Happy meet day! Today the LIU sharks will host three of the Ivies in a fun quad! This meet could be an evenly matched one, and every routine is going to make a big impact.
The host LIU sharks are competing after a few off meets. They scored two 192.500s in a row, and last week was especially rough on bars. After a 4.300 from AnnaLisa Page, LIU had to count two scores in the 8.000 range. But if the Sharks can pull it together on bars and the stars like Syd Morris and Alina Danilchenko can keep excelling, LIU could get back on track.
Next we have a Brown team that’s on the rise. They’re coming off a season-high 194.700, and there’s still potential to grow. If the Bears could get rid of some 9.400s on bars, that score could be in the 195 range soon, especially if the floor team can keep putting up big scores.
Next is Cornell. Similar to LIU, last week was a tough bar day for Cornell. It had to count two scores in the 8.700 range. But beam is a big event for Cornell, and if bars and beam can hit at the same time, those low-192 scores may be in the past.
Finally, we have Penn, the last Ivy team in today’s quad. Penn has been fairly inconsistent this year–it’s mostly scored 195s–but it has a couple of 192s, 193s, and 194s sprinkled throughout. Last week was one of the most put-together meets, with no scores below a 9.000 on any event. Sure, there were some misses here and there, but the Quakers didn’t have to count a score below 9.550. If Penn could manage to have one less miss on each event, its score could go up quite a bit!
Rotation 1: LIU VT, Cornell UB, Penn BB, Brown FX
first gymnast from Brown): Starts out with a front layout to Rudi, good form and control on the landing. Switch ring to switch half was good, nice flexibility on both. Next pass is a double tuck, her chest may have been a tad low on the landing, but overall that was a fantastic leadoff!
Danilchenko (LIU): Tucked Yurchenko full, chest was a bit low on the landing and she took a step.
Tehrani (Cornell): Starts on the high bar swith a free hip to Geinger to bail combination, some leg separation throughout. Nice double layout, great form and she sticks it! Page (LIU): Yurchenko full, some piked hips throughout and takes a step.
Xing (Brown): First pass is a whip to an open double tuck, she kept that front foot down but was quick to her lunge. Switch side to Popa, lacking a bit of flexibility there. Last pass is a double pike, she jumps to her lunge but not too crazy.
Rothstein (Cornell): Mounts on the high bar, swing half to Geinger, the Geinger was low and close to the bar. Nice shootover, a bit short of handstand. A little short on her last handstand. Super straight double layout to finish up and she takes a small step.
Ricketts (LIU): Nice high Yurchenko full, great body position and a shuffle on the landing. Yang (Brown): Really nice high double pike to start out, great form and great control. Switch ring to switch ring half, great positions on both. Next is a back 1.5 to front layout, good form on that as well.
Fall for Lauren Miller (LIU) on vault
Belkoff (Penn): Flic flic lay series to start, very solid on the landing. Switch leap to sheep jump, some bent knees on the leap. Roundoff 1.5 to finish up and takes a decent hop forward.
Bixler (LIU): Yurchenko layout, a bit archy and she sticks it. Marcus (Brown): First pass is a nice double tuck, great control on the lunge out of it. Good switch half. Back 1.5 to front layout, then finishes with a switch half Popa Popa, a bit shy of 180 on each element.
Fall for Penn on beam
Bedell (Brown): Starts out with a nice full in, great heigh and she jumps to her lunge. Tour jete half to Popa, great positions throughout. Front tuck through to a super high double tuck, much better control on that landing. Finishes up with switch leap into some more dance.
Another fall for Penn on beam
Sollija-Farrell
(Brown): Nice double tuck, a little unsure on the landing and takes a small step forward. Front handspring front layout front full, takes a small hop sideways. Really nice switch half Popa Popa, shows off some great flexibility. Finishes with a a 2.5, she must’ve landed weird because she is down and hasn’t stood back up. She’s grabbing at her knee, hopefully she’s ok.
After 1: Brown 49.250, LIU 48.450, Cornell 48.300, Penn 48.025
The first rotation is in the books! Brown showed out on floor and put up a huge 49.250, but Asta Sollija-Farrell seemed to be injured at the end of her routine. LIU had a fall on vault, which led to counting a 9.625 from a Yurchenko layout from Cael Bixler. Cornell hit bars, but was just unable to capitalize on landings on handstands. Penn had to count a fall on beam and is now in last place by a couple tenths.
Rotation 2: Brown VT, LIU UB, Cornell BB, Penn FX
Walton (Cornell): Flic lay, some bent knees throughout. Split three quarter was nice. Cat leap to side aerial. Beat jump to straddle three quarter. Finishes with a gainer pike and takes a small step back.
