Welcome to a WIAC conference show down on this fine Friday night. Winona State enters this competition coming off its second-best showing of the year last weekend at home. Watch out for the all-around dynamic duo of Jessica Miley and Bryce Stoltz. Meanwhile UW-La Crosse has gotten over 193 two weeks in a row, one at home and another on the road. Needless to say, the Eagles are on the rise. The team has a strong sense of leadership and plenty of returners leading the way to one of the best first halves of any season.Will UWL keep the streak going this week? More importantly, is this the year that the team will contend for the conference and national titles? In my opinion, neither are off the table. Also, can we talk about 19 athletes competing for La Crosse last weekend? Never have I ever known this to happen for a team on any given weekend, but as a fan, I love more athletes getting a competitive opportunity. Anyway, let’s get this show on the road.
Rotation 1: UW-La Crosse VT, Winona State UB
We’re getting a view of the intro video for La Crosse on the jumbotron. We love to see it. I am a little overstimulated by hearing the in-arena commentator as well as the broadcast commentator talking at the same time.
Nifty to play Oh Canada for those athletes representing Canada this evening.
Kehr (UWL): Yurchenko tuck full has great amplitude, but she couldn’t quite control it. Medium step back. Shaping was spot on in the air.
I really wish I could see bars. Double tuck looked stuck for Magierka. I caught a swing half that I’m assuming was into her transition to low. 9.400
Pastore (UWL): Yurchenko layout half, pretty low, very little block. DEEP squat and several steps, crossed over the side over the OOB line.
Sampson (WSU): Blind, Jaeger is missed. Great shaping, just a hair too far today. Toe on front tuck to finish the set with a pace forward. 8.500
Millington (UWL): Yurchenko tuck full, with a step back. Turned a touch early on the table, but great pop off and chest up on the landing.
I’m getting upset. It would be so easy to move the camera an inch to the right so bars was visible.
Wood (UWL): Yurchenko layout full. Great block and shaping in the air. A step with a slide back. 9.725
Roth (WSU): Blind full to double tuck with a medium step back. Looked like she had to remount after her release there, so Winona will be counting a fall. 8.125
Breckwoldt (UWL): Yurchenko layout full, pretty slow off the table. Low on the landing with a step forward. 9.525
Stoltz (WSU): Swing half, Tkatchev. Perfect technique. Close on the pak.
Chesley (UWL): Yurchenko layout half. A little piked at the end for the landing. A step to the side. 9.750
Mitchell (UWL ex): Yurchenko tuck full, slightly staggered in the air with her legs, but great pop off the table. Just a step back. 9.550
Bateman (WSU): Blind, piked Jaeger to overshoot. Great connection there. So difficult. Stuck dismount right out of the clouds. Awesome set for the Warriors! So impressed. 9.525
Best (UWL ex): Yurchenko layout with a minimum 3 tenth hop back. Bring on the upgrade. So much power.
Miley (WSU): Maloney. Probably will get some minor deductions on the back swing. Blind full, to overshoot. Some legs in the air. Toe pike half! So good! Just a step back. 9.600
Phillips (WSU ex): Swing half, Gienger. That was so pretty in the air, but she didn’t quite get her dowel over the bar, so she peeled off at the bottom. Overshoot. Should’ve been a connection I presume. Double tuck was nice and powerful with the chest up, just a hop in place. 8.225
Peters (WSU ex): Toe up to high bar. Clear hip, swing half to overshoot. Loose in the back on the catch. Hit the last HS. Blind full, double tuck. A step to the side on the landing.
AFTER ONE: UW-La Crosse 48.350, Winona State 45.475
I really wish I had a better picture of what happened on bars for Winona. The last two routines viewers saw were great, but the team will end up counting a couple falls which will impact the overall team score. The Warriors have some potential, but they are still trying to put the consistency piece together. La Crosse having seven solid twisting vaults in the arsenal seems to be panning out well for the Eagles. The team left some landing deductions on the table and still pulled out an excellent team total heading into bars.
Rotation 2: Winona State VT, UW-La Crosse UB
Go WSU vault. Go Jessi Miley. 9.575
Best (UWL): Maloney, to overshoot. Bent arms on the catch. Nearly missed that one. Toe up to high, powerful. Under on the last HS. Double layout was short with a step forward. 9.350. Too high in my opinion, but no one asked me.
