Lindenwood kicked off week one, in honor of Team 1, with a splash. With the Lions starting off 2024 with a program best opening score, what else could be in store for its first home meet of the season? This team is full of stars, so it’s hard to choose only a few to watch out for. Of course we can’t miss Gayla Griswold, even when she’s not in the vault lineup. Nya Kraus entered the all-around chat last weekend approaching the 39-mark. Trinity Caffey started off her junior campaign with monster scores on vault and floor. Needless to say, this is going to be an exciting day.
This will be visiting Greenville’s first meet weekend of the year, coming off a competition on Friday at an Illinois State quad. The Panthers opened 2024 with the second highest score in the team’s history with a 185.600, and Hyland Arena is a great venue to keep the ball rolling. With this being the team’s second season, there’s plenty of time for these athletes to begin to make a name for themselves. Keep an eye out for Amara Nelson who is coming off a 38.000 in her first all-around performance. Rachel Miller’s floor set is also a must-watch routine.
Rotation 1: Lindenwood VT, Greenville UB
Appleget (LU): Yurchenko full, a little crunchy on the table and piked in the air. Small hop.
Blake (GU): Gienger to overshoot, muscled that one but managed. Double tuck to finish with a pace forward. 9.300
Kraus (LU): Another AA incoming for Kraus today! Get excited! Yurchenko full, high on the table, but powerful off of it. Small hop. Chest up.
Russo (GU): Blind, Jaeger. Extra swings. Overshoot. loose. Muscle cast. Blind to tucked fly away. There’s going to be some start value troubles on that routine, and some extra swing deductions.
Baechle (LU): Some leg form on that Yurchenko full with a bound back.
Berkley (LU): Yurchenko full. Off center, great height, but looked stuck to me from here. Good line in the air. Best vault thus far.
Carter (GU): Toe hand, Shaposh. Just missed it, not quite enough power and throw on the release. Release to low. Clear hip to double tuck is stuck. That will be a strong set later in the season for sure.
Caffey (LU): Yurchenko full, small foot adjustment. Not the best entry, but killed it in the air. Slight foot form.
Griswold (LU): Yurchenko full and a half, some leg form in the air, separated and soft. A step back.
Rodriguez (GU): Clear hip, overshoot. About 45 degrees. Clear hip, toe hand, toe shoot to high. Double cast. Off on her giant. Toe front tuck dismount. Fought for that one with a step back.
A little T Swift intermission underway. You’ve got a smile that could light up this whole town.
Leage (GU): Ray to overshoot to toe up to high. Smooth connection there. Toe front pike half. Darn. Flung it way off and had to sit it down. I’m bummed. What a great set before the fall. Just a bit rushed. 9.400
Nelson (GU): Half turn, Overshoot, toe shoot to high. Blind full to double back. Knees gave on the landing, so had to take two steps back.
AFTER ONE: Lindenwood 48.750, Greenville 44.650
What I will say about Greenville is that it is going for the added bar difficulty this season! While the Panthers didn’t have a 100% hit percentage, the team’s potential for improvement on this event over last season is evident. Lindenwood stepped it up on vault this week. The reintroduction of GG Griswold into the lineup this week will be helpful for further weeks when she gets a bit more accustomed to hard landings.
Rotation 2: Greenville VT, Lindenwood UB
Schnieders (GU): Yurchenko layout with a pretty sizable hop, step back. Good height in the air, but some leg form on the table.
Moon (LU): Shaposh, overshoot hand. Toe up to high. Double layout with a hop back. Some leg form in there, but great lead off set.
Feltman (GU): Yurchenko full on, tuck off. Chest a little low with a step forward. OKAY! Give her the crown.
Newsome (LU): Blind, straddle Jaeger, overshoot. A little under on the swing, but managed. Blind, double front with a couple steps back. 9.750
Carter (GU): Yurchenko layout, had to muscle it around a bit with a step. Some pike in the air.
Baechle (LU): Maloney, overshoot. Some shape issues there. Double layout with a medium step back. In general, the core felt a little loose in that routine, but another strong hit.
Leage (GU): Great stretched shape on that Yurchenko layout. Just a hop back.
Kraus (LU): Ray to overshoot. Strong connection. Good last HS. FTDT with a medium hop back. I love that upgrade on her.
Miller (GU): Great height on that vault. She went mid bar routine so I missed most of it. So sorry.
