiful Yurchenko 1.5! Great lines in the air and a small hop forward. Denver needs to hone in on these landings because the vaults are really gorgeous in the air. 9.85
Mangahas (ASU): Mounts over the low bar up to high, nice blind into a super high piked Jaeger, and she also connects to a bail. Hits the last handstand. Gorgeous sky-high full-in dismount to another stick! 9.85
Mundell (DU): Another Yurchenko 1.5, some slightly bent knees in the air and takes a couple of steps back. 9.725
White (ASU): Starts on the low bar with a beautiful handstand ino a Van Leeuwen. Nice shootover. Her legs are absolutely glued together the entire time. Nails and holds the last handstand. Beautiful double layout and takes a step back on the landing. That’s a shame because that routine was pretty darn perfect. 9.825
Hutchinson (DU): Very clean and very high Yurchenko 1.5, hops forward just like everyone else! Once Denver gets these landings down this will be a dangerous lineup. 9.8
Clark (ASU): Starts on the high bar with a nice handstand. Blind into a Jaeger, a little close to the bar there. Nice Pak, just some leg separation. Holds the last handstand and finishes with a super floaty double layout and takes a step back on the landing. 9.7
After 1: Arizona State 49.125, Denver 49.025
This was a really solid rotation for both teams! Denver had some vaults that look great in the air, and once they’re able to nail the landings it will be a killer lineup. Arizona State showed off some gorgeous lines and handstands on all of its bar routines, and it was enough to take an early lead over Denver.
Rotation 2: Arizona State VT, Denver UB
White (ASU): Nice, clean Yurchenko full. Great body position throughout and takes a small hop back. 9.75
Casali (DU): Starts on the low bar with a very pretty handstand. Gorgeous Maloney into a shootover that was a little past handstand. Hits the last handstand and sticks the double layout dismount! 9.85
Gregoire (ASU): Yurchenko 1.5, very clean in the air and takes a step forward. 9.725, which honestly seems a little low.
Rorich (DU): Starts on the high bar with a blind to Jaeger, she was too close and came off. Gets back up and does a nice shootover. Hits her last handstand and takes a small hop forward on the super clean double layout. 9.025
Mangahas (ASU): Super high Yurchenko full, she flared it out and maybe had the tiniest shuffle in her feet. 9.8
Ulrich (DU): Alright, this will be a good test for the freshman after her teammate fell before her. Mounts on the low bar and hits a nice handstand. Gorgeous Maloney to super high Pak combination. Nails the last handstand and takes a step forward on the double layout. Great bounce back after a fall from Rorich! 9.875
Scharf (ASU): Wow, these Yurchenko fulls just keep getting higher. She had great height and a tiny shuffle on the landing. 9.825
Hebinck (DU): Starts on the high bar with a huge Ray. A little short on her next handstand. Nice clean Pak down to low. Hits the last handstand and has a tiny foot shuffle on the double layout. 9.825
Theodorou (ASU): Nice Yurchenko entry half on half off, not too much height but clean in the air. Takes a step on the landing. 9.675
Hutchinson (DU): Mounts on the low bar with a gorgeous handstand. Nice Maloney to Pak combination, her feet are stuck together! Hits her last handstand. Fights for the landing on the double layout but ultimately takes a step forward. 9.85
A. Smith (ASU): Super high Yurchenko 1.5, and the landing was out of my view but I think she stuck it! The team is going crazy! 9.925
Mundell (DU): Mounts on the high bar and starts with a good handstand. Beautiful Tkatchev, nice height. Nice shootover down to the low bar. Hits her last handstand. Sticks the double layout! It’s going to be tricky for the judges to find something wrong with that routine, but then again judging has been tight this season. 9.95, well deserved.
After 2: Denver 98.375, Arizona State 98.200
Denver was able to gain the lead after a really solid bar rotation. Kiley Rorich had a fall at the beginning of the lineup, but the rest of the Pioneers bounced back and hit nice routines. Arizona State had some great vaults including a 9.925 from Anaya Smith. The Sundevils are on floor next, and if they want to retake their lead, they’ll have to put up a good floor rotation after struggling last week against Central Michigan. Kayla Lee will take Alex Theodorou’s spot in the floor lineup today, we’ll see if that can bring ASU’s score up!
