This Friday brings us an interesting battle of the cats as the BYU Cougars travel to Lexington to challenge the Kentucky Wildcats. BYU has been consistently scoring in the low 196s, but with a large variety of scores on each event week to week. The Cougars will need to put their best meet of the season together if they want to challenge Kentucky. Aside from this meet, BYU also has a chance to get a nice score for NQS and move itself out of the play-in meet zone for regionals. Watch for Sydney Benson and Kylie Eaquinto to be important contributors on three events.
Kentucky is putting together its best season in program history, led by fifth-year Raena Worley, who has notched two perfect 10s on floor so far this season. In this home meet, the Wildcats are looking to finally break 198.000 after scoring 197.500+ in three of the past four meets. In order to do so, Kentucky will need to rebound on beam after a rough showing last week. Questions also linger after Bailey Bunn was spotted in a boot last week. Hopefully both of these teams can put up big showings tonight!
Rotation 1: Kentucky VT, BYU UB
Rodriguez (UK): yfull, great distance, larger hop
Benson (BYU): Excellent amplitude on the Tkatchev, flexed feet, good final hs, double layout is stuck 9.750
Rizo (UK): Yfull, great block off the table. Almost holds the stuck, but has to take a step
Also, an FYI that my internet is SO LAGGY right now, so there may be some missed pieces
Mason (BYU): Just caught the double layout, with a hop forward
Patterson (UK): Front hand pike half, stuck! Keep her legs together until the very end, great vault.
Hunter-Kempler (BYU): Nice hs, Tkatchev. Next hs is good, Bail is clean, no leg separation. Double layout with a step, nice routine
Magnelli (UK): Front hand front pike half, little hop back. Good in the air
Eaquinto (BYU): Nice hs, Maloney, Pak, nice leg positions. Another great hs, double layout is stuck. Nice routine!
Worley (UK): Yurchenko 1.5, crossover step forward, a touch of bent knees in the air.
Alvarado (BYU): Good hs, Maloney, Pak, small leg separation on Maloney. Pirouette is a touch off center. Full twisting double layout with a small hop, good set.
Wilson (UK):Front hand pike half, nice vault, but doesn’t get the stick today. Step back and a smidge crooked.
Bramblett (BYU): Short on the first handstand, Ray looked great but couldn’t catch. No problem, the first five routines were solid. Retries, another fall. Skips to the dismount, double lay with a hop.
After 1: Kentucky 49.325 BYU 49.200
After one Kentucky leads by a little over a tenth. The Wildcats only got one stick on vault today from Patterson, keeping them to “only” a 49.325. BYU looked solid on bars, for a nice 49.200! I was really impressed by the amplitude on the single bar releases, and with a few more sticks this rotation could score really well for the Cougars. Onto the next!
Rotation 2: BYU VT, Kentucky UB
Jorgensen (BYU): Missed this because of internet…..
Davis (UK): Came in half way through, Jaeger looks good, bail was okay, double layout without a step 9.850
Dudley (BYU): yfull, hop forward and chest low, not her best block
Rizo (UK): Short hs, Jaeger is excellent. Another short hs, bail is good. Double layout is stuck with a little bit of leg separation. 9.850
Earl (BYU): Yurchenko half, hop forward, a touch of bent knees, but a great block.
Riegert (UK): Good hs, another really nice Jaeger, was super off on the bail, but pulled it back with a relatively small break/arch. Double layout is stuck, nice one. Another 9.850
Mason (BYU): Yfull is stuck! A touch of piking at the end but nice distance. 9.850
Rodriguez (UK): Good hs, Tkatchev. Nice hs, bail is clean. Double layout is stuck, great routine. 9.900
Benson (BYU): Best yfull yet, just a hop back, really nice block
Bunn (UK): Oh yay! She’s back, huge for Kentucky. Jaeger is clean, nice hs. No problems on the bail. Double layout, stuck but with a super squatty landing. Not sure if that’s related to the ankle injury or just a fluke 9.850
Eaquinto (BYU): Yfull, another really nice block, just a hop back.
Worley (UK): Good hs, love the toepoint on her Tkatchev, Pak tiniest leg separation there, not sure if it’s visible from judges angle. Nice final hs, FTDT is stuck. Great routine! 10.000!
After 2: Kentucky 98.775 BYU 98.300
After a solid bar rotation capped off by Worley’s 10.000, the Wildcats extend their leads to almost five tenths. While Kentucky put up a great 49.450 on bars, it could gain a few tenths back with sharper handstands and landings from a few. BYU was solid on vault putting up a 49.100, while it lacks 10.000 starts, the Yurchenko fulls at the end of that lineup are truly stellar. Halfway through!
Also Bailey Bunn being back is a big deal for Kentucky, interested to see if she’s back on beam or just bars for today.
Rotation 3: Kentucky BB, BYU FX
Rodriguez (UK): Switch leap, split jump, good positions. Bhs, bhs, loso big wobble, leg up but stays on, good save. Full turn, small check. Front toss with a quarter turn, another check. Back 1.5 is stuck, fought it, but a routine Kentucky wants to drop. 9.675
Millar-Crossman (BYU): Double tuck, stuck landing with her chest up, nice! Switch side 3/4, Popa, lacking split a little bit on the first leap. Front lay, front fulll, slightly deep landing. 9.775
Brose (UK): Front tuck, amazing, so secure. Front toss, bhs slow connection but no worries. Switch leap, beat jump. Full turn. Back 1.5 with a hop. Solid routine from the freshman 9.800!
