LIVE BLOG: No. 54 Pittsburgh vs. No. 19 Clemson

Hello, gymnastics fans all around! It’s Jessica here, coming to you live from Littlejohn Coliseum. I kept my promise and made it off my couch for this live blog!

Folks, y’all are in for a treat tonight! It’s a big day in women’s college gymnastics as we finally get to see ACC gymnastics competition come to light. The Clemson Tigers open ACC conference play as they host the Pittsburgh Panthers for Youth Day.

Clemson started the season off strong after a great showing against William & Mary last Friday. The Tigers had some great performances, most notably their lights-out bar rotation. Multiple stuck landings and redshirt freshman Lilly Lippeat’s 9.900 on bars earned them a 49.225, which ranked them No. 15 nationally. Along with Lippeat, other standouts of the meet include Rebecca Wells, Brie Clark, and Lauren Rutherford, who all earned individual event titles at the conclusion of the meet. The Tigers ended the night with a 196.325, the highest opening score from a new program in NCAA gymnastics history.

The Panthers are coming off a tough home loss to Kent State. While the Panthers were a little rocky on vault and beam, they looked pretty solid on bars and floor. Freshman Emily Todd competed in the all-around and, other than an uncharacteristic fall on beam, looked fantastic in her home debut. If she hits tonight, she’ll be one to watch for the all-around title. Hallie Copperwheat is also one I’m looking forward to seeing tonight as she an absolute treat to watch on beam. LIU transfer Jah’liyah Bedminster was solid on all three of her events never scoring below 9.800, so she’ll be one to keep your eye on as well. The Panthers have the potential to break 195.000 so I’m excited to see what they do tonight.

Without further ado gymnastics fans, grab your popcorn and find a seat. This meet is going to be one you don’t want to miss as the ACC gymnastics showdown is finally underway!

As we wait for the meet to start, I just want to let everyone at home know that Pittsburgh and Clemson have some of the prettiest leos I’ve ever seen. They really stepped up the leo game at this meet that’s for sure!

I’d also like to predict that this maybe a sellout crowd just based on the parking lots…they are FULL. I was concerned I was going to be running late because of the traffic trying to park.

Rotation 1: Clemson VT, Pittsburgh UB

Wells (CU): Yurchenko full, almost stuck small hop forward. 9.725

Ewing (Pitt): Piked Jaeger. Nice bail to handstand. Toe-on back to high bar. Blind full to double back, almost stuck. 9.750

Jackson (CU): Yurchenko full, small studder backwards. I LOVE the purple rain playing in the background. 9.800

Duke (Pitt): Nice Shaposh to Pak. Last handstand was a little short, her rhythm seemed a little off. Blind full to double back, stuck. 9.575

Arnold (CU): Nice Yurchenko 1.5, small shuffle to the side. 9.800

Lerro (Pitt): First handstand a little short. Nice shaposh, followed by solid bail. Pretty double front dismount, almost stuck. 9.550

Rutherford (CU): Beautiful Yurchenko 1.5, man I love her gymnastics no matter what team she’s with. 9.850

Madso (Pitt): Nice Shaposh straight into bail to handstand, small leg separation in the Shaposh. Nice handstands throughout. Stalder through to double back, almost stuck. 9.725

Minner (CU): Tucked Yurchenko 1.5, small step forward. Usually, I hate tucked vaults but her’s was BEAUTIFUL. 9.800

Todd (Pitt): Pretty piked Jaeger. Nice bail to handstand. Blind full to double back, STUCK COLD. The whole team started dancing after her stick, I love the sportsmanship that’s going around tonight. 9.825

Brown (CU): Yurchenko full, drilled into the floor…it was nearly perfect from my eyes. 9.900

Bedminster (Pitt): Pretty Shaposh to start. Toe-on to bail handstand. An outstanding double layout to finish the Panthers out. I love how contagious the sticks already are tonight. 9.750

After 1: Clemson 49.150 Pitt 48. 625

The energy in this building is already electric and it’s only the first event. Both teams look phenomenal tonight. Pitt already looks better to start than they did last week, excited what’s to come for the Panthers. The Tigers already look very settled in after the first rotation, as compared to last week. The first meet jitters have definitely left the building for both teams. Let’s keep it rolling and keep the sticks coming.

