LIVE BLOG: Cornell, Penn, Temple and Yale at George Washington

This fascinating quint contains three teams that haven’t competed at all this year and two that looked like works in progress last week at the Keystone Classic. Temple, entering a new era under the leadership of coach Hilary Steele, started the season with a double-meet weekend. Hitting bars and beam look like the keys there. For Penn, limited presence of a great freshman class was a limitation, and a beam meltdown kept scores down while vault still looks great.

Cornell, Yale, and George Washington are all making their season debut at this meet. For GW, this is the beginning of the post-Deja Chambliss era. Expect Kendall Whitman to become the face of this team and step into even more prominent lineup positions. Cornell, always strong on the leg events, has struggled on bars and beam for the last few seasons, but its freshmen could change that. Yale likely won’t look drastically different to last year, with its senior class continuing to figure prominently into lineups and provide stability.

Rotation 1: Cornell VT, Temple UB, Penn BB, Yale FX

They didn’t tell us they were starting so I missed the first Temple bars routine because it looked like it was still touch. Oopsie.

Belkoff (Penn): BHS BHS LOSO, slow and steady. Full turn. Split to sheep with not the greatest position. One and a half stuck.

Stone (CU): FTY, piked down and short with a big jump forward. 

Byun (CU): FHS front tuck, nice and controlled, small step forward. She can also add a half twist. 

Hogan (TU): Toe to Maloney, toe to bail, loose legged on that and doesn’t quite make the handstand. Shy on the high bar handstand, blind full right over the bar to stuck double back. 

Wu (Penn): Been hoping to see her added to this lineup! Full turn, little tentative, front aerial to beat. BHS LOSO lovely, dead straight. Split to sheep, as good as you’re going to see it in NCAA, gainer pike with a little step forward. 

Brueck (Yale): Double pike, a little squatty. Little extra bounce out of her combo pass, tour jete half split full is fully rotated. Rudi to split is solid to finish. 

Whitaker (CU): Yurchenko full, zero repulsion off the table and she lands it directly to her knees. That was off from the start, she didn’t have a chance to yank it around.

Van Horn? (Penn): I don’t actually think this is Van Horn, but that’s what Christina told us. I’m wondering if they swapped Carly Oniki in. Switch switch to split, decent positions. BHS LOSO is steady. There was a check on an acro skill but I missed what it was, split half jump, gainer full off the side stuck. 

Johnson (TU): Maloney to bail, good body line and keeps form. DLO open with a hop back. 

A fall on bars from Brooke Donabedian.

Marr (Penn): BHS LOSO, little lean. Nice extension on the switch straddle quarter. Cat leap side aerial, BHS gainer full with a hop forward. 

Beers (CU): A little soft on the table but absolutely no problem on her Yurchenko full which she sticks.

DeJoy (Yale): I’m struggling to see floor in this very zoomed out quad box, sorry to Yale. I’m sure every other team will get their turn being missed. Didn’t see her first pass, one and a half front lay is a little bouncy. Nice control on her Rudi to finish. 

S. Stallings (TU): Pike Jaeger is great. Good bail, blind full double back with a baby hop.

Kerico (Penn): Got the wolf turn this week. Switch to straddle half, arm swing, BHS LOSO is great. Front tuck, no question on that. One and a half twist dismount with a pace back. 

McMillan (CU): Nice straight Yurchenko layout with a step back.

Werlen (Penn): Cat leap side aerial, little adjustment. Switch to split half is great. Steady full turn, BHS LOSO is pretty off but she saves it with her arms. One and a half, hop.

Sabatini (Yale): Now we don’t even have the quad box and I’m just squinting at the background of beam. Double pike, I’m told. One and a half front lay, low on the punch but tucks it a bit to get it around. Rudi to straddle, travels backwards. 

After 1: Who’s to say? Not the live scores, that’s for sure.

Rotation 2: George Washington VT, Cornell UB, Temple BB, Penn FX

Stone (CU): Half turn to Gienger to overshoot, just a little leg flicker, blind full to double back clean with a step.

York (GW): FTY, flung out a little and tries to hang on with her toes while her weight is forward, ends up taking a little step forward.

White (TU): BHS LOSO, really off line, pauses and then goes for the second LOSO which has no chance, lands clean on the floor. One and a half dismount. 

Fall for Shambo on bars, didn’t count what skill. 

Whitman (GW): Handspring onto the board to FHS pike half, bounce to the side. Doing what she does.

Ruskey (TU): Tentative on her series but hangs on, a little off line on the kickover front but works it out, one and a half twist with a hop. Hit on the board was needed.

Gazdak (Penn): I’m going to try to squint and get a floor routine. Front through double back was good, double pike a smidge short. 

Salosky (CU): Slightly loose on the Tkachev, fighting for handstands, blind full double back with slightly loose form.

Burke (GW): Tsuk full! Bouncy landing but great to see.

Katz (GW): Yurchenko half, baby hop back. 

