LIVE BLOG: No. 27 BYU at No. 36 Southern Utah

You think these two teams are tired of seeing each other yet? This is the fourth time these former conference rivals have faced off this season, and they are coming off of their third meeting just three days ago at the Cougars’ home floor. 

A changing of the guard (not the head coach) is taking place with the Cougars as several underclassmen have stepped up to be leaders. Brynlee Andersen looks poised to be BYU’s newest beam queen, while Ava Jorgensen has provided much needed depth on vault and floor. The senior leaders have been just as impactful. Sydney Benson has been stellar on three events and Anyssa Alvarado has been as good as ever in her fifth year. The Cougars are still chasing that ever elusive 197, and while it’s a tough ask to get it at an away meet, anything is possible.

Southern Utah, currently sitting on the bubble for postseason, needs a hit meet to put itself into a safer position. The Thunderbirds hit 196 in every meet for the month of February, a number that they would like to continue to reach towards. Although the team is relatively young, don’t let that deceive you; their underclassmen have been heavy hitters. Niya Randolph, the lone all–around competitor, has gotten better every week, while Brinlee Christensen looks to have hit her stride over recent weeks. Getting her into lineups will definitely elevate the Thunderbirds’ scoring potential moving forward.

Checking in a few minutes early to let you know that Virtius has your scoring tonight here! Of note, looks like Kylie Eaquinto is being rested on vault after the Cougars just competed Friday night. Tentatively, Ava Jorgensen is slotting in for her on vault.

Rotation 1: SUU vault, BYU bars

Apparently we missed Cacciola’s vault whoops but it was a 9.850

Mason (BYU): Maloney to Pak. leg separation on the Pak, got the half turn on the low bar. DLO dismount, small hop forward. 9.800

Randolph (SUU): Yurchenko full, lot of height off the table, straight hips, small slide backwards on the landing. 9.900

Alilah Alvarado (BYU): Maloney to bail, nice tight position on the handstand. DLO, slight leg separation but a stick on the landing. 9.900

Gull (SUU): Full on, tuck off, foot was slightly on the line n the landing, so will be a slight deduction. 9.825

Benson (BYU): Tkatchev, lacked toe point in the air, to bail, little loose in the handstand on the bail. DLO dismount, rebound with a slight hop in place. 9.825

Pardue (SUU): Yurchenko 1.5, opened up early and had to take a step back. Bent knees in the air. 9.775

Eaquinto (BYU): Maloney to Pak, really nice form in the Pak. Half turn was on top of the bar. DLO dismount with a small hop backward. 9.825

McClain (SUU): Yurchenko full, good distance from the table, hop backwards on the landing. 9.825

Anyssa Alvarado (BYU): Beautiful opening handstand, Maloney to Pak, so much control in her transitions. Full twisting DLO, STUCK! WOW, it was so pretty. 9.950

Christensen (SUU): Yurchenko 1.5, stutter step in place. I was a little frightened for her knees but she got it around, so good for her! 9.850

Bramblett (BYU): 49.300 before this routine! Tkatchev to overshoot, beautiful toe point in the Tkatchev. DLO with a small hop backwards. BYU bars, take a bow! 9.850

After 1: BYU 49.350, SUU 49.250

I am so glad we will have another Alvarado star on bars for the next four years. BYU hits its second highest bars score of the season (its season high was in its first meet of the season), while Southern Utah hits a season high on vault, anchored with Christensen’s 1.5. Got a close match brewing!

Rotation 2: BYU vault, SUU bars

Mason (BYU): Yurchenko full, small hop on landing, stream was too far away for me to see anything else. 9.800

Christensen (SUU): blind change to piked Jaeger, good height on the release, little loose on the handstand position on the low bar. DLO dismount with a stick! She hit her toes on the low bar, so there will likely be a small deduction. 9.800

Rollins (BYU): Full on, tuck off, good distance, chest high on the landing. Should be a good score, that was the best she’s done all season. 9.800

Routsis (SUU): Maloney to bail, beautiful handstand on the low bar. Toe-on to immediate DLO dismount, small step back on the landing.9.800

Dudley (BYU): Yurchenko full, ton of distance and beautiful position in the air! Small hop on the landing. These landings are the cleanest I’ve seen them so props to the Cougars! 9.850

Goodman (SUU): Blind to piked Jaeger, WAY above the bar, wow! Pak salto was beautiful, half turn on low bar was good. Full pirouette to double tuck, little off balance on the landing, but got the stick. 9.875

