Following a weekend where neither team performed to their potential, this week is about redemption for both Ithaca College and Springfield College. Last year, these teams were evenly matched with a slight bias for Springfield. In the five times these teams faced off last season, including regionals and nationals, Springfield came out on top 4 times out of 5. This season, Springfield has unfortunately struggled in the early weeks of the season, unable to clinch a team meet title or beat Rhode Island College despite three opportunities. Last weekend the team struggled to put together beam and bar rotations, falling on almost every beam routine at least once and counting a few mistakes on bars. Floor was phenomenal with a score over 48, but could not make up for their previous performances resulting in a team score of 184.775. Springfield has yet to post a team score above 185.500 while their season low from last was a 186.8750 in their season opener. This team will be looking to prove they are still contenders to qualify for nationals at the end of the season.
Ithaca College did not have the meet they were looking for last weekend in a quad meet at West Chester University resulting in a fourth place finish being beaten by historic school rivals, Cortland. The loss of 3 event contributor Nicole Lonski who is out with an unspecified knee injury, definitely left a gap in three lineups, especially bars, leaving Ithaca to scramble for a last bar routine. The freshmen have had to step up to fill those gaps. Although this was not the Bomber’s best meet, they still managed to score a 187.550 which will be competitive against Springfield College. The Bombers will be focused on consistency this meet, trying to put together a meet without falls this weekend to show that they are still a top team in the NCGA-East.
The NCGA-East has been very interesting to follow so far this season, as many previously lower ranked teams are working their way up to possibly cause some upsets and punch a ticket to nationals this season. Nationals is not a given for anybody, so now is the time to show where in the rankings these teams belong.
Rotation 1: Ithaca VT Springfield UB
Gallivan (ITH): Yurchenko layout with a pike. Good landing with a step back. 9.375. Crazy judge split. 9.375
Zarra (SP): Winds up her giants to a big full in dismount. Steps forward. 9.050
Miller (ITH): Handspring front. Stumbles back and sits on the concrete. 9.000
Geiger (SP): Higgins to straddle back. Love. Toe hand to toe up. Dismounts with double tuck. Beautiful long lines. 9.350
Pellegrino (ITH): Tusk lay. Best one I’ve seen from her all season. Good positions and great power. 9.600. Great.
Skowronek (SP): Great first handstand. Off on the high bar. Swing to bail. Off again. Finish with double tuck. Will want to drop this score. 8.000
Freyman (ITH): Handspring front. Almost stuck. 9.675. Nice
LeBlanc (SP): Blind full ginger. Beautiful. Bail with perfect technique and body tension. Ends with blind full to double tuck. Just a step. Best routine so far. 9.650
Murray (ITH): Handspring pike. Just a small step forward. Best one all season. 9.775. So strong.
Kiley (SP): Clear hip to pak. Excellent handstands. Toe up. Blind full, sideways and adds an extra giant. Double tuck with a step. Little bit of chest down. 9.150
Babineaux (ITH): Tusk arabian. Sticks. What a rotation. Team goes crazy. 9.675
Maeda (SP): Blind to stunning meager. Bail to hand with little leg separation. Blind full and adds an extra giant to double tuck with chest down. Still thinking about that meager. A beauty. 9.450
After 1: Ithaca 48.100 Springfield 46.650
Huge start for the Bombers on vault with several scores over the 9.600+ mark and breaking 48.000 on vault. Springfield had a solid start on bars, but will have some ground to make up on the next three.
Rotation 2: Ithaca UB Springfield VT
Miller (ITH): Half pirouette to horizontal bail with a loose catch. Toe on to toe up and ends with a toe front. Made it through. 8.900
LaViolette (SP): Handspring front with jump and step forward. 9.450
Cohen (ITH): Clear hip to tkatchev. Clear hip to bail with big leg separation. Stick the double tuck. Finally put it together. 9.450
McGuiness (SP): Yurchenko layout with a bit of a pike. 9.450
Cotteleer (ITH): Maloney and pings off in the back swing. Swing to bail and finishes with a stalder to double tuck and sticks. Will want to drop. Pretty handstands though. 8.475
Kelley (SP): Tsuk layout. Little piked, but makes it around to a good landing. 9.525
Bailey (ITH): Clear hip to gienger to bail. Bends her knees to not hit her feet. Handstand to double tuck and sticks. Not her best, but finishes without a fall. 9.375
Kaplan (SP): Beautiful Yurchenko layout. Sticks. Best layout all day. Wow. 9.650
Goodwin (ITH): Gienger with some legs. Bail with small leg separation. Blind full to double tuck with just a step. Great handstands throughout. Just what the Bombers needed. 9.600
Taylor (SP): Tsuk arabian. Jumps forward but lands chest up. Great. 9.375
Babineaux (ITH): Blind full to blind half to bail. A little short of handstand. Blind to front giant to half pirouette to open double tuck. Lots of swinging, but love her technique throughout. Can’t wait to get the jeager back in. 9.550
Kiley (SP): Huge height on the tuck full, but doesn’t make it around. 8.975
After 2: Ithaca 94.975 Springfield 94.100
Ithaca counting a mistake on bars, but nothing catastrophic. Springfield has caught up a bit with an .875 trail. Let’s see who can hit beam.