Matern (BYU): Front double full, good rotation, small leg separation. Back 1.5, front lay. Switch ring, wolf jump full, lacking some ring position. Rudi with a hop. 9.800
Rizo (UK): Candle mount. Bhs, loso, small hip check. Bhs swing down. Front aerial, beat jump. Back 1.5, tries to hold the stick but takes a step back 9.800
Dudley (BYU): Double layout, chest a smidge low but nice position in the air. Switch side, wolf full. Front full, front lay, great rise on the front layout. Double tuck, stuck and chest up. Nice routine!
Patterson (UK): Full turn. Bhs loso, really clean. Front aerial, split jump nice positions. Switch side, no problems. Gainer pike with a hop 9.900
Schooley (BYU): Switch side half. Front full, layout, small leg separation. Switch ring, switch side. Double tuck, nice amplitude but steps OOB. 9.700
Worley (UK): Cat leap, switch side no issues. Front aerial, bhs loso. Full turn. Back 1.5, step forward 9.875
Jorgensen (BYU): Double pike, chest low on the landing. Switch side, wolf full, wolf full. Rudi. Back 1.5, front lay, a bit low and arched on the front lay.
Magnelli (UK): Bhs, loso, loso, right on. Swtich leap, straddle quarter, excellent split positions. Front aerial, saves a check with an arm wave. Full turn. Gainer pike, stuck! Nice routine 9.95
Bensen (BYU): Double tuck, nice lift, controlled landing. Switch half, popa, good straddle position. Front lay, front full. Double pike, stuck with chest up, good control.
After 3: Kentucky 148.100, BYU 147.275
After a wobbly lead off, the Wildcats posted five solid routines to score 49.325 on beam, led by Magnelli’s anchor 9.950. The lineup is still feeling the absence of Bunn a little bit, but much better than last week. BYU failed to break 49.000 on floor after a few short landings and short leaps, but is still above 196.000 pace going into the last rotation!
Rotation 4: BYU BB, Kentucky FX
Mason (BYU): Full turn, small check. Bhs, loso good. Cat leap side aerial. Switch leap, split jump, flexed back foot. Double twist with a hop. 9.800
Rodriguez (UK): Front double full, well controlled. Switch ring, tour jete half, nice splits. Double tuck, good. Back 1.5, front half, straddle jump. Great start 9.850
Raesly-Patton (BYU): Front aerial, split jump, slow connection but kept it moving. Switch leap, split jump nice. Bhs loso, big leg up check but saves it. Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.550
Wilson (UK): Back 1.5, front lay, good layout positions. Switch side, wolf 1.5, a little messy on the wolf jump. Front tuck through to double tuck, good. 9.925
Millar-Crossman (BYU): Bhs loso, solid. Full turn. Cat leap, switch half, balance check. Beat jump, split half, nice. Front full stuck, nice set. 9.800
Magenelli (UK): Rudi, loso, a little crooked on the Rudi. Switch side, Popa, nice positions. Double pike well controlled, should be another big score. 9.925
Margraf (BYU): Front aerial, back tuck, secure. Cat leap, front toss, works through a check. Switch leap, split jump, low back leg on the leap. Front full dismount is stuck. 9.875
Davis (UK): Double pike, lunge is on the larger size, nice amplitude. Switch side 3/4, Popa, good. Back 1.5, front lay excellent amplitude. Double tuck, really well controlled. 9.900
Rollins (BYU): Switch leap, straddle quarter. Front aerial, bhs, loso. Full turn. Bhs gainer full stuck! Excellent
Brose (UK): Double pike, nice landing position. Tour jete half, wolf full. Love how she performs this routine. Front full, front lay is good. Stuck front double full to finish! Fantastic, 9.950 setting Worley up for another big score.
Anderson (BYU): bhs loso, secure. Beat jump, straddle half, works through a check. Full turn. Cat leap, side aerial. Bhs, gainer full with a step, Good end to the rotation.
Worley (UK): Full in well controlled. Switch ring, Switch side, nice splits. Front full, front lay, holds the landing before taking the step. Double tuck, step back, excellent as always. 9.975
FINAL: Kentucky 197.775, BYU 196.600
Kentucky gets the win and posts a nice 197.775, still missing that elusive 198.000. The Wildcats should be especially pleased with their beam performance after last week’s struggles. Also a casual 39.750 in the all around for Worley after another stellar night and her first 10.000 on bars! BYU also scored a season high and posted a really impressive 49.325 on beam, this score will serve BYU well as NQS starts soon, and hopefully the Cougars can build off this meet as the season continues.
VT: Ariana Patterson 9.925
UB: Raena Worley 10.000
BB: Isabella Magnelli 9.950
FX: Raena Worley 9.975
AA: Raena Worley 39.750
READ THIS NEXT: Questions, Comments, Concerns: Week 5
Live blog by Rebecca Williams
Any word on why no Mackenzie Wilson vault? Is she injured.