Jorgensen (BYU): Full on, pike off. Lacked rotation so took a step forward, but good distance and landing. 9.775

Randolph (SUU): Maloney to bail to handstand, really tight position on the handstand. Clear hip to DLO dismount to a stick, leaning back just a little but doesn’t move her feet. 9.950 for a career high WOW

Earl (BYU): Yurchenko half, STUCK. She’s been close to that stick all season and super thrilled she pulled it off. 9.900

Neff (SUU): Maloney to bail, good position on the handstand. Final handstand was good, DLO dismount with a step back on the landing. 9.825

Benson (BYU): Yurchenko full, straight body in the air, tried to hold on to the landing, but was leaning back, so I doubt the judges credit her with a stick. 9.875

Coutu (SUU): In for Schwartze here for the first time this season. Ray was good, bail was a little loose in the legs on the low bar. DLO with a step back. 9.625. Drop score, but good for her getting the call.

After 2: BYU 98.575, SUU 98.500

Southern Utah cut into the Cougars’ lead by a quarter of a tenth with Niya Randolph’s 9.95. Melissa Earl led the Cougars with a 9.900 on vault and helped BYU to a season-high on vault. Buckle in folks, this is getting good.

Rotation 3: SUU beam, BYU floor

Fernandez (SUU): Overrotated the full turn slightly. Side aerial to BHS series, little bit of form issues in the side aerial. Front toss is good. Beat jump to split three-quarters, covers a balance break. Side aerial to back 1.5 to a stick. Good opener for the Thunderbirds! 9.850

Millar-Crossman (BYU): Double tuck to open, good chest up on the landing and control on the lunge. She had a low score Friday night, so she will want to bounce back here. Switch side to straddle full, little out of control, but picked it up. FLO to front full closing pass, good punch between elements. 9.850

McClain (SUU): Front toss to BHS, tiniest balance check after the BHS. Straddle jump to straddle quarter, beautiful toepoint. Cat leap to piked front toss, balance check after the front toss, but stayed on. Leg up after the full turn. Side gainer full dismount, good routine, but not her best. 9.850

Dudley (BYU): DLO to open, lots of height and good control on the landing! Switch side to wolf full, good rotation. Front full to front layout, little bit of a stutter step out of the front layout. Double tuck to close, chest was nice and high with good landings! Can ya guess the score…9.850

Cacciola (SUU): Oh look, I get to see her compete now. Switch leap to split jump to standing LOSO to beat jump, wow that was a handful to type. Leg up after the beat jump, but nice and connected. BHS LOSO series, another small balance check. Step forward on the dismount. 9.825

Margraf (BYU): Front double full to open, couldn’t see her feet on the landing, but looked a little out of control on the lunge. Second pass is a front Rudi, better control on the landing. Good rotation and extension on the leaps. Back 1.5 to front layout to close. 9.825

Randolph (SUU): BHS layout to two feet series, maybe a little knee bend on the layout. Straddle jump to straddle quarter, good toe point. Front toss to beat jump, good control. Full turn was a little overrotated. RO 1.5 dismount, a small step on the landing. 9.850

Schooley (BYU): Good rotation on her leaps to start. Back 1.5 to front layout, good rise between the skills! Lacked a little toe point in the switch ring, but goodness, I love her personality on this routine. Double tuck to close, thought she was gonna be close to the line, but controlled it perfectly. 9.900, tied career high!

Coutu (SUU): BHS LOSO, good control on the landing. Little bit of form issues in leap series, but not too bad. Cat leap to side aerial, covered a balance check by turning to the side. Side gainer full, stuck. Nicely done for the senior! 9.875

Benson (BYU): Macklemore, here we come! Double tuck to open, lot of height and control on the landing! Nice extension on the leap series! Front layout to front full, barely stayed in bounds, but kept it in. Double pike to close, little short on the landing with a low chest, but still a solid routine! 9.750, that feels slightly low in comparison to other routines. 

Hartley (SUU): BHS LOSO, little bit of knee form in the air. Lacked a little split in the leap series. Side aerial, turned to the side to cover a balance check. RO 1.5, lacked a little control and had to take a step forward. 9.900

Rollins (BYU): In for Eaquinto here. Double pike to open, reallll close to the line on that pass, have to see what deduction the judges take if any. Front layout to front full, good rise between the skills. Good routine to close for the Cougars, but SUU might have the lead here dependent on Rollins’ score. 9.750

After 3: Southern Utah 147.825, BYU 147.750

The Thunderbirds have come back to take the lead on the heels of a 49.325 beam rotation, their highest score on the event since February 2. These scores are definitely heading in a good direction related to NQS, but it’ll be interesting to see whether BYU can win the meet on beam, or if Southern Utah can extend its lead.