Rotation 2: Clemson UB, Pittsburgh VT

Madso (Pitt): Yurchenko full, looked like she missed her block a little, chest forward on landing. 9.650

Wells (CU): Nice Tkatchev. Pretty bail. Small form breaks every now and then. FTDT dismount, slightly far out but clean. 9.650

Jakab (Pitt): Yurchenko full, little off balance and steps to the side, not sure if it was out of bounds or not. 9.650

Jackson (CU): Nice Tkatchev to start, slight leg bend. Pretty bail to handstand. FTDT, small form break in the air but pretty overall. 9.825

Ward (Pitt): Yurchenko full, small leg form in the air but solid overall. 9.750

Lippeat (CU): Very aggressive Tkatchev to Pak. Beautiful lines throughout. Pretty blind full to double back, stuck. 9.800

Anand (Pitt): Fhs front pike half, little off to the side on landing and steps over the line. 9.775

DeGuzman (CU): Another aggressive start! Beautiful straddle Jaeger to bail, bail seemed a little off. Double layout to finish, small hop backward but pretty in the air. I met her last week and completely stopped breathing…I almost fangirled too hard. 9.800

Bedminster (Pitt): Solid Yurchenko full, small step backward. 9.800

Rutherford (CU): Beautiful Ray. Nice bail to handstand. Super aggressive throughout. Pretty double layout, fights for the stick but takes the smallest slide back. 9.750

Duke (Pitt): Yurchenko full, tries to get the stick but hops forward a little. 9.775

Brown (CU): Solid Shaposh to start. Pretty bail to handstand. Small form breaks here and there. Really aggressive leadup in to the double layout. Looked a little loose in mid-air on the dismount but it was nice overall. 9.650

After 2: Clemson 97.975 Pitt 97.375

Not the best I’ve seen from both teams so far this season but both teams look solid through two rotations. Maybe the nerves sank in after warm-ups for rotation two. Maybe the judges were a little mean this round. Personally, I think it’s a little bit of both but who knows, I’m just a washed up gymnast haha. The Tigers and the Panthers can both make up some ground on the next two events as they are both very strong on beam and floor.

Rotation 3: Clemson BB, Pittsburgh FX

Lippeat (CU): Front aerial to bhs swing down, pretty. Switch leap split leap, nice lines throughout. Pretty side aerial switch side. Nice split 3/4. Front gainer full, nice landing. 9.850

Duke (Pitt): Ro bhs double back, small shuffle. Switch ring tour jete full, little short on rotation. Front 1.5 punch front layout, small step to the side. 9.700

Clark (CU): Punch front tuck to straddle jump. Bhs loso, slips on landing and comes off. Switch leap to straddle 1/4, nice and high. Nice gainer dismount, almost stuck. 9.200

Ward (Pitt): Her music is ELECTRIC and really draws the crowd in. Front full front layout, nice posture in the air, small step on landing. Cartwheel loso, cool to add this in her choreography. switch leap switch half wolf full, pretty. Fhs Rudi, nice landing. 9.725

Jackson (CU): Bhs loso loso, I say this every time but I LOVE A GOOD TRIPLE SERIES AH. Switch leap cat leap half, small studder back but nothing major. Pretty front 1.5 dismount, looks like she anticipates the landing and takes a few steps forward. 9.675

Copperwheat (Pitt): Ro bhs double pike, STUCK COLD. Man I’ve missed her on floor. Pretty full turn. Switch half split half wolf full, nice posture and extension. Ro bhs double back, ANOTHER stuck landing. 9.825

Kuhl (CU): Beautiful bhs bhs loso. Switch leap beat jump. Pretty full turn. Nice front toss, slips a little but saved the heck out of it. The crowd lit up for her save. Ro back 1.5 dismount, small step but pretty. 9.475

Bedminster (Pitt): Ro bhs double back, small side step. Pretty switch side Switch leap to shushunova…as a former shush girly I love to see their resurgence. Fhs front full front layout, nice landing. 9.850

Wells (CU): Beat jump into dance, pretty. Nice full turn. Switch leap split 3/4, nice extension. Bhs loso, very pretty in the air. Ro back double full, absolutely stunning in the air and almost stuck. 9.850