Rotation 3: Ithaca BB Springfield FX
Chesshire (ITH): Check on the full turn. Front toss to one leg. Love. Split jump to split 3/4. Good splits. Front toss to a check to a back handspring. Gainer full to a stick. Gave her the series…ok. 9.575
Gardiner (SP): Front lay front full. So solid. Popa to wolf full with a stumble. Rudi to a big split jump to close. Good start.
Freyman (ITH): Split jump to tuck 3/4. Some feet. Front tuck to back tuck with a check in between. Rudi dismount to a stick. Good, but questionable connection. Also gets her series. Ok judges… 9.775
Kaplan (SP): Wolf full wolf full. So high. Huge double pike and opens early to sit it down. 1.5 to front lay stunning. Rudi to finish with her chest down.
Goodwin (ITH): Off on the front tuck mount. Handspring layout. Doesn’t move. Split to split 3/4. Little shy of 180. Gainer pike off the end to finish. Will want to drop. 9.125
Both teams trying to drop a fall.
Geiger (SP): Rudi to stag jump to open. So high. Tour jets half to wolf full. Would like to see bigger splits. Back 1.5 to front layout. Great.
Foster (ITH): Off on the handspring back layout. Bombers counting a fall. Switch switch to split jump. So bouncy. Side arial. Perfect. Back handspring 1.5 with a step. 9.275
Reer (SP): Front through to 2.5. Unique pass pass, but stumbles on the landing. Double tuck to close. So bouncy with so much power, but overcooks it. Both teams counting a fall
Pellegrino (ITH): Front toss to backpack. Best connection I’ve seen today. Stunning switch side. Switch leap to split half. Small wobble. Front full with a step to the side. Great routine. 9.825 and team goes crazy.
Anna Schutz (SP): Great Rudi to open. Such a performer. Tour jete half to split full. Doesn’t make it all the way around. Round off 1.5 to front lay. A little low and fights to stay in bounds. Good routine. 9.9 start. Don’t think they gave her the jumps.
Kobusky (ITH): Rapping Beez In The Trap the entire time lol. Roundoff to layout step out. Lands in a scale with a check before planting the back foot. Split jump to sheep jump. Solid. Gainer front full off the end. Lands a little off center with a hop. 9.800.
Taylor (SP): Front double full with just a step. Switch half to wolf full. Front full to front pike. Whole crowd is clapping. Rudi with such a straight body position. Favorite routine this rotation. So so clean.
After 3: Ithaca 143.225 Springfield 141.500
Both teams counting a fall this rotation. Bombers going into their best event with a strong lead. The Pride will be looking to stay on the beam and post a new season high.
Rotation 4: Ithaca FX Springfield BB
Gallivan (ITH): Wolf 3/2. A little under. Front lay to front full and bends the knees to make it around. Switch half to wolf full. Nice. Rudi to stag jump. A little short, but covers it well.
Kelley (SP): Off on her series. Oh boy. Switch side. Nice. Side Ariel to split jump. Little bit of legs and feet. Gainer front full off the end. A little off center.
Chesshire (ITH): Sticks her double pike. Awesome. Jumps all the way around. 1.5 to front half, a little piked down. Doesn’t do the jump out of it. So so good. 9.850. Team goes crazy
Kaplan (SP): Handspring layout step out. Legs so straight. Switch leap tp split jump. Such a clean gymnast. Cat leap Ariel. No wobbles. Round off to 1.5. Almost sits, but stays up.
Pellegrino (ITH): Rudi to a controlled lunge. Front full to front tuck. meant to do a layout, but bailed. Beautiful splits in her jumps.
DiPalo (SP): Almost off on the full turn. Handspring layout step out. Steps back but doesn’t wobble and stays on. Cartwheel. Tuck full, a little under.
Freyman (ITH): ABBA music. Front double full to front tuck. Takes a small step, but goes out of bounds. Ring to tour jete half. Rudi to stag with a small hop. Going to be a big number
Skowronek (SP): Front toss to back handspring. Now THAT’S connected. Take notes. Arial to scale. Stunning with no wobbles. Gainer front full off the end. Great routine.
Foster (ITH): Front lay to front full. Jumps forward, but so clean. Double tuck, but opens early and steps forward. Nice
Reer (SP): Handspring to layout step out. No wobble. Front toss, so solid. Switch jump switch jump. Wow. Never seen that before. Misses her foot on the dismount and almost has scary fall, but lands safely.
Murray (ITH): Front full front lay. Shows off that control. Switch full to wolf full. all the way around. She’s looking for that record. Double pike with a slide back. Probably not today, but will still be a big number for the bombs. 9.825
Anna Schutz (SP): Handspring layout step out. So high with a small check. Cat leap to side Ariel. Tinyyyy lean. Gainer full off the end and sticks. Good finish. Not the rotation the Pride wanted, but a BIG improvement from last week.
FINAL: Ithaca 192.050 Springfield 189.175
VT: Murray 9.775
UB: LeBlanc 9.65
BB: Pellegrino 9.825
FX: Murray and Chesshire 9.850
AA: N/A
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