Arizona is coming off a strong first meet, where they scored 196.475 at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, taking first place in their session. The performance earned the Gymcats a sixth-place national ranking on floor, the highest of any team in the Pac-12 conference. Their team score would have tied for their sixth-highest score last season, leaving the Gymcats with a great start to their 2024 campaign. In their home opener, the Gymcats will hope to continue that momentum in their last season in the conference.
Their opponent, the Sacramento State Hornets, began their season with two losses against their MPSF rivals UC Davis and San Jose State. Despite their loss against San Jose State, the team earned its highest team score on vault since 2017 with a 48.825. With almost a full point of improvement after the first meet, the Hornets are going to want to continue to ride that wave, as they are a team capable of hitting the 196 mark.
Although the Gymcats are the favorites, Sacramento State is a team on the rise and it is never safe to count them out.
Arizona’s lineups today: https://x.com/ArizonaGymCats/status/1749159306250039717?s=20
Rotation 1: Arizona VT, Sacramento State UB
Strom (AZ): Nice Yurchenko full in the air, but a big hop back on the landing. 9.650.
Lutrel (SS): Nice clean transition to the low bar, and follows that with a nice release! Stick the full twisting double back but has a low chest position on the landing. 9.700.
Greever (AZ): Another solid Yurchenko full, just a hop forward on the landing. 9.725.
Morgenthaler (SS): Nice Jaegar to start and follows with a Pak and catches slightly close to the bar. Double layout dismount, some soft knees but has a solid landing with a small hop back. 9.550.
Martin (AZ): Another Yurchenko full, but once again a hop on the landing. 9.725.
Fitzgerald (SS): Nice Maloney to Pak, just a noticeable leg separation on the Maloney. Very unique dismount, but doesn’t have enough rotation and falls to her knees. 8.900.
Hargrove (AZ): Nice Yurchenko 1.5! Finds the landing very nicely! 9.875.
Lahmidi (SS): Starts with a toe-on to Maloney. Bail and is short don’t he handstand. Finishes with a solid double layout, small hop on the landing. 8.900.
Castles (AZ): Nice amplitude and distance on this Yurchenko full. A hop back, but nice vault. 9.800.
Zimmerman (SS): Short on the first handstand. Jaegar to overshoot, keeps her legs together. Short on the final handstand, and dismount with a full twisting double back with a hop forward.
Fears (AZ): HUGE Yurchenko full, hop back and lands off center. Clean form throughout the air! 9.725.
Lastra (SS): Really clean Jaegar to start! Follows with a nice Pak salto, but misses the handstand before then. Double layout dismount, just a step on the dismount.
After 1: Arizona 48.850, Sacramento Sate 48.700
A little bit of a dip for Arizona compared to last week, and they are going to want to find those landings in the next meet. Sacramento state just hit a season high on bars by nearly 0.700, so they are going to be happy with that!
Rotation 2: Sacramento State VT, Arizona FX
Gilman (SS): Yurchenko half to start, nice form in the air and just a small hop on the landing! 9.750.
Mueller (AZ): Starts with a sky high Tkachtev. Follows with a bail, a little bit loose in the air. Double layout dismount, just a small hop! 9.800.
Fitzgerald (SS): Yurchenko full on, back tuck off. A little off center and a small step back. Nice unique vault! 9.600.
Hargrove (AZ): Misses the handstand on the free hip, but follows with nice Tkatchev. Hits the handstand on the bail, and sticks her full twisting double back dismount! 9.800.
Wilson (SS): Another Yurchenko half! Nice amplitude on this vault, but takes a big step forward. 9.600.
Martin (AZ): Barely catches her Maloney, but follows with a nice Pak. A little short on the half pirouette. Nice double layout dismount with a hop back! 9.775.
Morganthaler (SS): Nice Yurchenko full, good height and distance. 9.725.