Rotation 3: Denver BB, Arizona State FX
Iwai (DU): Alright, since Lynnzee Brown is gone we have a new leadoff in Denver! Let’s see how the junior does in her new role. Switch leap to straddle quarter to start, very pretty straddle position. Flic lay lay, very solid, maybe some slightly bent knees. Finishes with a cartwheel to side gainer full and shuffles her feet on the landing. Great leadoff! 9.85
Purler (ASU): First pass is a nice double pike, good controlled lunge. Next is a front layout front full, she could use a little bit more height but her form and landings are solid. Switch ring to wolf full. Last pass is a back 1.5 to front layout. Really nice start for the Sundevils! 9.65
B. Mabanta (DU): Nice wolf turn to start the routine. Gorgeous flic lay, didn’t even think of wobbling. Split leap to switch half, maybe a bit short of 180 on both. Switch leap to split jump, much better positions there. Finishes with a gainer pike and she sticks it! She looks super happy with that routine, and the team is calling for a 10. I don’t know about perfect, but it was pretty good! 9.9
Lee (ASU): Starts with a front double full, nice control on the landing! Next pass is a back 1.5 to front layout. Nice form again. Switch ring to switch half, short of 180 on that second leap. Finishes with a Rudi with another solid landing. 9.725
Ulrich (DU): The crowd is cheering for Mabanta’s 9.9 as Ulrich mounts the beam. Solid flic lay to start it off. Really nice full turn, she kicks out of it. Switch leap to switch side with the tiniest wobble at the end. Very pretty front aerial to beat jump, her legs are straight the entire time. Finishes with a back handspring to 1.5 and sticks the landing! 9.875
K. Smith (ASU): First pass is a nice controlled double pike. Next pass is a front full to front layout, another clean pass with a great landing there. Tour jete half to Popa was really nice, great flexibility. Her final pass is a double tuck, her chest is low on the landing and she steps forward but she stays on her feet. Good routine! 9.725
Mundell (DU): This was supposed to be Casali, but now Mundell is in. Starts with a flic lay with a wobble at the end but she stays on. Switch leap to switch side, took a tiny step in place but covers it up well. Dismounts with a roundoff 1.5, she’s a little too slow in the rotation and has to hop back on her landing. 9.725
White (ASU): Starts off with a gorgeous front double full, great form and a great landing. Finishes with a back 1/5 to front full, could use some more height but her landing was good. Switch ring to switch half is also nice. 9.9, well deserved!
Thompson (DU): Starts her routine with a side aerial to back handspring series, she looked crooked but her landing was super solid. Nice switch leap switch leap, her positions on that have improved since last season. Finishes with a side aerial to 1.5 with a tiny hop forward. 9.85
Mangahas (ASU): The team is super excited after White’s 9.9, let’s see if Mangahas can go even higher. Starts with a nice full in, a little low on the landing but nothing too bad. Next is a front tuck through to a double tuck, she looked tired but she worked it out nicely. Nice switch half wolf full wolf full. 9.675
Hutchinson (DU): Beautiful front toss to back handspring series, just as solid as it always is. Switch leap to split jump was also very pretty. Gorgeous piked front toss, no wobbles at all. Kicks out of her full turn nicely. Takes the tiniest hop back on her cartwheel side gainer full dismount. Even with the hop I’d still say it should be in the 9.9 range. 9.9
Scharf (ASU): Starts off with a front tuck through to a double tuck, clean form and landing. next is a front full to front tuck, another solid landing on that pass. Nice switch half to wolf full. Finishes the routine with a very clean double pike, she was super steady on that landing too. Great anchor routine! 9.825
After 3: Denver 147.75, Arizona State 147.05
Another great rotation in the books! Denver junior Momoko Iwai did a great job in her first meet as the leadoff, and the rotation was capped off by a 9.9 from Jessica Hutchinson. Arizona State had a significantly better floor rotation than it did last week against Central Michigan. ASU scored a 48.85, which included a 9.9 from Emily White. The crowd is super into this meet going into the last rotation, look out for a big floor score from Denver with help from their home crowd!
