Live from the PMAC, it’s Friday Night Heights! The battle of the Tigers takes center stage and, as you know, with any good rivalry battle comes rivalry storylines.
LSU is coming off a win at Georgia where Haleigh Bryant continued to write her name in the history books, becoming the first LSU gymnast to record a gym-slam after scoring her first 10.0 on beam in her career. There were a lot of question marks on whether LSU could find success on the road like it does at home, but it recorded a season high road-score last time out. Coming into tonight, the Tigers’ depth will be put to the test as star freshman Konnor McClain is expected to only compete on the balance beam – if her back isn’t bothering her too badly. Sierra Ballard is expected to be in on floor in her place, while Tori Tatum is slated for her season debut on bars.
Auburn pulled out its largest margin of victory in the gymnastics version of the Iron Bowl against Alabama last meet out and for the first time this season, we saw glimpses of Auburn from years past. The Tigers scored a season high 197.725, topped off with Cassie Stevens’ 9.975 balance beam routine. Heading into tonight, they will want to take advantage of the crowd momentum to propel them to a 197 on the road, a key number as NQS kicks in.
It’s tiiiiiiime! Checking in from the PMAC and we are ready for a Tiger tumble!
Rotation 1: LSU vault, Auburn bars
KJ Johnson (LSU): Yurchenko full, good pop off the table, small hop back on the landing. 9.775
Brusch (AU): good first handstand, Maloney to bail, nails the handstand position on the low bar. DLO dismount, knee bend in the air, step forward on the landing. 9.800
Finnegan (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, good distance off the table, nails the landing with an arm swing. Jay Clark screaming “LET’S GO” after watching the replay. 9.950
Hollingsworth (AU): blind change to piked Jaeger, lost a little toe point in the air. Good transition to low bar, full twisting double tuck dismount, step back on the landing. 9.775
Drayton (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, slight knee bend in the air, large step forward on the landing. 9.900
Groth (AU): Tkatchev, good catch. Pak salto to low bar, maybe a tiny bit short on the final handstand. Full pirouette to double tuck dismount, small step on the landing. 9.800
Schoenherr (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, good height, knee bend in the air, small step in place to the side on the landing. 9.875
McLaughlin (AU): good opening standing, Maloney to Pak was pretty in the air, nailed the final handstand on the high bar, pirouette to double tuck, stuck. 9.850
K. Johnson (LSU): Just the Yurchenko full today, flares out to get the landing, hop back on the landing. 9.850
Stevens (AU): Tkatchev, just barely got the grip around on the bar, good transition to low bar, slightly piked on the DLO dismount. 9.850
Bryant (LSU): FHS pike half, the fact that this massive PMAC crowd went silent when she started is a testament to her power. Knee bend on the landing and a hop. 9.900
Greaves (AU): Piked Tkatchev to Pak salto, BEAUTIFUL combination! Hop forward on the dismount. Short and sweet and a solid ending to the rotation. 9.800
After 1: LSU 49.475, Auburn 49.100
A little bit of a tough rotation for both teams, even if the scores don’t necessarily reflect it. Besides Finnegan’s stick (with an arm swing), no one on LSU really found a landing on vault. Auburn didn’t score above a 9.850 on bars, but they had better success finding its landings. Moving into rotation 2, both teams will want to settle in and find that momentum they had from last week.