McCabe (AZ): Starts with a piked Jaegar, catches too close and has so momentum to do another cast handstand. Follows with a nice bail. Nice dismount to finish. 9.350.
Zimmerman (SS): Another nice Yurchenko full, hop on the landing. 9.800.
Derr (AZ): Huge Ray to start, and follows with a beautiful Pak. Perfect half piroutte on the low bar. Full twisting double back dismount, sticks the landing! 9.900.
Lutrel (SS): Nice vault, just a little short on the landing. 9.650.
Fears (AZ): Huge Tkathev to start! Follows with a Bail and finds the handstand. Hits the final handstand, and dimsount with a nice double layout dismount. Just a scooch back on the landing. 9.850.
After 2: Arizona 97.975, Sacramento State 97.275
The Gymcats improved their last bar score by .075 and they are going to want to continue that momentum going into beam. The Hornets failed to improve upon their vault score from last week and scored a season low on the event. Going into floor, they are going to want to clean up those landings to make up the gap between them and the Gymcats.
Rotation 3: Arizona BB, Sacramento State FX
Herry (AZ): Solid full turn to start. BHS + LOSO acro series, very solid on the landing. Side somi, nice confidence in this routine! Straddle to straddle half, another solid landing. BHS to back 1.5 dismount, just a small hop on the landing! Nice leadoff routine! 9.775.
Dumas-Guzman (SS): Rudi to double stag, a little lack of amplitude and travels back on the jump. Nice leap pass and hits a nice position in her splits. Front layout to front full, nice controlled landing. Good leadoff routine for the Hornets. 9.700.
Mueller (AZ): Starts with a nice aerial to LOSO, solid landing! Nice full turn to follow. Switch leap to straddle, lacks flexibility in the staddle and big wobble on the landing. Back 1.5 dismount, just a small hop. 9.700.
Zimmerman (SS): Front layout to Rudi, takes a couple of steps on the landing and goes out of the bounds. Nice leap pass to follow. Sky high double back second back with a controlled step back. Nice comeback after the first pass! 9.475.
Castles (AZ): BHS to LOSO, solid. Solid leaps and shows nice flexibility. Front aerial to sissone, clean. Difficult double wolf turn, very nice. Dismounts with a back 1.5, just a little short and hops back. 9.825.
Jones (SS): Starts with a double tuck, lacks some ampltide and lands with chest down. Switch ring to switch half + Popa, lacks precision on those leaps. Nice front full second pass. Rudi to dismount, very slightly under rotates but still lands nicely. 9.675.
Deets (AZ): BHS + LOSO, very slight hesitation on the landing. Shows off the full turn! Switch leap to straddle quarter, solid. Cat leap to front toss, a little wobble. Difficult switch leap directly connected to gainer full dismount, sticks the landing! 9.850.
Morgenthaler (SS): Nice Rudi to LOSO, very high! Switch half to Popa, lacks a bit of flexibility. Second pass is a double pack, a little slide back but nicely done. 9.750.
Martin (AZ): Split jump to double stag, lovely split position! BHS to LOSO, a little wobble. Nice front aerial. Solid full turn. Another back 1.5 dismount, just a hop forward. 9.800.
Gilman (SS): High double pike, nice controlled step back. Tour jete half to Popa, nicely done. Front layout to front full, super high but takes a step forward. Double tuck to finish, controlled step back but a little bit of loose shape in the air. 9.750.
Fears (AZ): Solid BHS + LOSO. Confident on the full turn. Nice side aerial to follow. Split jump to double stag, slight balance check on the landing. Back 1.5 dismount, finds the landing! Second stuck for the Gymcats on beam. 9.875.
Lutrel (SS): Double pike to start, steps out of bounds. Front layout to front full and goes out of bounds again. Tour jete half to split full, lacking precision and flexibility on both of those leaps. Dismounts with a high double tuck, but opens a little early and lands with her chest down. 9.350.