Hinson (LIU): Mounts on the high bar and is a little archy on the first handstand. Nice blind into a Jaeger, looks like she was supposed to connect it to her bail but she took an extra swing. Blind full into a double tuck with a step. Good bounce back from the misstep!
Xing (Brown): Yurchenko full, her hands looked really far back on the table but it didn’t seem to effect her. Good form and a hop back on the landing.
Stone (Cornell): Roundoff layout step out and she falls. Switch leap to split jump, shy of 180 on both. Cat leap to side aerial, small wobble but nothing major. Roundoff 1.5 dismount, takes a step back on the landing.
Bedell (Brown): Yurchenko full, she flared it out and took a tiny hop back.
(Cornell): Side aerial to roundoff combination was good. Switch leap to switch half to beat jump to sissone. A bit shy of 180 on some of those leaps. Nice wolf turn. Gainer pike to dismount and takes a step back.
Kerico (Penn): Starts with a back 1.5 to front layout, good form throughout and a nice landing. Gorgeous switch side to straddle half, great flexibility on the switch side especially. Next is a high double tuck, a bit underrotated and takes a step forward.
Carraro (LIU): Starts on the low bar and does a beautiful Maloney to Pak combination, that Pak is so high. Nails that last handstand, and sticks the blind full to double tuck! That was a fantastic routine!
Bixler (LIU): Mounts on the high bar and hits that handstand. Blind to a really nice Jaeger to bail combination, great form throughout. Hits that last handstand, blind full to a double tuck that was kind of low but she managed to only take a step on the landing.
S. Kenefick (Penn): First pass is a beautiful 2.5 to front tuck, great form and good control on that landing. Switch side through to a Popa Popa combination, good flexibility. Wow, super high front double full, that went really high and the form was great. Great routine for Penn!
Beers (Cornell): Cat leap to front toss to beat jump, super solid, no wobbles at all. Gorgeous flic lay, again that was super solid. Switch leap to split half, a bit shy of 180 on the jump. Really nice outside full turn. Finishes with a stuck side gainer full, great routine for Cornell!
Lassiter (Penn): Front full front full, she has some bent knees there. Next is a double pike, she kind of slides back on that landing but stays in bounds. Switch side to straddle half was good, really nice straddle positions.
Fall for Cornell on beam
Davis (Penn): Nice double pike, she slides back but hangs on and stays in bounds. Next is a front layout front full, really nice height and much better control on that landing. Nice tour jete half to Popa, great extension on the tour jete half. Finishes up with a really good double tuck, great height and her most controlled landing of the routine.
After 2: Brown 97.900, Penn 97.250, LIU 97.150, Cornell 95.700
They did it! The Sharks put together a full bar rotation with no falls! It was a shaky rotation for sure but every gymnast for LIU stayed on the bars. Vault was good for Brown, the Bears showed some high-flying vaults. Penn had some really nice floor routines with great tumbling and great landings. Beam hasn’t been kind tonight, and Cornell was also forced to count a fall. Will LIU break the cycle next rotation when it goes to beam? We’ll have to see.
Rotation 3: Penn VT, Brown UB, LIU BB, Cornell FX
DeFrancisco (Cornell): Starts with a nice double tuck, great height. Nice switch side to straddle jumps, very clearly hits 180. I believe she did another jump but I missed it. Front full front layout, good form and kind of a big lunge but stays in bounds.
Fall for Brown on bars
(Penn): Nice Yurchenko full, great position at the beginning but pikes it down a bit and takes a smalll step on the landing.
Whitaker (Cornell): Starts off with a front layout to a super high Rudi to double stag, but she jumps out of bounds. Nice roundoff layout stepout. Switch half to tuck 1.5. Next pass is a Rudi to wolf jump, much better control on that pass
Kerico (Penn): Really high Yurchenko full, slightly pikes it down and hops back.
Another fall for Brown on bars
Barrow (Penn): Yurchenko full, much straighter than the rest and hops back
Bills-McCoy (LIU): Flic flic lay, really bent legs throughout but a solid landing. Split jump to double stag. Cartwheel with a decent sized wobble. Dismounts with a front full, I can’t tell if it was supposed to be tucked or laid out but she had a good landing.
Brown (Brown): Starts on the low bar with a Maloney to Pak combination, she looked a bit far on the Pak but it was no problem. A bit short on the last handstand and takes a small step on the blind full double tuck.
Beers (Cornell): First pass is a front tuck through to double pike, a tiny lack of control getting into her lunge but she covers it well. Switch half Popa Popa was good. Did her hand go out of bounds on her dance? Oh I sure hope not that would be sad. Finishes up with a double tuck and she sticks it cold! She got a 9.925 and the team is super excited!
