LIVE BLOG: No. 8 UCLA at No. 18 Oregon State

Tonight’s Pac-12 showdown takes place in Corvallis as the Oregon State Beavers host the UCLA Bruins. This is an intriguing and exciting matchup regarding the history of this meet. Many college gymnastics fans remember what happened last year when this meet ended in a tie after a quick rescore of Jenna Domingo’s beam routine. As both teams have been steady and look strong coming into this meet, I’m curious to see if any exciting scoring will occur tonight!

The Bruins are coming off a home win against Utah, where they scored a season-high 198.075. Welcome to the 198 club UCLA! The Bruins have really seemed to find their stride as we enter week six, especially on beam and floor. Some routines to look for tonight are from standouts Emma Malabuyo, Selena Harris, Katelyn Rosen, and Nya Reed. Let’s see if UCLA can get those mid-49 event scores again this week and come home with a win.

The Beavers did unfortunately have a loss last week at Utah after a few major errors and counting a fall on floor. However, Oregon State has been dealing with a few lineup changes due to some injuries and hasn’t had Jade Carey in the all around this year. All things considered, the Beavers looked fairly polished on the other events and came back strong on beam. Oregon is also entering week six ranked seventh nationally on bars. I’m hopeful that after two consecutive away meets, being at home will help boost the Beavers a little and we see them finish in the low to mid-197 range (like I believe they are capable of!)

Rotation 1: Oregon State VT, UCLA UB

Briones (OSU): Yurchenko full, very clean landing.

Rosen (UCLA): Maloney to Pak, a little loose but clean. Nice handstands. Double layout, slight leg separation in the air but great landing. 9.875

Thompson (OSU): Yurchenko full, a little high on and hopped back.

Irvine (UCLA): Great handstand to start. A smidge too far from the bar and misses the catch on her Jaeger. Nice bail to handstand. Full-in dismount, stuck. A great comeback for her after the fall. 8.725

Garcia (OSU): Nice Yurchenko full, small hop backward.

Malabuyo (UCLA): Nice Maloney to Pak, caught her Pak a little close but still pretty. Another great full-in, small step. 9.800

Buckner (OSU): A small lineup change as she’s filling in for Gonzalez, who was injured during warm-up earlier today. Yurchenko 1.5, a little short on the table and misses her block, sits it down.

Frazier (UCLA): Maloney to Pak, so beautiful. Just shy of vertical on her last handstand. Super high double layout, small foot form in the air and the smallest of hops on landing. 9.900

Esposito (OSU): A fantastic Yurchenko full, wow. That was one of the best I’ve seen so far this season.

Esparza (UCLA): Maloney to Pak, nice rhythm. Van Leuwen back to high bar. Great double layout, stuck. 9.925

Carey (OSU): ALL AROUND SEASON DEBUT LET’S GOOOO. Yurchenko full, slight leg separation and small slide.

Harris (UCLA): HUGE Ray. Great bail to handstand. Slightly over on last handstand but love the aggression. An outstanding stuck double layout to finish out the rotation.

After 1: UCLA 49.450 Oregon State 49.175

While both teams had a fall, they looked strong overall. Both teams were able to find the landings and got the sticks or took minimal steps. UCLA earned a season-high bars score. So far a great matchup as we head into events these teams are nationally ranked in the top 10 on.

Rotation 2: Oregon State UB, UCLA VT

Anastasi (UCLA): Yurchenko full, great landing but some form in the air. 9.775

Esposito (OSU): Huge Ray straight to bail. Nice control and lines. Blind full to double tuck, stuck. 9.825

Irvine (UCLA): Full-twisting Yurchenko pike, chest was a little low but gets the stick.

Briones (OSU): Nice Maloney to Pak. Great form throughout. Huge double layout, looks like her knees buckled a little and takes a step. 9.775

Anyimi (UCLA): Yurchenko full, great flare out and a small slide back. 9.800

DeVries (OSU): Goes over on her first handstand but keeps it together. Maloney to Pak, nice. Another huge double layout, lets go a little early and takes large step back. 9.750

Lee (UCLA): A fantastic Yurchenko full, just a small step. 9.800

McMillian (OSU): A little short on first toe-on handstand. Nice Maloney to bail handstand. Great extension in her giants. Double layout, stuck. 9.875

Rosen (UCLA): Yurchenko 1.5, great distance but a little low and steps over the line. 9.825

Thompson (OSU): Maloney to Pak, just beautiful. Great half pirouette. A gorgeous double layout, stuck cold (may even be a hole through the floor). I personally think it should be a 10.0. Sadly, she only gets a 9.95 (at least one judge was with me lol)

Harris (UCLA): An incredible Yurchenko 1.5, stuck cold. The sticks are contagious here tonight. SHE GETS THE 10.0!

Carey (OSU): A huge Bhardwaj followed by a Van Leuwen. A sky high full-out, almost stuck. 9.925

After 2: UCLA 98.725 Oregon State 98.525

That rotation was WOW. It was just great routine after great routine and stick after stick. That was certainly one way to set the pace for the second half of the meet. Man oh man we have ourselves a MEET.

Rotation 3: Oregon State BB, UCLA FX

Esposito (OSU): Switch leap beat jump loso, pretty. Great dance and artistry from the freshman. Bhs loso, great lines and landing. Ro double full, small hop back.