After 3: Arizona 147.100, Sacramento State 145.625
Another rotation, another season high for Arizona. The Gymcats scored an impressive 49.125 on beam and had no falls! Great place to be at the this point of the season. Sacramento State scored another season low, this time on their strongest event, floor. The Hornets had some extra energy on those landings, resulting in landing deductions that they do not usually take.
Time to finish this thing!
Rotation 4: Sacramento State BB, Arizona FX
Morgenthaler (SS): Nice wolf turn to start. Nice BHS + BHS + LOSO, solid triple series! Pike jump to straddle half, a little slow on that connection. Dismounts with a back 1.5 and sticks the landing! 9.700.
Deets (AZ): Starts with split ring full, nice flexibility! Front layout to front full, finds the landing nicely. Tour jete half to Popa, showing off very nice control and flexibility. Sky high double tuck to finish and finds the landing! Nice routine! 9.825.
Barron (SS): Shows off some fun dance on the beam. Straddle jump half front the side, nicely down. BHS + LOSO, solid. Switch leap to straddle quarter, controlled well. Front full to dismount, just a small hop forward. 9.750.
Fears (AZ): Really nice double tuck to start! Switch side to Popa, nice precision and flexibility. Rudi for her second pass, bounces out of the landing a bit but covers nicely. Difficult back 1.5 to front full to dismount and just stays in bounds. 9.900.
Zimmerman (SS): Full turn to start, solid. BHS + BHS + LOSO, slight balance check but nice triple series. Hitch kick to switch side, nicely landed. Straddle half from the side. Dismounts with a gainer front full, fights for the landing and gets the stick! 9.775.
Strom (AZ): Rudi to LOSO for her first pass, nicely done! Switch leap to switch ring half, nice difficulty and flexibility. Back 1.5 to front full to dismount and controls the landing. 9.875.
Jones (SS): Confident full turn to start. BHS + LOSO, solid landing but has some bent knees. Switch leap to split 3/4, wobble on the landing. Nice side aerial. Dismounts with a back 1.5, hop on the landing. 9.725.
Mueller (AZ): Really nice double pike to start! NIcely landed and nice height. Switch side to Popa, really nice flexibility and amplitude. Second pass is a back 1.5 to front lay and shows a controlled landing. Double tuck to dismount, another nice landing. Great routine! 9.875.
Lutrel (SS): BHS + LOSO, looked crooked on the BHS and has a big balance check on the landing. Nice split jumps, and solid full turn to follow. Switch leg side aerial, unique and well done! Side aerial to back 1.5 dismount, steps to the side. 9.625.
Herry (AZ): Sky high double tuck and has time to open it up early! Nicely landed as well. Nice amplitude on her leaps. Back 1.5 to front layout and shows a controlled landing. Dismounts with a double pike, another controlled landing! 9.775.
Houghton (SS): BHS + LOSO, looked crooked from the beginning and falls off the side. Switch leap to straddle quarter, nicely done. Straddle full to follow, solid landing. Confident full turn. Sticks her double full dismount! 9.100.
Hargrove (AZ): Starts off with a huge full twisting double back and controls the landing! Second pass is whip half to front full, big step forward. Switch ring to tour jete half, nice flexibility. Dismount with a double tuck, very nice landing and routine! 9.900.
FINAL: Arizona 196.500, Sacramento State 194.200
That conclude the meet! Arizona swept all four events and the all around, with Malia Hargrove and Aysen Fears dominating the competition. The Gymcats also scored a season-high team score, beating their previous score by just 0.025.
Sacramento State also scored a season high, beating their previous score 0.175. The Hornets have continued to improve each meet and are on track to continue on that trajectory. What a good meet for both teams!
VT: Malia Hargrove 9.875
UB: Sophie Derr 9.900
BB: Alysen Fears 9.875
FX: Alysen Fears and Malia Hargrove 9.900
AA: Alysen Fears 39.350
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Live blog by Aaron Doyle
