Another regular season ACC matchup this Friday afternoon, and this will be the second time this season the No. 23 Clemson Tigers and the No. 51 Pittsburgh Panthers face one another head on. At their last meeting on January 21, Clemson came away with the win scoring a 196.200 in their home arena. Now, with this being a home meet for Pitt, and having scored their highest team score of the season last week with a 196.525 against the University of North Carolina, either team could win this dual.
Last week against N.C. State, Clemson scored their lowest team total of the year with a 195.600 after having three consistent 196 plus scores in the meets preceding. Clemson broke a 49 on all events with the exception of beam, where they scored a 47.875, having to count one score below a 9.0 on top of another low score. In these past few meets however, beam has been a strong event for the Tigers, so it will be interesting to see how they approach this event ending their meet on beam in this away competition.
Pitt had its best meet of the season last week against the University of North Carolina, scoring over a 49 on every event besides bars where they finished with a 48.925. Highlighted by Jah’Liyah Bedminsters perfect 9.95 on her Yurchenko full, and three scores of a 9.9 plus on floor, Pitt showed how much potential and talent is on their team.
Now that both teams have scored over this 196 mark, this could end up being a meet that’s decided on the last routine. You can follow along and watch here at 7:00 EST.
Rotation 1: Pitt Vault, Clemson Bars
Duke (PITT): Starting off with a nice Yurchenko full with one step back, but chest is up nice and a good lead off! 9.825
Wells (Clemson): First off for Clemson, starting with a huge Tkachev to shoot over, really smooth, and a full out dismount, with a small step back. Great lead off for them! 9.775.
Todd (PITT): Front tuck 1/2 with a big step back, but an aggressive vault and a little off to the left side on the landing. 9.60
Jackson (Clemson): Opens with an aggressive hansdtand to huge straddle Jaeger back down with a shoot over, dismounts with a full out, a little close to the bar pulling in with a step forward under rotated. 9.80.
Simons (PITT): Yurchenko full STUCK!! That was beautiful! Great form but a little close to the table on the block.
Lippeatt (Clemson): Falls on her Ray, looked a little too close to actually get her grips over the bar. Remounts and redoes a the routine and this time around gets the Ray beautifully to a Pak. Ends with blind full to double tuck, small hop forward. Good finish even with that fall at the start. 9.125
Anand (PITT): Front handspring front pike 1/2 and tucks it off the table and rolls back to finish. 9.0
DeGuzman (Clemson): A little more pressure on both these teams now being in the same situation. Starts with a nice Jaeger to shoot over, and a nice double layout with a small step back to finish. A really great way to get the Tigers back on track! 9.8
Ward (PITT): Yurchenko full, a little loose in the air with a small step back. Another great routine to get them back on track! 9.825.
Webb (Clemson): Opens with a Maloney to Pak, really nice, a little shy on the pirouette, and a small hop forward on the double layout to end. A nice routine for one of her first counting routines of her career! 9.75.
Bedminster (PITT): Yurchenko full STUCK!! She does it again! That was practically identical to her perfect 9.95 last week! Wow! 9.90
Brown (Clemson): Maloney to nice overshoot to open, back up with a nice double layout and step forward to end. A good way to avoid having to count a mistake on this event!
Madso: * exhibition Yurchenko full, small step forward, but a nice way to get her out there with some extra pressure! 9.6
After 1: PITT 48.925 v Clemson 49.00
Off to a good start for both teams! Both avoided having to count a fall midway in the lineups, but the back half of each lineup stepped up! Highlighted by another huge score of a 9.9 by Bedminister replicating her vault from last week, but having to count a 9.6 due to an uncharacteristic fall in the lineup, Pitt will want to hone in a little more moving forward in these next three. Clemson looked strong breaking a 49 on bars and ending the first rotation with a slim lead over Pitt, Clemson will want to keep focusing on their details going into vault, focusing on landings, as they could’ve gotten five tenths back in this first rotation just from the dismounts on bars! First rotation jitters are out; onto the next one!
Rotation 2: Clemson Vault, Pitt Bars
Wells (Clemson): Yurchenko full, smallest scoot back on the landing. 9.850.
