Iowa is getting ready for an action-packed weekend, with two dual meets in store for the Hawkeyes. On Friday, Iowa hosted Southern Utah for their second home meet of the season, and have traveled to East Lansing to top off their weekend. Sitting ranked at No. 20, the Hawkeyes haven’t been able to put together a clean meet, failing to score above the 49.000 mark on vault in the first two meets. On the other hand, the Hawkeyes have shined on beam of all events, notching their highest individual event ranking, thanks to new contributors like LIU transfer Ilka Juk.
Michigan State is coming over a season-high team score against Penn State. Scoring a 197.475, the Spartans are currently the third-ranked team in the Big Ten, just barely behind the Ohio State University. The Spartans have at least a top-12 ranking in every event, showing their versatility and potential to be one of the best teams in the country. Last week, former four-star recruit Gabi Ortiz made her debut on beam, scoring a 9.875, a performance that earned Ortiz her first Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor. Ortiz showed great potential as a Level 10, and it looks like she is only just getting started as a powerful force in NCAA gymnastics.
Today’s matchup should be a close one, with Michigan State entering as the favorites. The Spartans hold a team season-high over a point higher than Iowa’s, and they will hope to score even higher in this conference meet.
Rotation 1: Michigan State VT, Iowa UB
Shulte (MSU): Super big Yurchenko full, clean form throughout the air with a hop back. 9.850.
Rojas (Iowa): Geinger to start off the routine. Follows that with a Bail, a little short on the handstand. Dismount is a full twisting back and she takes a hop back. 9.750.
Tucker (MSU): Big Yurchenko 1.5! Tight form on the block and throughout the air, just has to take a small step on the landing. Big improvement from the vault I saw in the warmup. 9.875.
Vanney (Iowa): Nice first handstand, but has a leg separation on the Maloney. Directly connect to the Pak, but catches a little close to the low bar. Takes a hop and another step on her double layout dismount. 9.725.
Ortiz (MSU): Huge Yurchenko 1.5, but a big hop forward. Nice form in the air as well. 9.825.
Volpe (Iowa): Really clean piked Jaegar to begin the routine. Leg separation on the Bail and is a little short on the handstand. Double layout dismount with a very small hop back. 9.800.
Stephen (MSU): Huge STUCK Yurchenko full. Great patience on the landing, and clicks those heels together to show a proper finish. 9.925.
Masella (Iowa): Big straddled Jaegar to start the routine. Follows with a Bail, once again short on the handstand. Double layout dismount, chest a little forward and takes a hop forward. 9.825.
Smith (MSU): Another big Yurchenko 1.5 for the Spartans, but takes a big step forward. Clean form in the air as well. 9.825.
Juk (Iowa): Really nice Maloney to Pak, but has a leg separation on the Pak. Beautiful half pirouette on the low bar. Leg separation on the giant full, and opens up way too early on the double back, causing her to take big steps forward. 9.600.
Kellerman (MSU): A big front pike half vault, nice clean form in the air and just the slightest hop on the landing. 9.900.
Muñoz (Iowa): Starts with a spiked Jaegar, nice. Follows that with a really clean Pak. A little short on the clear hip handstand. Double layout dismount, two small hops back. 9.800.
After 1: Michigan State 49.375, Iowa 48.900
Michigan State just scored a season-high on vault but 0.075. The Spartans have some very impressive vaults with huge amplitude and clean form. Despite the season-high, there is a lot of room for improvement if they can find those landings. Kellerman continued to shine on the event with a 9.900.
On the other hand, Iowa scored a season-low on bars. The Hawkeyes showed a bit of loose form on bars and couldn’t seem to find their landings. They will be happy to have no falls, but there is a lot of room to improve for this team.
Rotation 2: Iowa VT, Michigan State UB
Masella (Iowa): Nice Yurchenko full to start off. Not the highest or cleanest, but does it well. 9.825.
Stephen (MSU): Clean start to the routine, hitting her handstands. Dismounts with full twisting double back, just a small step on the landing. 9.825.
Castillo (Iowa): Another Yurchenko full, a slight pike down and a hop back on the landing. 9.800.
Shulte (MSU): Really nice Shaposhnikova, and nice Bail to follow. Double layout dismount, just a small hop forward. That was a clean routine, and I love to see a true Shaposhnikova! 9.900.
Chambers (Iowa): Stuck cold Yurchenko full! Nice form in the air too, but not the highest vault. 9.875.