Go WSU vault. Go Aspen Peters. 9.450
Go WSU vault. Go Bryce Stoltz. 9.675
Barker (UWL): Swing half, Gienger, overshoot. So smooth. Short on last HS. Blind full, double tuck with a bounding lunge forward. She didn’t seem to expect the floor just yet. 9.325
Go WSU vault. Go Mady Diskerud. 9.600
Janssen (UWL): Blind, Jaeger. Such a pretty toe point. Overshoot, a touch short of HS. Blind full, double tuck. Nearly stuck. Just adjusted the foot. 9.575
Go WSU vault. Go Kaelyn Duman. 9.325
Okay. Can we talk about how Winona is quietly slaying on vault?
Robins (UWL): Blind full to Tkatchev. She is a powerful bar swinger, but just missed the release today. Overshoot, a little tentative. Short last HS. Blind full to double tuck with a medium step back. That will be the score to drop for the Eagles.
We missed Kropiwiec on vault as well, but she typically performs a Yurchenko tuck full.
Main (UWL): Blind, piked Jaeger. Lines on point. Overshoot a touch loose. Blind full was so slow. Barely got her hand around in time for the dismount. Double tuck held on too long and had to sit it down. Welp. The Eagles will be counting a fall tonight. That’s unfortunate.
Chesley (UWL): Tkatchev. Ginormous. Right to HS. Overshoot toe hand. She is making this look so effortless. Double layout, just a small foot adjustment. Great set for the senior! 9.750
Walter (UWL ex): Blind, piked Jaeger. Pretty close on the catch. Had to take an extra swing before the kip. Clear hip, overshoot. She has a nice line on this event. Double tuck had an early release point, so she compensated by pulling too hard, sat it down. 8.600
Mitchell (UWL): Blind, piked Jaeger. Some knees. Overshoot. Blind full, double tuck with a step back. Good set from her. Some missed handstands in there, but overall a strong set to build confidence. 9.225
AFTER TWO: UW-La Crosse 95.525, Winona State 93.175
47.700 team total on vault for Winona ties for its best event total on the year. It’s casual. Is it unfortunate that the camera caught none of it? Yes, but such is life. Although UWL had to count a fall on bars, the team overall had a strong showing. The rotation left me wishing for a few more sharp handstands, but otherwise the bars team is on the right track. Onto rotation three!
Rotation 3: UW-La Crosse BB, Winona State FX
Halcom (UWL): Looking confident. BHS LOSO, she just jumped off. That’s not the ideal way to start the rotation. Front aerial to beat. Split, split 3/4. On the money. Punch front full with a jump forward. Well, pressure is on the rest of the lineup to avoid counting a fall on beam tonight.
Robins (UWL): BHS LOSO. Oh yeah! Sharp arms. Switch leap, straddle 3/4. Slight foot adjustment. Front toss. Low on the amplitude, a leg up wobble. Kept it moving. RO back 1.5 is stuck. Way to finish. Way to bring it back after the fall, especially for a freshman. 9.750 is too high, but do what you gotta do.
Hautala (UWL): BHS LOSO. Small foot adjustment. So calm. Cat leap, side aerial, not quite enough push, but managed. Pike jump, leg up and a fall on the twisting jump connection. Gainer full, a deep landing with a hop forward. 8.775
Zepeda (UWL): BHS LOSO, a little step back with a lean. Switch leap, split 3/4. Adjustment of the feet. She has lovely beam hands. Is that weird to say. Hitch kick side aerial. Lovely. Gainer full with a medium hop forward. Wanted the landing too badly. 9.525
Christenson (UWL): BHS BHS LOSO. Right on. Switch leap, switch leap. She’s in there. Flash the L, I guess. A moon walk? Georgia? Is that you? Back 1.5 to dismount with a hop forward. UWL has some BEAMERS in its freshman class? 9.825
Dickson (UWL): Another set of pretty beam dance incoming. BHS LOSO. Held onto that lunge for no wobble. Front aerial. Around the side, but held it with grace. Switch leap, switch half. She is on tonight. My word. Gainer pike, looked like a baby step/hop to me? Maybe a stick. Nonetheless, that was an amazing set. Following a 9.825 should help this routine’s scoring potential…9.700. Not my favorite. Adjusted to a 9.750, but still.