Madso (PITT): Opens with a Maloney to overshoot, really smooth but a little loose. Toe handstand to stalder to double back with a step back. A good way to open up rotation two for the Panthers. 9.75
Bryant (Clemson): Her debut!! Yurchenko full, tried a little too hard for the stick and steps forward with her chest down. 9.7
Lerro (PITT): Maloney to shoot over, really nice connection. Blind change to double front dismount STUCK! she fought for that stick but she got it! 9.75.
Arnold (Clemson): Yurchenko 1.5, sizable hop forward but a nice 10.0 start value addition to this lineup in the number three spot. 9.775.
Simons (PITT): Starts with really nice Ray to shoot over, great last handstand to a blind full double tuck STUCK! (picks up her left foot a little) so questionable stick but I’ll give it to her. 9.825.
Minner (Clemson): Yuchenko tuck 1.5 big step forward, lots of power. 9.8.
Ewing (PITT): Blind to piked Jaegar , REALLY finger-tipped but gets it and a shoot over back down. Ends with a blind full to double tuck STUCK! 9.8
Holman (Clemson): Front handspring on front pike 1/2, thought it was a stick, but a small movement back of one foot on the landing. 9.75.
Todd (PITT): Nice piked Jaegar to solid shoot over right to handstand. Blind full to double tuck hop forward, but a really clean routine for the Panthers. 9.775.
Brown (Clemson): Yurchenko full, SO CLOSE to a stick just a small left foot movement back but a really nice vault! 9.875.
Bedminster (PITT): Maloney, a little close on the catch, toe handstand to loose shoot over but saves it. Double layout with a step back, but a nice anchor routine for Pitt! 9.650.
Duke (PITT) *exhibition: Maloney, to Pak to switch kip, really nice. Dismounts with a double tuck, small step back on the landing.
After 2: Pitt 97.875 Clemson 97.975
This was a MUCH better rotation for both teams. Clemson dialed it in more on those landings and had a few REALLY close sticks on vault. With the absence of Rutherford this meet due to illness, her score is definitely a big one to fill; so, to be able to do this and make the adjustment during the meet speaks to the depth of the Tigers! As for Pitt, you can see why bars is one of their best events; that was great! Lots of aggressive routines, stuck dismounts, and overall confidence coming from this team on this rotation. The highest score coming from Simons of a 9.825, the mistakes made were minor form breaks or a step on a dismount, nothing that can’t be fixed moving into the middle of the season. Both teams on the next two will want to push past this 9.85-9.9 mark to get some of these bigger scores for a bigger team total, but this if a tight meet and both teams are holding their own!
Rotation 3: Pitt Beam, Clemson Floor
Todd (PITT): Candle mount to start off the third rotation, little full turn bobble. Really nice switch leap to split jump. Switch half to beat jump solid. BHS LOSO solid. Ends with a front full tucked with a small hop, really nice lead off routine for Pitt! Looked confidence and solid the whole way through. 9.725.
Holman (Clemson): Opens with a front double full really nice. Switch side to straddle full, nice extension gets it around. Ends with front rudi to layout step out. Looked like she missed her bounce on that connection but gets it around and a nice first routine for Clemson. 9.750.
Madso (PITT): BHS LOSO to start off, really high great from. Front tuck, small step back on the landing but holds on. Switch leap to BHS swing down, beautiful and floaty! Beat jump to split ring jump, little adjustment. Ends with gainer full stuck off the side! That was such a unique routine! Beautiful and confident throughout! 9.675.
Brown (Clemson): Judges conference so Brown is waiting. Now some music issues. Okay here we go. Opens with a front through to sky high double tuck STUCK cold. Switch side 1/2 to straddle 1/2 really nice. Love this performance so fun. Tuck full jump before her last pass. Ends with a really nice double pike! That was a great routine for Clemson! Full of energy and really nice control, that should easily surpass her season high score. 9.825.
Ewing (PITT): Side aerial to start solid. BHS LOSO and is off the beam. Remounts with switch to switch half, to beat jump but breaks the connection and lifts up her foot with a wobble. Gainer full off the side stuck . A good ending to that routine, but this is the routine Pitt will want to drop moving forward. 9.15.