Todd (Pitt): I LOVE her floor music ah. Ro bhs double pike, beautiful and high. Fhs front full, little crooked but pretty. Switch leap split full…I think, unclear though as the team is standing on that side of the floor so it was hard to see:/ Ro bhs double back, just a pretty as the first pass. 9.800

McCright (CU): Pretty full turn. Nice bhs loso. Tuck full beat jump, nice and poised throughout. Side aerial split jump, beautiful extension. Side gainer full with the most graceful stick I’ve seen in a while. She reminds me so much of Christina Desiderio and I love it. 9.900

Ewing (Pitt): Switch full split full, short on rotation a little. Love her teammates dancing along side her. Beautifully high and stuck ro bhs double back. 9.900

After 3: Clemson 146.825 Pitt 146.475

As I predicted, these two teams would come back with strong scores in this rotation. The gymnastics all around was BEAUTIFUL my goodness. I’d also like to add that while I was typing this, it was announced that tonight is a sellout crowd in Littlejohn Coliseum. There are people all the way to the rafters…which is crazy for an inaugural season.

Rotation 4: Clemson FX, Pittsburgh BB

Duke (Pitt): Bhs loso loso, just ah I have nothing bad to say. Nice full turn. Side aerial, chest down a little. She might have meant to connect it to a leap, not sure. Pretty switch leap beat jump. Ro back 1.5, small step. 9.550

Lippeat (CU): I LOVE her Pink Panther-themed routine. HUGE double back to open. Switch side to Shushunova, nice lines and extension. Ro back 1.5 punch front full, stuck and dances right out to finish. She really got the crowd hyped for the last event with that routine. 9.875

Todd (Pitt): Nice full turn. Switch leap split jump, dropped her back leg a little in switch leap. Bhs loso, small balance check. Small step back on dismount, hard to see what it was as there was a coach in the way but it looked pretty from what I could see. 9.700

Arnold (CU): Sky high full-in to start. The student section is ENGAGED my goodness. Ro back 1.5 front tuck, nice landings and posture. 9.875

Ferzoco (Pitt): Bhs loso, nice overall. Pretty full turn. Switch leap split jump, pretty extension. Love her stomach turn in her routine. Nice cat leap side aerial. 9.600

Brown (CU): Ro bhs double back, nice and high. LOVE the stepping in her routine, some of the crowd does it with her. SKY HIGH double pike to close out her routine. 9.800

Ewing (Pitt): Beat jump side aerial, nice lines throughout. Solid bhs loso. Switch leap switch half beat jump, nice extension. Side gainer full, stuck. 9.750

Rutherford (CU): Ro bhs 1.5, absolutely stunning. Switch half wolf full, nice posture and rise in the air. The entire arena is clapping along to her music. Beautifully high ro bhs double back, almost stuck, small shuffle forward. 9.900

Madso (Pitt): Bhs loso, a few built-in form deductions. Solid front toss. Switch leap bhs swingdown, I love to see these in college. Switch side spilt half, loses her footing and comes off. Side gainer full, a little low. 9.050

Wells (CU): Ro bhs full-in, a little low but beautiful in the air. The entire crowd is dancing along with her… its nice and rowdy in here y’all. Ro-through to Rudi, just gorgeous to watch. 9.800

Copperwheat (Pitt): The beam queen is uppppp, I love her on this event. Switch leap split leap, pretty. Beautiful side somi. Bhs loso, nice lines and extension. Pretty full turn. Beat jump side aerial, good rise and extension as well. A beautiful ro 1.5 to close out the Panthers, small step. 9.700

Clark (CU): Someone check the floor because I think her stuck double layout created a hole through it. Switch leap straddle full, nice rise and extension, little short on rotation. Front layout Rudi, stuck as well. That was a lights out final routine for Clemson holy cow. 9.925

After 4:

Well, folks that’s it for the evening and man was it an electric night. Both teams finished off in a fantastic way. If there was a specific way to open ACC conference play for the first time EVER, this was definitely a great way to do so. The Tigers will be back in Littlejohn Coliseum on Feb. 3, where they will host the NC State Wolfpack for another electric night of ACC gymnastics.

FINAL: Clemson 196.200 Pitt 194.775

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Live blog by Jessica Brock