Nelson (GU): Yurchenko full. She rushed from the start, turned on the table with crunched shoulders. Didn’t quite make it around.
Judges conference. 9.825
Cooper (LU): Dance it out. Watch her whip. Watch her nay nay. Blind, piked Jaeger to overshoot. Good. Right on top on the HS. Double layout. Chest forward with a bound in place.
Appleget (LU): Clear hip, Gienger, overshoot. Just made. Double layout. Great leg form with a hop back. 9.850
Kossuth (LU ex): Tkatchev. Huge with feet not quite pointed. Clear hip hand overshoot to handstand. Double layout. Had the stick, but rushed it, so a step forward it is.
Reingold (LU ex): We love a debut. Blind, Jaeger. A choppy release, so couldn’t quite turn it over. Peeled off. Pak. switch kip. Lost form there. Double tuck. I think that would be an UTL deduction for not connecting that dismount out of another skill? Someone check me on that. Some muscled up handstands that weren’t quite there, but I’m sure that’ll improve as the season continues.
Event totals: Lindenwood 49.000 (!!!), Greenville 47.075
AFTER TWO: Lindenwood 97.750, Greenville 91.725
There were some great improvements for Lindenwood on bars this week. The team left some landing deductions on the table, but the work on the bar looked in tip-top shape. The highlight of that event for Greenville would be one Isabella Feltman. It’s always fun to see a unique entry to spice things up.
Rotation 3: Lindenwood BB, Greenville FX
Anyone care to place odds on whether we alternate routines or go simultaneously?
Griswold (LU): BHS LOSO. Small adjustment. Lasso the judges. Sissone to switch half. Strong lean. Tight on that. Side aerial, and she’s off. Rushed it a bit. RO back 1.5 with a hop. The team will look to drop that score for sure. 9.150
Nelson (GU): Front lay, front tuck to her back. Mistimed. That was supposed to end in a front full, so start value will be problematic. Double tuck, feet behind her and bounded back. Had to put her hands down. Okay.
Moon (LU): BHS LOSO. On the money. Yes. Switch leap, split 3/4, small adjustment. Shhhh. Front aerial to beat. Just a lean. Gainer full, stuck. Way to follow the fall and get things back on track.
Feltman (GU): I feel so bad with how long this wait is. Back 2.5 with a cross over step. Strong leap. Front full front pike is managed. Back 1.5 to front lay is muscled around. Way to fight for the freshman!
Rush (LU): A single arm hold to mount. Hitch kick side somi. BHS LOSO. Corrected well. A slight wobble on the leap series. Gainer full is stuck as well. 9.725
Congrats to the head coach of Lindenwood for having her baby!
Jones (LU): Stop. BHS LOSO. Right on. Confident. Switch leap, switch half. Slow on the connection. Leg up on the landing of the second leap. Brush it off. RO back 1.5 dismount is absolutely stuck.
Kaiser (GU): Double tuck. Moved that front foot, but great height. A little off on the leap, but around. Back 1.5 to front lay. Good position on that pass. A panther paw to finish. Great set from her!
A beam conference. You know the wait is long when the shoes and jacket come back out for the upcoming athlete. I know this arena is cold.
Kraus (LU): BHS LOSO. Like it’s hard? Hitch kick, switch half, beat. Yes. Lines on fleek. BHS gainer full dismount. Stuck. Amazing. Slay the day. 9.875
Templin (GU): Front lay to Rudi. Pulled that chest up. Good connection pass to open. Strong shape on the switch half. Double tuck. Great. Best routine thus far. 9.650
Not the commentator not understanding that a gainer dismount involves missing a foot… on purpose.
Gilmer (GU): Front through to 1.5 front layout. A unique pass! We love. Clap clap. Front full front tuck. Double tuck. A step forward. 9.700
Appleget (LU): Switch, switch, pike jump. I wish for more amplitude. BHS LOSO. Perfection. A standing LOSO. A new skill. Slight adjustment. RO back 1.5 with a slight scoot forward. 9.775
Miller (GU): RO double pike. Chest a touch down. Switch side, popa. Love the dance in this routine! Front lay, front full. On her heels, had to take a couple steps back to save. Double tuck, a step forward. We’ll take the MAKE! Greenville will avoid counting the lead off routine on floor.