Jackard (MSU): Hits the first handstand, and follows with a nice straddled Jaegar. Hits the handstand on the Bail. Giant full finishes on the top of the bar, fights for the landing, but doesn’t hold the stick position long enough. 9.825.
Karenbauer (Iowa): Big Yurchenko full, is a little off center and takes just a small hop back. 9.800.
Kellerman (MSU): Another straddled Jaeger from the Spartans, has some bent arms on the catch. Follows with a nice Bail. Double layout dismount, a little bit of form issues and takes a step on the landing. 9.800.
Volpe (Iowa): Yurchenko full, pike down on the landing and takes a hop back. Form was clean otherwise. 9.800.
Smith (MSU): Nice first handstand. Maloney directly connected to a Pak, the cleanest I’ve seen today. Really nice half pirouette on the low bar. Takes a small hop back on the dismount. 9.850.
Muñoz (Iowa): Big Yurchenko full, but lacks a bit of control on the landing. Takes a hop back and has an arm swing. 9.775.
Harkness (MSU): Nice height on the Geinger. Hits the handstand on the Bail. Full twisting double back dismount, finds the stick and puts those feet together in her salute. Nicely done. 9.900.
After 2: Michigan State 98.675, Iowa 98.000
Iowa is still trailing Michigan State after two rotations, now by 0.675. Michigan State just had a season-low on bars, but still scored a very respectable 49.300. Bars is looking to be one of the Spartan’s greatest events this season.
Iowa just broke the 49.000 barrier for the first time this season with a lot of room to improve. The rotation was highlighted by sophomore Avery Chambers’ beautifully stuck Yurchenko full, which notched a 9.875.
Rotation 3: Michigan State BB, Iowa FX
Kalefe (MSU): Starts the routine with a full turn, gets it out of the way. BHS + BHS + LOSO with a confident and controlled landing. Switch leap to tuck jump 3/4, a little balance check there. Gainer full off the side, sticks the dismount. 9.825.
Volpe (Iowa): First pass is a clean front layout + Rudi, landed nicely. Tour jete half to Popa, really nicely done! Second pass is a double pike, takes a step back but the front foot moves a bit. Nice performance after a bit of a delay before the routine. 9.775.
Tucker (MSU): Really graceful front aerial to back handspring, looked a little off center but stayed patient for no wobble! Nice split position in the straddle jump. Cat leap to side aerial, solid. Nice full turn. Gainer full dismount, just a little step. Really nice, patient work from Tucker. 9.775.
Ebeling (Iowa): First pass is a HUGE double pike, but opened up way too early, causing her to be short on the landing. Switch leap to switch ring half, nice flexibility in those leaps. The second pass is a back 1.5 to front pike, a little loose form and takes a small hop forward. Overrotates her double back dismount and lands on her back. Big height on the double back though, just needs to control it! 9.125.
Ortiz (MSU): Solid full turn to start. Acro series is a BHS + LOSO, nicely done. Switch leap to straddle half, good. Sticks her front toss. Back 1.5 dismount, just a small hop forward. 9.825.
Karenbauer (Iowa): First E pass for the Hawkeyes, a full twisting double back with a nice landing. Switch side + Popa + straddle jump, a little short of that split position in those leaps. Front tuck through to double back, a little short and takes a step forward. 9.725.
Shulte (MSU): Showing off some confidence on the full turn. Split leap to switch half, really nice lines on those leaps. BHS + LOSO, slight bent knee on that flight skill. Switch leap to gainer full dismount, sticks the landing. 9.900.
Erb (Iowa): Really nice double pike to start with a controlled step. Switch side to straddle half, nice amplitude on her leaps. Big height on the back 1.5 to front full with a nicely controlled landing. 9.900.
Garcia (MSU): Solid full turn to begin the routine. BHS + LOSO, looked slightly off center but shows complete control. Front aerial to split jump, nice patience to get the connection. Switch leap to split jump, very nice position. Gainer full dismount and has to take a hop forward. 9.775.
Castillo (Iowa): Front tuck through to double pike, landed short and takes a big hop forward. Switch straddle to straddle jump, nice height. Double back dismount, lands short again and takes a hop forward. 9.650.
Stephen (MSU): Front toss laid out, really difficult, and extremely well done. Slight hesitation on the full turn, but covers it nicely. BHS + LOSO, big wobbles but fights to stay on the beam. Beat jump to straddle half, solid. Double twist dismount and gets the stick. 9.750.
Libby (Iowa): Another E pass for the Hawkeyes, this time a nice front double full. Second pass is a nice back 1.5 to front layout, nicely done! Switch ring to switch half, lacks a bit of flexibility on those leaps. Dismounts with a Rudi, a little step back and to the side, but a clean routine. 9.875.