Malabuyo (UCLA): Ro bhs double back, small slide. Ro 1.5 front layout, nice height and landing. Switch ring switch half, had a small squat but kept the connection going. Ro bhs double pike, small foot form but nice. 9.825

Buckner (OSU): Nice full turn. Bhs loso, nice and steady. Split jump double stag jump, doesn’t quite complete the 90 degrees with her back leg and has a small balance check. Side aerial, large balance check but stays on the beam. Great dismount to finish, a little off to the side. 9.425

Andres (UCLA): Ro 2.5 front tuck, slips a little going into front tuck but covers it well. Switch side to Popa. Ro bhs double back, slight foot movement. 9.900

McMillan (OSU): Front toss to BHS swing down, love this combination! Switch leap, back leg was a bit low. Split jump to ring jump. Gainer full, hop back, but a nice routine throughout. 9.775

Lee (UCLA): Ro bhs double back, great height. Front layout front full, almost goes out of bounds but stays in. Switch leap switch half, back leg seemed a bit low but still pretty. Ro bhs double pike to close. 9.825

Young (OSU): Front aerial, was supposed to do a back tuck out of it but had a wobble. Improvises and adds in a bhs loso, small balance check. Split jump to ring jump, misses the full ring but pretty. Front gainer full, small step. 9.825

Rosen (UCLA): Opens with a huge double layout. Andddd I have no idea what happens after this as Pac-12 Network decided to go to a commercial break in the middle of her routine :/ Well it must have been fantastic since she scored a 9.925, sad I couldn’t document it for you guys.

Carey (OSU): The stream was still in a commercial break so I missed her routine, which is very annoying. Also must have been good as she scored a 9.900.

Moors (UCLA): It comes back on just in time to see the end of Brooklyn’s routine, argh. Ends with a front handspring stepout Rudi, just beautiful. 9.950

Thompson (OSU): BEAM DEBUT FOR SAGE! Bhs loso, small wobble. Switch leap wolf 3/4, doesn’t quite get the full rotation and falls. Beautiful side somi. Nice full turn. Front gainer full. Minus the fall, it was a beautiful routine for her debut. 9.075

Harris (UCLA): Opens with a HUGE double layout, stuck cold. A super high Popa series, great lines and posture. Ro bhs double back, slightly underrotated and steps forward. Ro 1.5 Barani double stag jump, loses control after the jump but covers it up well. 9.850

After 3: UCLA 148.175 Oregon State 147.250

Unfortunately the Beavers had to count a fall on beam, putting them almost a whole point behind the Bruins. They do have an opportunity to come back and finish strong on floor. The Bruins look outstanding going into the final rotation, but they are heading to an event they’ve struggled on before. Given that the Bruins do Bruin things, it should be their meet to win but we shall see what the final event holds.

Rotation 4: Oregon State FX, UCLA BB

Lee (UCLA): Front aerial split jump, slight balance check. Bhs loso, left shoulder was a little low but not too noticeable. Nice full turn. Bhs gainer full, small slide back. A great routine to start off the last rotation. 9.875

Garcia (OSU): Ro 1.5 front layout, clean landing and pretty in the air. Switch side switch half, great lines and extension. Ro bhs double back, stuck cold. A great comeback routine after a fall from her last week at Utah. 9.875

Rosen (UCLA): Switch leap split jump double stag jump, the tiniest of balance checks. Nice front aerial. Bhs loso, so pretty. Nice full turn. Ro 1.5, small hop to the side. 9.800

Miller (OSU): A quick lineup change (rippp to Sage’s all-around debut). Front full front layout, little too much power and takes a large step. Ro bhs double back, seemed to have lost her spot a little and took a large lunge to the side. Switch half split full, great positions. Great routine for the last minute edition! 9.850

Andres (UCLA): What a cool graceful mount (I don’t even know how to describe it though:/) Beat jump switch half, nice. Nice gainer loso. Front toss, loses her balance and comes off the beam. Her fall caused her to miss her flight series, does the back handspring swing down from no connection. Great ro double full to finish strong. 8.900

Chavez (OSU): Huge double pike to open. Switch half wolf full, nice height. Ro 1.5 front layout, nice landing and lines in the air. Ro bhs double back, stuck. A fantastic routine for her collegiate debut! 9.850

Harris (UCLA): Bhs loso bhs, nice height and control. Switch leap split leap to full turn, such a cool combo! Nice front toss, a little bit of leg form but clean. Huge ro 1.5, stuck cold. 9.850

Esposito (OSU): Front layout Rudi, clean and high. Switch side split full, anticipated the turn a little and overturned. Ro double pike, a sky-high double pike with no bhs is WILD but that was incredible. 9.950

Malabuyo (UCLA): Cool straddle mount. Wolf turn, nice. Bhs loso, nice and controlled. Front aerial beat jump, great height. Bhs gainer full, small hop to the side. 9.875

Young (OSU): Great ro bhs double pike to open. Follows with another high double back. Switch leap split full, great lines and extension. I love how she’s getting the crowd into her routine. Fhs layout front full, nice landing. 9.850

Alipio (UCLA): Front aerial to loso, fantastic! Little balance check on her choreo, I think? Split leap to switch leap. Full turn with a balance check. Tucked gainer back tuck with chest forward but fights for the stick. 9.750

Carey (OSU): Double double to open (I think, I wasn’t entirely paying attention). Switch half Popa, back leg was a smidge low but good lines and height. A huge ro bhs double back to close out the night for the Beavers. 9.925

FINAL: UCLA 197.425 Oregon State 196.700

VT: Selena Harris (UCLA): 10.0
UB: Selena Harris (UCLA): 9.950
BB: Selena Harris (UCLA): 9.950
FX: Sophia Esposito (OSU) & Brooklyn Moors (UCLA): 9.950
AA: Selena Harris (UCLA): 39.75

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Live blog by Jessica Brock

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