Kossuth (LU ex): BHS BHS LOSO. Leg up, not quite enough OOMPH! Had to take the fall. Leg up wobble again on the turn. Cat leap, switch side 1/4. Gainer full with a step back. 8.825
Krenzel (LU ex): Front aerial to BHS. Intentional. Snaps and claps. Danced right out of the turn. LIONS! Switch leap, double stag. A little slow on that connection. Not enough energy on the Liukin. Had to take the fall. Gain front full with a hop forward.
Event totals: Lindenwood 48.625, Greenville 47.475
AFTER THREE: 146.375, Greenville 139.200
I’m so impressed that it’s week 2, and both teams managed to hit 5/5 after the first athletes had mistakes. No falls were counted in rotation three. A few little mistakes kept Lindenwood from scoring to its potential, but it did best its first meet total on the event by a tenth. I’d vote Ellery Gilmer as most improved for Greenville floor. I loved the unique routine composition, and she had plenty of energy for the double back at the end of the routine.
Rotation 4: Greenville BB, Lindenwood FX
Lindenwood is on 195-plus pace right now.
Tocco (GU): Side aerial, side aerial. A correction. Side somi. Managed well. Gainer front full with a step back. 9.600
Evans (LU): Tour jete half, wolf full. Tour jete full, forced it around. Double tuck to finish. Pulled for her life, a little over with a slide. Missed the first pass, but assuming it was her connection pass.
Feltman (GU): Just caught the dismount. RO back 1.5 was nice in the air with just a step.
Moon (LU): Back 2.5, some leg crossing in the air. Great landing. Switch ring, tour jete half. Split ring full. Had to pull it around. SHHH. Rudi to LOSO. Fought for her LIFEEEEE. A little under rotated on the Rudi, so had to really pull the LOSO. Landed quite low. 9.550
Nelson (GU): BHS LOSO. Side aerial to split jump. Nearly connected. A bit slow for me. So we’ll see what the judges do. Great line on the switch leap. Right to 180. RO back 1.5 is overcooked with a bounding step forward.
Baechle (LU): Snaps. Front double full. Great form. Love. Split ring full. Switch side, popa. Back 1.5 to front full. Great set for her.
Kraus (LU): Back 1.5 to front layout. Off center, some lack of control. Tour jete half, popa. Switch full. My word. How? Double pike a bit too much energy, so had to slide that front foot back.
Gilmer (GU): BHS LOSO. Off the side. A jinx. Switch leap, split 3/4. Not quite 180 on either. Front aerial. Good. Sharp arms. Strong dismount to finish. 8.600
Jones (LU): Double pike. Perf. Great layout shape on the connection pass. Tour jete full connected and around. Back 1.5 to front lay. Great. Should be a high score for the Lions.
Leage (GU): Pretty large wobble off the top. Front aerial, BHS. Great. Connected smoothly. Split half from the side of the beam. Off on the Liukin. She’s getting nervous. Stuck gainer full dismount. 8.950
Looks like Caffey will be out of the floor lineup this week. Apparently she had ice on her knee following vault.
Griswold (LU): Doble pike in the rafters. My word. Switch half, popa. A little off on the timing on the combination pass, but managed well. Double tuck, chest low. 9.875
Shelton (GU): Front aerial, back pike. Yes. Unique and so hard. Switch leap, wolf 3/4. Cat leap, Liukin. Killing it. Gainer pike off the end. Great finish to the meet.
Krenzel (LU ex): Whip half, front full. A little low. Switch leap, tour jete full. Not quite around. LIONS. Split ring full. I wouldn’t give credit, but I am not in charge. Good for her coming back to hit floor after beam!
Event totals: Lindenwood 48.850, Greenville 47.400
Final: Lindenwood 195.225, Greenville 186.600
What a meet! Lindenwood improved on its week one performance by greater than one point. Greenville finished with a program best beam total and the second-highest team total EVER. 2024 is about to go crazy for these two teams!
AA Winner: Nya Kraus (Lindenwood), 38.975
VT Winner: Trinity Caffey (Lindenwood) & Gayla Griswold (Lindenwood), 9.775
UB Winner: Hannah Appleget (Lindenwood) & Kaylee Cooper (Lindenwood), 9.850
BB Winner: Nya Kraus (Lindenwood), 9.875
FX Winner: Gayla Griswold (Lindenwood), 9.875
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