Matulka (UWL ex): BHS BHS LOSO. A little lean, but held on like a veteran. Switch leap, straddle 1/4. Some foot form. Back 1.5 with a pace forward to finish. 9.625. Kind of hurts to have that in exhibition when counting a fall…
Breckwoldt (UWL ex): A lean forward on the straddle 1/4. BHS LOSO. So meticulous with that execution. Switch leap, switch half, split jump. Not quite 180 on the switch half. Gainer pike off the end. 9.700.
9.750 for Taryn Sellner in the anchor spot for Winona!!!
McSweeney (WSU ex): Double tuck. Chest a touch down, but played it off well. Switch half, wolf 1.5. Actually around. So much bonus in that leap connection. Front full, front tuck. Such awkward timing on the punch. Not sure what happened there, but no way to save that pass.
Roth (WSU ex): Rudi to split jump. Some bounding out of it. Tour jete half, popa. Not quite all the way around on the straddle full. Back 1.5 to front layout. A little under, so had to take the step back. Fun routine for her!
AFTER THREE: UW-La Crosse 143.400, Winona State 138.750
UWL beam was the story of highs and lows. While the team had to count a fall on the event, the bright spots were shining with Dickson and Christenson closing things out. Can we also talk about the stellar exhibition routines? The future is bright for Eagle beam.
Rotation 4: Winona State BB, UW-La Crosse FX
Breckwoldt (UWL): Okay. Sassy to start. A dancer. Front lay, front full. A little deep in the lunge. Switch half, wolf 1.5. A little slow on getting the feet back down. Double tuck. Chest a touch down with a larger lunge out. 9.650
Best (UWL): Back 1.5 to front lay, with a hop to manage. Could’ve had more amplitude. Switch leap, tour jete half. A pony tail swirl. Double tuck. Chest a touch down. Managed well. 9.675
Dickson (UWL): Loving this switch up of music and dance style. So lovely. Shows off her lines and toe point. Rudi to split jump, held that heel up to keep it in bounds. LOSO for the back skill requirement. Front lay, front full. Danced right out. Switch straddle 1/2 to straddle. Not quite clean in the turn positioning. 9.750
Robins (UWL): Back 1.5 to front layout. Great punch off the floor. Switch side half with a straddle jump. Double tuck. Excellent power. Just a little slide into the lunge. Chest nice and high.
Lansing (UWL): Switch side half. Great amplitude on that. Front full, front lay. Excellent in the air. This seems like a very photographable routine. Switch side, popa. Slow on the legs on the that. Double pike. Excellent finish. Yes ma’am. No need for finishing music. 9.875. A new personal best on senior night!
Taylor (UWL): Front full, front layout. Good shape in the air. Switch side half, straddle jump. Best one of those so far in this lineup. Double tuck. Just pulled it around. Managed well. 9.850
UWL floor went CRAZY!
Barker (UWL ex): Front lay, Rudi. Chest a touch down. Such a hard connection pass. Tour jete half, wolf full. Slow on the legs. A cartwheel. Double tuck. Chest a touch forward.
Matulka (UWL ex): Back 2.5 twist. OMG. Was not expecting that. Loved it. Tour jete half, straddle 1.5-ish. Back 1.5 to front full. Some leg crossing. A little creepy dance to finish. Yay.
Walter (UWL ex): Okay. So this is a for-funsies routine that will not be scored. This is my favorite senior night tradition in all of NCAA, FYI.
Wood (UWL ex): No tumbling today, and I am eating this dance through up. A queen. Why was she not in the Superbowl halftime show? Asking for a friend.
Final: UW-La Crosse 192.375, Winona State 186.975
While La Crosse counted some mistakes tonight, it still came away with a solid team number that would be worthy of competing with the top teams in the DIII country. Hopefully the team will get the bumps out of the way heading into conference championships in just a couple weeks.
AA Winner: Bryce Stoltz (Winona State), 37.525
VT Winner: Rachel Chesley (UW-La Crosse), 9.750
UB Winner: Rachel Chesley (UW-La Crosse), 9.750
BB Winner: Raina Christenson (UW-La Crosse), 9.825
FX Winner: Caelen Lansing (UW-La Crosse), 9.875
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