Rothstein (CU): Nice clean Jaeger, handstands not quite there, good overshoot. Double lay, closed hips, hop in place. Good one for Cornell. 

Zois (GW): Big, open FTY, little hop. Good!

S. Kenefick (Penn): Two and a half punch front, a little bouncy. Front double full is good! 

S. Stallings (TU): Off on her acro series. Almost comes off again on a turning leap, fighting. 

Beers (CU): Tkachev with flexed feet, half turn to bail a little short of handstands. Clear hip to toe pike half is good, baby hop.

Van Horn (Penn): Christina says her double front landed low. It was off screen because this broadcast hates floor. BHS LOSO for the requirements. Front full front lay is really good, clean and controlled.

Donabedian (TU): Full turn, pretty. Switch to double stag is great! Pretty pretty front to back series, lean forward on her side somi but holds it, one and a half stuck. Temple needed that. 

Lassiter (Penn): Front lay front tuck full, comes in a little short and steps it around. Double pike, chest a little low, funny little moment where she almost trips on the mat working out of the lunge. Switch side half Popa, great precise rotation. 

Davies (Penn): Are we going to get two full floor routines visible on the screen?? Solid double pike to start, front lay front full a little soft in the knees, double tuck good.

That’s been a great, great floor rotation for the Quakers. Getting Ana Kenefick in the exhibition. 

After 2: Penn 98.200, Temple 96.625, Cornell 95.050, Yale 48.875, George Washington 48.775 

So now we have scores and I said Penn’s floor rotation was great, but 49.300 is remarkable. Temple continuing to have beam issues isn’t the biggest surprise, and neither is Cornell having a bit of a rough ride on bars. 

Rotation 3: Yale VT, George Washington UB, Cornell BB, Temple FX

Walton (CU): BHS LOSO great. Side aerial tentative but hangs on, beat to straddle 3/4. Gainer pike with a little hop. 

Silverman (GW): Clean piked Jaeger to overshoot, blind full double back with a hop. Nice clean start.

Wilson (Yale): Tucked full looks pretty close to the table, little hop.

Stone (CU): Round off LOSO, big check with a couple steps, hangs on. Switch split short of positions. Cat leap side aerial. One and a half, hop. 

Wang (Yale): FTY, comes in short with low chest, big step forward. 

AuCoin (Yale): FTY directly to her knees. 

H. Stallings (TU): Just got the second half of her routine, nice ring work, Rudi landed staggered.

Tehrani (CU): Nice clean BHS LOSO. Really nice switch to split half, switch half a little short but aren’t they all, nice gainer pike.

Sabatini (Yale): FTY, a little short but much better than the last ones. 

Tashjian (Yale): Substantial leg split on the table on her FTY but rotated with a hop back.

Monk (TU): Front through double pike, wow! Front double full, twisting into the ground, but that’s a lot of tumbling.

Sydney Beers off on her triple series. 

Schugman (TU): One and a half to front full solid. Chaotic rotation on her straddle leap series, I couldn’t tell what she was trying to do. Finishing with a good double pike.

Brueck (Yale): Yurchenko layout, nice body position, step back. More repulsion off the table than most of the fulls. 

Burton (CU): Full turn, front aerial side aerial with great extension. Kickover front, great. One and a half twist, step. 

Donabedian (TU): One and a half front lay, nice, pretty leaps, even nice ring work. Y turn one and a half, front double full landed cleanly. Pretty pretty. 

After 3: Temple 145.800, Cornell 144.075, Penn 98.200, George Washington 96.750, Yale 96.375

Cornell’s beam rotation was the star of that rotation. 

Rotation 4: Penn VT, Yale UB, George Washington BB, Cornell FX

Stone (CU): Double pike, overrotated with a slide back. Nice front lay front full. Fall on the last pass I think. 

Silverman (GWU): Good full turn. Front aerial BHS BHS, nice side aerial. Side aerial, standing switch to split, sissone to gainer full. Really good start for the Revolutionaries. 

Song (Penn): FTY, a bit pikey but nothing catastrophic, controlled step. 

S. Kenefick (Penn): Substantial pike down on her FTY but stuck dead. 

Sabatini (Yale): Clear hip to Tkachev, flexed feet, to overshoot. Blind full with some foot form to double back, just a little slide. 

Kerico (Penn): Nice dynamics on her FTY, little hop straight back. 

Wilson (Yale): Nice Ray, blind full double back with a little hop. Great form! 

Whitman (GWU): Front aerial round off with a little leg up check. Front gainer full, slightly off balance on the landing.

Perkins (Penn): Freshman debut! A little soft on the table but great dynamics on her FTY, pace back. 

Wang (Yale): Nice Jaeger, just a touch short of vertical on her bail, FTDB with a step. Nice. Yale taking care of business on bars.

Barrow (Penn): Big airy FTY, little hop forward. 