Wells (Clemson): Full in to start, almost goes out but keeps it in! Torjete 1/2 to straddle full straddle full and ends with a back 1.5 step out to double full lands nice with her chest up! Another great routine in this third rotation for Clemson. 9.9.
Simons (PITT): A little more pressure on her now, but opens with a confident BHS LOSO. Switch leap switch leap straddle 1/4 perfect. Side aerial beautiful. Ends with a front full, small step on the landing. WOW! What a routine. The only thing I can see the judges taking off for was the step on the dismount. That is exactly what they wanted after a fall! That was great! 9.85.
Arnold (Clemson): Following a 9.9, the stage is set for a big score! Full in, a little chest down, but STUCK for her first pass! Nice leap pass in the middle, gets both jumps all the way around. Ends with a 2.5 punch front, a small scoot back, but a really difficult, well executed routine! 9.825.
Garvey (PITT): Her first appearance tonight on an event she’s comfortable on! Starts with a BHS LOSO solid. Really nice front tuck with a step out concealed with a finish. Split jump to double stag jump, really nice. Gainer pike off the end STUCK! Wow! That was great! The momentum is carrying through this lineup! 9.80.
Clark (Clemson): Currently ranked #16 on floor in the nation, this will be an exciting one. Opens with a huge double layout but a step forward on the landing. Really fun routine, great performance. Ends with a front lay, front full to front tuck, stuck! This might not be her highest score due to the first pass, but it was still a great routine with VERY minimal deductions. 9.9.
Copperwheat (PITT): Her first appearance tonight as well! Candle mount to begin, switch leap to split jump, really nice, Side sumi, solid. BHS LOSO, little adjustment but keeps it on. Side aerial, really nice. Ends with a round off 1.5 small hop forward. The rest of the lineup comes through not having to count that fall in the middle, and that was a great routine for Copperwheat in a clutch spot. 9.80.
Minner (Clemson): Front double full, really nice first pass. Second pass front rudi to back LOSO, really nice. That was a great way to cap that floor rotation especially again after missing Rutherford this week but Minner looked strong and ready to go in the position! 9.825.
Duke (PITT): *exhibition BHS LOSO solid to start. Side aerial to split jump, a little loose back leg but good. Switch to split jump, solid and ends with round 1.5 STUCK! What a way to cap this rotation!
After 3: Pitt 146.725, Clemson 147.250
This was another GREAT rotation for both teams and neither one is letting up! This meet is still extremely close, and like I said in the preview, this very well might come down to the last rotation. The Panthers were able to avoid counting a low score on beam and the other five routines, as well as the exhibition, looked really strong. The scores felt low to me over on beam for a couple, so it will be interesting to see how this carries over into the final rotation with Clemson moving to beam. As for Clemson, they showed why they are already ranked so high in the nation on floor. That was a GREAT rotation for them, highlighted with another 9.9 for Clark and a season high 9.9 for Wells and all other counting scores above a 9.825. One more rotation to go!
Rotation 4: Clemson Beam, Pitt Floor
Lippeatt (Clemson): Opens with a front aerial to BHS swing down to back roll, so fun! Switch leap to split leap, nice. Side aerial to split jump, really nice. Side split 1/2 beautiful. Ends with a gainer full off the front STUCK! That was a GREAT routine to lead off for the last rotation and a great way to come back after bars for her in the first rotation. 9.825.
Ward (PITT): Starts with a FLOATY front full to front lay really nice. Good leaps before her final pass. Ends with a front rudi, a little wild step back, but ends strong! Another really nice lead off routine for Pittsburgh in the final rotation. 9.775.
Kuhl (Clemson): Starts with a BHS BHS LOSO, a little wobble, but keeps it on. Switch leap to beat jump, nice. Good full turn, front toss, a little squatty, but connects to beat jump smoothly, Ends with round off 1.5 stuck! 2/2 sticks so far! Besides that first wobble, that was another solid routine for Clemson. 9.750.
Larson (PITT): Her first appearance tonight and coming off a big 9.9 last weekend, looking to replicate that tonight! HUGE double tuck to open. Switch side to straddle full, gets it all the way around. Front lay to front full good landing. Switch side 1/2 to shushanova to her ending! 9.825.