Rotation 4: Arizona State BB, Denver FX
Lee (ASU): Split leap to full turn combination to start, maybe a little short of 180 on the leap. Very pretty flic flic lay series, very solid landing. Beat jump to sheep jump, also very solid. And she sticks the roundoff 1.5! That was a very good wobble-free leadoff! 9.925, wow!
Rorich (DU): Starts with a front tuck through to double tuck, her chest was a little low but not too bad. Gorgeous switch side Popa Popa, great flexibility. Next pass is a double pike, it looked low in the air but the landing was alright. 9.7
Reeves (ASU): Starts with a flic flic lay, she had some slightly bent knees in the layout and a wobble on the landing. Switch leap to split jump, her back leg was a little low on the jump. Nice front aerial. Finishes with a roundoff tucked 1.5 and steps back on the landing. 9.75
Iwai (DU): First pass is a back 1.5 to front layout to a stag jump, very nice control throughout. Nice tour jete half, stepped back at the end but covered it up. Finishes with a double tuck, just lunges forward. Switch half to Popa, she just looks unsteady after her leaps. Overall good routine. 9.75
Mangahas (ASU): Nice front aerial to back handspring series to start her routine. Switch leap to switch side to beat jump was really solid, great flexibility and landing. Really nice piked front toss, that landing was great. Finishes with a very floaty gainer pike and just takes a small step back. 9.825
Casali (DU): Starts off with a Rudi to back layout, great height and a great landing! Switch full wolf full wolf full was also nice. Finishes up with a beautiful 2.5 to front tuck, just the tiniest step back on the front tuck. But the 2.5 was super high and clean! 9.875
Clark (ASU): Nice flic flic lay to start off, her back handsprings are super undercut but they look pretty other than that. Nice split jump to double stag. Very solid front aerial, good straight legs throughout. Finishes with a front gainer full with a tiny step back. 9.85
Ulrich (DU): Starts with an open double tuck with a very controlled landing. She may be thinking to upgrade that with how open it is. Beautiful switch side to Popa. Nice back 1.5 to front layout, nice form and control throughout. Finishes with a clean double pike, I love how she keeps her toes pointed the entire time! That should be a good score, the crowd is cheering for a 10. 9.9
Scharf (ASU): Starts her orutine with a double wolf turn with absolutely no wobbles. Nice flic lay, very solid on the landing. Good side sumi. She just isn’t wobbling at all in this! Switch leap to split jump, I jinxed her she had the tiniest wobble in between those skills. Nice roundoff 1.5 dismount, I couldn’t see her feet on the landing but the rest of her body looked pretty still. 9.825
B. Mabanta (DU): Her first pass is a front layout to a Rudi, her chest is a little low on the landing. Switch ring side to split jump, the split jump was a bit crooked. Last pass is a back 1.5 to front layout, she didn’t punch right so it looked more like a tuck and she fell down. 9.1
White (ASU): She starts off with a a gorgeous flic lay, absolutely no form issues there. Beautiful front aerial to beat jump. Split jump to double stag was great as well. She dismounts with a back handspring to 1.5 and takes a step forward. That should be a great score! 9.9
Hutchinson (DU): Alright, she’s going after a fall, but I can’t imagine that being a problem for her. Starts with a front double full, great height, form, and landing. Nice switch half to split full, good flexibility. Next is with a back 1.5 to front layout, solid as always! Finishes with a super high Rudi to straddle jump. Great routine as usual! The crowd loves it and is calling for a 10 again. 9.925
Final: Denver 196.9, Arizona State 196.375
This meet was exactly what each team needed! Arizona State bounced back from last week’s floor rotation and put up big scores on each one of its events. Denver improved its score from last week’s Mean Girls Super 16, and the Pioneers are just one stuck landing away from earning their first 197. Next week Arizona State will be on the road again at Southern Utah, while Denver will stay at home to host Oklahoma, UCLA, and Stanford. Both teams should feel great heading into next week!
Event Winners:
Vault: A. Smith, Arizona State, 9.925
Bars: Mundell, Denver, 9.950
Beam: Lee, Arizona State, 9.925
Floor: Hutchinson, Denver, 9.925
All Around: Hutchinson, Denver 39.475
READ THIS NEXT: 13 NCAA Gymnasts Have Completed the Gym Slam – Who’s Next?
Live blog by Emily Lockard