York (GWU): BHS BHS lay! Full turn, good, front tuck with a check. Double full, bouncy step back. 

DeJoy (Yale): Blind to Jaeger, comes in low on the overshoot, Christina thinks she hit her feet. Double lay stuck-ish. 

Belkoff (Penn): Very nearly stuck her Yurchenko arabian. On her heels and cheesed it just a little. 

Sheremeta (GWU): Front aerial, off line, fights so hard but ultimately does fall.

Aucoin (Yale): Shy on the first handstand, blind to Jaeger tidy, good bail, short on another handstand, blind full double back with a hop. 

Beers (CU): Front through double pike, great control. Switch side Popa Popa, slightly chaotic rotation. Nice double tuck. 

Peters (GWU): Freshman anchor with a score to drop, that’s tough. Wolf one and a half, not the most control in history but fine, side aerial LOSO clean. Worried for a second, she hesitated before presenting, but she had it. Cat leap switch straddle, lean. Switch gainer pike landed a bit lock-legged with a step back. 

Walsh (CU): Front through double back, chest a little low but hops to lunge fine. Double pike, also maybe a touch short but essentially stuck.

After 4: Cornell 192.850, Penn 146.875, Temple 145.800, George Washington 145.775, Yale 144.825

Totally respectable opening gambit for Cornell with some obvious areas for growth going forward. Temple and GW are very close heading into the final rotation, while Penn 

Rotation 5: Temple VT, Penn UB, Yale BB, George Washington FX

Strause (Yale): Front aerial, adjustment, split. BHS BHS double full with a step, nice.

Weckler (TU): Yurchenko half, pikey, little hop. 

S. Kenefick (Penn): Pak, little leg sep, to switch kip. Short on a handstand. Double full dismount planted. 

Best (TU): Full on tuck off, little bit of form and a bounce. 

Burke (GWU): Double front!! Step back. Double tuck with a little slide. Switch side to straddle full Shushunova. Front full front lay solid. 

Tashjian (Yale): BHS LOSO clean. Switch to straddle quarter nice. Cat leap side aerial, check. Nailed the gainer full.

Ruskey (TU): FTY, piked throughout, step back. 

Brueck (Yale): BHS LOSO a little shaky, avoids an overt check. Switch split split 3/4, short of splits throughout. Off on an aerial. Cartwheel gainer full, a little low chest. 

Werlen (Penn): Maloney to bail, really solid. Blind full, loses her legs, to double back with a little step to the side.

Budd (TU): FTY, pikey and a little short with a step forward.

York (GWU): Two and a half twist is lovely. One and a half front full, so solid. Great double back. Wow!

Paris (Penn): Maloney to bail, leg sep and foot form throughout. Double back dismount with a hop.

Schugman (TU): FTY,  a little more amplitude than the last couple with a little hop.

Sabatini (Yale): Full turn good. BHS LOSO, steady. One and a half twist with a hop straight forward. 

Sheremeta (GWU): Rudi, nice. One and a half front lay is short and she skids a bit, steps back to avoid major drama. Switch ring switch half wolf full, well rotated

H. Stallings (TU): Pikey again on her FTY with a little hop and some sideways travel. 

Mangiacapre (Yale): Full turn, arm swing. BHS LOSO looked a little off but made it work with her arms. Switch split split 3/4, substantially short of 180. Gainer tuck full off the end is great. 

Zois (GWU): Nice double pike, little bounce. Tour jete half split full a little chaotic, really nice two and a half twist. 

Kerico (Penn): Ray to overshoot, really good, FTDB with a scoot back. 

Wilson (Yale): Front tuck to beat great. Switch to split, great extension. Fall on her side aerial. Punch front full stuck. 

Whitman (GWU): Double front, a little short, step back. Front double full front lay is gorgeous and well controlled. FHS to front double full good. Awesome. 

FINAL: Penn 195.375, George Washington 195.025,  Temple 194.125, Yale 193.325, Cornell 192.850

Awesome meet all around but most of all for Penn, which cruised past its 2023 season high and tied its third-best score in program history. Loved a lot of the lineup changes that the Quakers made this week and obviously they immediately worked. 

A solid day for George Washington, though bars looks like a running issue at this (early) point. Likewise for Temple and beam. A lot to love for those two teams, but clear areas to improve. For Cornell and Yale, this meet was a solid starting point.

VT: Sarah Zois (GWU) 9.850
UB: Skye Kerico (Penn), Sarah Stallings (Temple), Sarah Wilson (Yale) 9.800
BB: Anneliese Silverman (Temple), Natalia Tehrani (Cornell), Madison Dorunda (Temple) 9.850
FX: Kendall Whitman (GWU), Emma Davies (Penn) 9.925
AA: Gigi Sabatini (Yale) 38.825

READ THIS NEXT :For 4-Star Recruit Allie Forbes, Yale Was a Childhood Dream. Now It’s Her New Home.

Live blog by Rebecca Scally