Another fall for Brown on bars
Walsh (Cornell): Front tuck through to a double tuck, a bit low on the landing but stays on her feet. Super high double pike and she stumbles out of bounds. I missed the leap pass because I was watching Morris, but what I saw was good.
Morris (LIU): Switch leap to a gorgeous pike jump, so high. Flic lay, absolutely beautiful form and a solid landing. Solid side sumi. Pike jump half was awesome. And they stick the roundoff double full! The team is chanting for a 10 and we may see it. 9.925
Ricketts (LIU): Front aerial to start out, takes a step back but nothing major. Beautiful flic lay, she has great form and it’s very floaty. Switch leap switch leap to a split jump, great flexibility and control. Small wobble on the full turn. Finishes with a back handspring to tucked 1.5 and she sticks it!
After 3: LIU 146.100, Penn 145.975, Brown 144.925, Cornell 143.900
Well, beam has been tough tonight but LIU was tougher. The Sharks put up six hit beam routines including a stellar 9.925 from Syd Morris. Brown had a tough bar rotation, it had to count two falls and has dropped down to third place. Cornell had some great floor routines, it did have one fall from Caitlyn Walsh, but the rest of the lineup had her back and the Bears did not have to count her score.
Rotation 4: Cornell VT, Penn UB, Brown BB, LIU FX
Walsh (Cornell): Yurchenko layout, some flexed feet and a step back on the landing.
Danilchenko (LIU): First pass is a front tuck through to double pike and she hops forward on the landing. Switch ring to switch full was very pretty, very nice form. Another switch ring to leg up full jump. Next is a double pike, she was pretty low on the landing and may have taken a fall but either way it was a big step forward.
Brady (Cornell): Yurchenko half and she sits it down, that’s a shame her form was nice.
McKeown (Brown): Nice flic lay, some soft knees but a very solid landing. Straddle jump to straddle quarter was good. Side aerial, her chest is low and she wobbles but stays on. Cat leap to switch side. Finishes with a back handspring side gainer full and she sticks it.
Page (LIU): First pass is a very floaty front layout front full, maybe the tiniest shuffle on the landing there. Switch side to Popa is good, maybe a tiny bit shy of 180. Really nice double tuck, very good height but her front foot shuffles in place on the landing. Switch side to Shushunova was good.
Beers (Cornell): Really nice Yurchenko full, good body position in the air and she stuck it!
Paris (Penn): Starts on the low bar with a short handstand. Maloney to shootover combination was good. Hits that last handstand and sticks the Stalder to double tuck dismount!
Xing (Brown): Back handspring to two foot layout, decent sized wobble on the landing. Beat jump to standing layout stepout, very solid. Split jump to straddle quarter, nice flexibility. Dismounts with a roundoff double full and she steps sideways.
Morris (LIU): First pass is a super high double tuck, they’re quick to their lunge but nothing too noticeable. Switch full to wolf full was very pretty. Front layout front full was nice, great control on the landing. Finishes up with a double pike, great form and has a very controlled lunge. The team is very excited about that one!
Lin (Brown): Switch leap to split half, has a wobble but hangs on. Nice flic lay, small wobble on that as well. Side aerial, another wobble. Beat jump to split three quarter, solid on that one. Finishes with a cartwheel to tucked 1.5 and is super low on the landing.
Barrington (LIU): Triple turn and she falls out of it. Super high and controlled double tuck for her first pass. Next is a back 2.5, her lunge was a little big but not too out of control. Switch ring to switch half was nice, a bit shy of 180 on that switch half. Finishes with a back 1.5 to front layout, much better control there. It’s a shame she fell out of that turn because that was a nice routine.
Ricketts (LIU): Alright, she wasn’t originally going to compete but she will after the fall from Barrington. Starts with a whip to double tuck and it’s so high and controlled! Switch half wolf full was good too. The commentators said she needs a 9.8 to win the meet for LIU. Next is a double tuck and she stumbles out of bounds, that’s a shame.
Final: Penn 194.700, LIU 194.525, Brown 192.875, Cornell 192.400
This meet was kind of a rollercoaster! Teams had to count falls on bars, beam, and floor, but each team showed a lot of resilience. Penn will come out on top after a great bar rotation, just edging out LIU after some uncharacteristic mistakes from LIU on floor. But despite those mistakes, today was the most complete LIU has looked in a couple of weeks! There’s still room to grow, but today was a great starting point for the remainder of the season. Brown and Cornell have some things to clean up on bars and beam, respectively, but both teams showed some great potential on the other events!
Event Winners:
Vault: Beers, 9.900
Bars: Carraro, Bixler, Kerico, Paris; 9.825
Beam: Morris, 9.925
Floor: Bedell, Beers; 9.925
All Around: Morris, 39.225
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Live blog by Emily Lockard