Wells (Clemson): Ending her great day in the all-around, Wells starts with a full turn, solid. Switch leap to Torjete 3/4, a little low back leg but SO hard. BHS LOSO, solid. Ends with a double full STUCK 3/3! Clemson is on fire with these sticks! Another great routine for Wells, no hesitation in this routine, looks very confident in the middle of this lineup. 9.925 (ties career high!!) the highest of the night on any event so far!
Todd (PITT): Another all-arounder ending her night strong with a HUGE double pike to start to her routine! Layout to layout full, great controlled landing. Great leaps before her last double tuck STUCK (didn’t need to take that lunge) to end! That was a huge routine! The Panthers are definitely chipping away at this lead the Tigers had going into the last rotation. 9.80.
McCright (Clemson): BHS LOSO solid to start. Beat jump, tuck full to beat jump, really nice! Side aerial to split jump. Ends with a gainer full STUCK (4/4) off the side! The momentum is staying in this lineup! 9.825.
Bedminster (PITT): Sky high double tuck to open this routine. SO fun routine! Great performance, LOVE the home energy. Second pass, back 1.5, front lay, STUCK, looked like she might’ve lost the punch but holds on! What a great addition to this Pitt team! 9.875.
Clark (Clemson): Standing front tuck to straddle jump, so good and so difficult. BHS LOSO, is off the side of the beam. Straddle jump to straddle 1/4 nice, front full, small step back dismount to end. A strong finish, but a little more pressure on this last routine for Clemson. Really coming down to the last one, wow. 9.30.
Copperwheat (PITT): Opens with a front thru to double pike, really nice control. Switch 1/2 wolf full wolf full, really nice. Ends her routine with a double tuck, but misses her grab on the tuck and has to but her hands down. Once again both teams in the same situation with the last routine. 9.10.
Church (Clemson): BHS LOSO, lifts her foot off the beam but stays on. Split 3/4, solid. Side aerial to wolf jump, nice. Ends with a round off 1.5 STUCK in a CLUTCH spot! That was a great way to end an overall really strong and confident beam rotation. 9.80.
Ewing (PITT): In this spot wanting to drop a score, opens with back 1.5 front lay, nice control and height on that. Last pass, ends with a huge double tuck, and again, in a really big spot for Pitt to not have to count a fall! 9.9.
Kurreak (Clemson) *exhibition: missed her first skill, front toss piked, really nice. Beat jump to split 3/4 wobbles and drops her chest a little. Round off 1.5 STUCK ! So much DEPTH on this team!
Duke (Pitt) *exhibition: Double tuck to open, really nice height and control! Last pass back 1.5 to front layout. Another really great routine for her in this exhibition spot!
Final: Clemson 196.375 Pitt 195.900
This was REALLY a close meet all the way through! Both teams fought to the last routine for each tenth and showed their mental toughness as a team until the end. Clemson had a LIGHTS OUT beam rotation with all 5/6 stuck dismounts and confidence throughout the lineup. Especially after coming after a mid 47 score last week, this Clemson team wanted to show this event is nothing for them to worry about and they definitely proved that tonight. Pitt ended really strong on floor as well highlighted by Ward’s 9.9 to anchor the rotation. Neither team was perfect throughout the meet, but didn’t have to count a fall either.
Pitt looks like they have turned the corner and are starting to score where they should be given their teams potential and talent! This was Pitts second highest score of the year, which is great as they can start to erase some of these lower scores they had in the beginning in the year as NQS’ are coming after this week’s competitions. Clemson scored another 196 and is just looking to break into these higher scores moving into the back half of regular season, but has been incredibly consistent up until this point. With the absence of Rutherford as well having to replace three big scores in this meet, Clemson also showed how much depth they have as a new, young team that can fill these spots if need be in the future. Overall, both teams look strong, confident and look to be finding their rhythm each time out!
Event Winners:
VT: Bedminster (Pitt) 9.9
UB: Simons (Pitt) 9.825
BB: Wells (Clemson) 9.925
FX: Ewing (Pitt), Clark, Wells (Clemson) 9.9
READ THIS NEXT: Judge’s Inquiry: Breaking Down January’s Perfect 10s
Live blog by Julianna Roland