Rotation 2: Auburn vault, LSU bars
Groth (AU): Yurchenko full, good distance and height, small hop back on the landing. 9.750
Jeffrey (LSU): Maloney to bail, good handstand on the low bar. FTDT dismount, lot of height and a deep knee bend, small slide back on the landing. 9.850
Schumaker (AU): Tucked Yurchenko 1.5, could’ve used a little more distance, but good form in the air. Small step forward on the landing. 9.825
Tatum (LSU): Short on the first handstand, caught the Tkatchev at the tip of her grips, Pak salto to low bar was good, FTDT, deep knee bend, small hop. 9.800
Hollingsworth (AU): Yurchenko 1.5, lots of distance and a good pop off the table, little off balance on the landing, takes a step forward, but good difficultly! 9.825
Cowan (LSU): Ray to overshoot, her usual form in transition, DLO dismount, the smallest slide back on the landing. 9.900
Huff (AU): Yurchenko 1.5, some knee issues in the air, good height and distance, stick on the landing! 9.925
K. Johnson (LSU): Nice form on the handstand, Maloney to bail transition very sharp, DLO dismount, hop back on the landing. 9.875
Hubbard (AU): Yurchenko 1.5, a LOT of power off the table, knee bend in the air, large hop forward on the landing. 9.775
Schoenherr (LSU): Blind change to Jaeger, slight arm bend in the catch, bail to handstand was good, double front half dismount with the Tiger claws on the stick. Beautiful routine! 9.925
Stevens (AU): Yurchenko 1.5, good form in the air, small hop forward on the landing. 9.900
Bryant (LSU): Blind change to Jaeger, nice straight arms in the catch, good position after the bail, double front half dismount with the smallest step on the landing. 9.925
After 2: LSU 98.950, Auburn 98.350
The bars judges are officially my favorite because they are actually taking the deductions and not giving into the fans chanting for a 10. Anyway, we had a couple more sticks in this rotation, but neither team has really found a solid rhythm halfway through this meet. Julianne Huff matches a career high on vault with her one-and-a-half, a good sign of things to come for her!
Rotation 3: LSU beam, Auburn floor
Ballard (LSU): BHS LOSO, very confident on that series. Hitting her choreo, sissone to switch half, lacking the tiniest amount of split on the switch half, front toss, small wobble on the landing, but covers it well. RO double full dismount, small step forward on the landing. 9.875
Brusch (AU): Front tuck through to double tuck to open, good control on the lunge back. Leap series well over 180 degrees, double pike to close, lacking just a liiiiittle bit of amplitude, but good control on the landing!
Jeffrey (LSU): Wolf turn to open, Cat leap to switch side, BIG height on the switch side! BHS LOSO, controls it well. Standing front tuck, little low on her chest position, but keeps it up. RO 1.5 dismount, stick.
Hagle (AU): Back 1.5 to front full combo pass to open, nicely done finding her landings. Got the wolf turns with a huge smile after nailing it! Solid double tuck, just opened up a little too early and fell. Auburn will want to drop that score.
McClain (LSU): low beam choreo to open her only event of the night. Switch leap to switch half, good position in the leaps. Front aerial to BHS series, this has really worked for her since the switch. Good control on the full turn. Side aerial, a little off balance but keeps it together. Side gainer full to a stick. 9.975 for the freshman.
Groth (AU): Good control on the front double full. Leap passes were well over 180, Back 1.5 to front layout second pass, good form in the air. Rudi to close, looking really good on floor so far!
K. Johnson (LSU): Following a 9.975 from McClain. Full turn to open, BHS LOSO, good control in the air. Switch leap + switch leap series, nice rise in the second leap. Front toss, solid. Oh, she’s going for it here. RO double full dismount. And there goes my eardrums.
McLaughlin (AU): Three more hits to avoid counting a fall. Back 1.5 to front layout, almost sat down the front layout but keeps it upright. This is probably my favorite routine from Auburn so far! Double pike to close, nice landing and good control.
9.950 for Kiya Johnson. The disdain in the crowd was very obvious.
Bryant (LSU): Front aerial to BHS series, her usual. Switch leap to straddle quarter, good toe point in the straddle quarter, full turn was good. Standing front tuck, much better than last week where she got the 10. Rudi to dismount, slightly off balance, but when has that ever stopped PMAC judges from throwing scores? 9.950
Stevens (AU): Front layout to front 1.5 to open, nice form in the twists. Front aerial to one knee, the Stevens, double tuck second pass, good amplitude in the air, nice control in the lunge back.
Finnegan (LSU): Tigers currently at 49.675 before Finnegan. BHS layout layout series, spot on. Switch leap to split jump, nice rise and toe point. Front aerial, nailed it. Side gainer full, lean on the stick. She tried to hold it! Shouldn’t be a 10, but will be a good score.