After 3: Michigan State 147.775, Iowa 146.925
The Hawkeyes just had another season-low score on floor with 48.925, the first time Iowa has scored below 49.000 on floor this season. They had some strong routines toward the end of the rotation, but some underrotated tumbling passes prevented them from getting those big scores.
The Spartans notched a 49.100 on beam, an improvement for Michigan State after scoring two sub-49.000 scores in the first two meets of the season. Last week, the Spartans scored a 49.450 on the event, showing just how strong they can be on the event.
Rotation 4: Iowa BB, Michigan State FX
Volpe (Iowa): Nice full turn to start the routine. Follows with a BHS + LOSO, nicely down. Switch leap to straddle quarter, lacks some flexibility. Beat jump to front aerial, a little hesitation. Back 1.5 dismount, some form issues but nicely landed. 9.800.
Beaufait (MSU): Nice front double twist to start the routine. Switch leap to switch half, nicely done. Second pass is a back 1.5 to front layout, nicely landed. Dismounts with a Rudi, nice height and landing! 9.875.
Ebeling (Iowa): Nice confident BHS + LOSO. Follows the acro series with a solid full turn. Side aerial, nicely done. Switch leap + split jump + split 3/4, a little slow on the connection. Gainer full off the side with a stuck landing. 9.800.
Tucker (MSU): Rudi + LOSO as the first pass, very clean and shows a good landing. Tour jete half to Popa, big lack of amplitude and lack of flexibility. Second pass is a front double full, very well controlled landing! Great tumbling, just a bit of struggle on the leaps. 9.850.
Juk (Iowa): BHS + BHS + LOSO, slight bent knee and has a big wobble on the landing, bringing her leg up in the air. Resets with some clean jumps. A little wobble on the full turn. Unique Kochetkova, but another balance check. Gainer full dismount and gets the stick! 9.725.
Stephen (MSU): Huge first pass, barely stays in bounds. Nice amplitude on the leaps. Second pass is a front double full, a little bit of form issues in the air and steps to the side on the landing. Nice difficulty with a two-E pass routine. 9.850.
Nick (Iowa): Split leap to split leap mount, very nice. BHS + LOSO, lands off center and bends at the hips. Stays on the beam though. Solid front aerial to follow. Back 1.5 dismount and sticks the landing. 9.525.
Harkness (MSU): Huge full-in to start with a nice landing. Switch leap to tour jete half + wolf jump full, lacking precision on those leaps. Second pass is a front tuck through to double back, huge height on the double back and takes a controlled lunge. Nice routine for the Spartans! 9.950.
Rojas (Iowa): Solid full turn to start the routine. Follows with her acro series, and has a slight wobble on her BHS + BHS + LOSO. Switch leap to switch leap to split jump, nice control on that connection. Gainer full off the side, just a small hop back. 9.650.
Smith (MSU): Begins with a STUCK full-in! Switch half to Popa, nicely done. Big 1.5 to front layout, nicely landed but with some slightly soft knees. Dismounts with a big double back with a controlled landing! Great routine for Smith. It’s a perfect 10! 10.000.
Muñoz (Iowa): Switch leap to switch half, showed great flexibility but kicks her leg up on the landing. Nice full turn to follow. BHS + LOSO, takes a step back but it was well done. BHS + gainer full off the side, sticks the landing. 9.650.
Shulte (MSU): Another huge full-in from the Spartans, this time with a controlled step. Switch half + Popa + straddle jump, shows off some really nice lines in those leaps. Front tuck through to double back, and shows another controlled landing. 9.950.
FINAL: Michigan State 197.400, Iowa 195.675
Michigan State just smashed their season-high on floor, this time scoring a massive 49.625. Another solid 197+ score for the Spartans is going to do wonders for their confidence and proves they are contenders for the postseason. Michigan State has been under the radar for a while now, but by the way they are trending this season, they are going to be very strong by the time postseason rolls around.
Iowa struggled a bit, scoring their lowest team score of the season. They have continued to trend down since the first meet of the season, which is unusual considering the potential and talent they have on the team. The Hawkeyes showed some strong routines today, they just need to put it all together in a meet.
VT: Gabreille Stephen 9.925
UB: Skyla Shulte 9.900
BB: Skyla Shulte 9.900
FX: Nikki Smith 10.000
AA: Skyla Shulte 39.600
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Live blog by Aaron Doyle