Hollingsworth (AU): Need a hit to drop Hagle’s fall. Solid opening pass, lot of difficulty and she nailed it. Nice toe point in the leap series. Front tuck through to double tuck, nice high chest and solid landing. Hagle’s score is dropped.
After 3: LSU 148.675, Auburn 147.650
LSU ties a program record on balance beam with a 49.725, with the last five scores being 9.925 or higher. Auburn had a fabulous floor rotation, hitting its highest event total of the night and dropping an early fall in the rotation. Shaping up to be a great finish to the battle of the Tigers!
Rotation 4: Auburn beam, LSU floor
Zancan (AU): Showing off her flexibility in her mount, WOW. BHS LOSO, solid. Switch leap to switch half, great rise in the switch half. RO 1.5 to dismount, several big steps back but keeps it on her feet.
Ballard (LSU): Back in after a week off. DLO to open, nails the landing. Back 1.5 to front layout second pass, nice timing on the punch. Switch ring to switch half, lacked a tiny tiny amount of split on the switch half. Double pike to close, step out of bounds. Still smiling while hitting the griddy.
Brusch (AU): Full turn to open, good control. BHS LOSO, small balance check but keeps it on the beam. Switch leap to straddle quarter, good toe point in the leaps. Solid landing.
Looks like we might have an inquiry on Ballard’s floor?
Drayton (LSU): DLO to open, nice control on the landing. Front tuck through to double tuck second pass, good amplitude in the air. Switch ring to switch half leap pass to close it out. Very nicely done!
Hollingsworth (AU): Low beam choreo to open, BHS LOSO, nice. Switch half to split jump, good 180 in the position on the leaps. BHS gainer full dismount, hop back on the landing.
KJ Johnson (LSU): Full in to open, the smallest slide of the front foot. Back 1.5 to front layout, step forward slightly out of control. Switch side to Popa, good rise in the splits. Double tuck to close, a solid routine for her! The roof is going to end up coming off of this place and taking my hearing with it.
Groth (AU): Solid on her series, Switch leap to switch half, really starting to find her rhythm on this event. Full turn, nice and controlled. Cartwheel to gainer full dismount, stuck. Dismounts struggles look to be a thing of the past, good for her!
Finnegan (LSU): Double arabian to stag jump to open, spot on. Switch ring to tour jete half, her switch ring is so good omg. 2.5 twist to front tuck to end it and her teammates go crazy! Probably her best routine of the season.
Stevens (AU): Low beam choreo to open, BHS LOSO series and Finnegan gets a 10 while Stevens is on the beam. Hits her named element while the PMAC crowd is screaming. RO 1.5, small hop forward.
Bryant (LSU): Well. This oughta be fun now. FHS Double front to open, step back on the landing. Switch leap to switch full, the height in her leaps is insane in person. Front layout to Rudi to close, smallest shuffle of the feet on her landing. She’s had minor struggles tonight, but it doesn’t take away from her ability as an incredible gymnast!
McLaughlin (AU): Low choreo to open, BHS LOSO, good. Beat jump to aerial to split jump, slight wobble after the aerial but keeps it on. Switch leap to straddle quarter, nice position. Gainer pike to close. Auburn will drop Zancan’s beam and break 197.
Dunne (LSU): Lineup change, in for Kiya Johnson. Will see if I can find out what’s up in postmeet. Front tuck through to double tuck, nice control in the landing. Switch leap to switch ring half, a little stutter step out of the switch ring. Beautiful toe point in the leg up turn. Double pike to close, smallest hop in place.
FINAL: LSU 198.300, Auburn 197.100
LSU goes 198 again while Auburn fights its way to another 197! For the record, LSU intended to file an inquiry on Ballard’s floor, but did not go through. Overall, a solid meet for both teams and a score that should be NQS friendly moving foward.
VT: Finnegan (LSU), 9.950
UB: Bryant (LSU), Schoenherr (LSU) – 9.925
BB: McClain (LSU) – 9.975
FX: Finnegan (LSU) – 10.000
AA: Bryant (LSU) – 39.700
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Live blog by Savanna Wellman