Of note, SUU needs a 49.175 on floor to hit 197, while BYU needs a 49.250 on beam to go 197. Nail biters.

Rotation 4: BYU beam, SUU floor

Mason (BYU): BHS LOSO series, little lean on the layout. Cat leap to side aerial, another tiny lean, but covered well. Switch leap to split jump, good extension on the leaps. RO double full dismount, step with a lean on the landing. A routine to build on. 9.875

Fernandez (SUU): Looking for redemption after last week. Double tuck to open, lot of height in the air! Switch half wolf full wolf full leap series, solid rotation. Back 1.5 to FLO second pass, nice amplitude between the skills. Front 1.5 to close, slide of the front foot, but good routine overall! 9.825

Little bit of a delay before MRP’s routine.

Raesly-Patton (BYU): Front aerial to split jump, nice 180 position in the split jump! Switch leap to split jump, good toe point. BHS LOSO and WHY WOULD YOU CUT AWAY FROM THE BEAM??? Alright we’re good, looked solid. Slight overrotation of the full turn. RO 1.5 with a hop forward. 9.825

Cacciola (SUU): Double tuck to open, nice control on the landing. Front full to front layout, good rise on the FLO. Little bit of knee form in the leap series, so that should be a deduction. I say should loosely. Front Rudi to close, good routine, her biggest deduction will be in the leap series. 9.875

Millar-Crossman (BYU): BHS LOSO series, beautiful control on the landing. Full turn was spot on. Cat leap to switch half, BEAUTIFUL toe point in the air. Waist bend after, I believe a chest cartwheel? She was so spot on until then! Front full dismount to a stick. Good, but you cannot have waist bends when the meet is this close. 9.775, Cougars will have to drop that to stay in this.

Gull (SUU): Double pike to open, big hop back on the landing. RO 1.5 to front half to split jump, really unique combination! Double tuck to close, another big hop back on the landing. 9.775. They’ve literally matched EVERY SCORE SO FAR!!

Margraf (BYU): Need a big score here. Front aerial to back tuck series, spot on. Cat leap to front toss, clean. Switch leap to split jump, toe point was spot on. Front full, short on rotation with a step back, but that was the only real flaw in that routine. 9.825

Christensen (SUU): Double tuck to open, beautiful control on the landing. Back 1.5 to front layout, again, so much control on those landings. Her choreography is really nice too. Maybe a little overrotated on the leap series, but it’s really hard to tell with the angles. Front Rudi to close, nice chest position. SUU is pushing for an upset here. 9.875

Rollins (BYU): BYU beam queens will need to deliver here. Switch leap to straddle quarter, balance check after the straddle quarter. Front aerial to BHS LOSO, little bit of knee form in the layout. Beautiful front turn. BHS gainer full to a stick. Good, but I think Southern Utah will have the edge. 9.800

Randolph (SUU): Split leg DLO, AH IT’S SO GOOD!! Switch side to straddle jump, leaps way above 180. Front tuck through to double tuck, nailed it. That should be the first 9.900 of the rotation.

Anderson (BYU): Anything higher than a 9.775 counts. BHS LOSO, spot on. Beat jump to straddle half, good split on the leaps. Beautiful full turn. Cat leap to side aerial, spot on through the noise for Randolph’s 9.900 on floor. BHS gainer full, stick. Good solid ending to the meet for the Cougars! 9.925 will not be enough to win but is enough to break 197 for the Cougars. 

Pardue (SUU): Thunderbirds break 197 and should win this meet dependent on what Pardue does. RO double tuck pass to open, so much power on that pass. FLO to front full second pass, good rise. Switch side to Popa, good toe point. Double pike to close, little low chest position, but a solid landing. 9.825

FINAL: SUU 197.125, BYU 197.000

Southern Utah pulled ahead after the third rotation and did not ease up on floor, hitting a season-high 49.300 on the event. A couple wobbles on beam put the meet out of reach for the Cougars, but hitting 197 is a great achievement heading into senior night on Friday!

VT: Randolph (SUU), 9.900
UB: An. Alvarado (BYU), Randolph (SUU), 9.950
BB: Andersen (BYU), 9.925
FX: Schooley (BYU), Randolph (SUU), 9.900
AA: Randolph (SUU), 39.600

READ THIS NEXT: Judge’s Inquiry: Breaking Down February’s Perfect 10s

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Live blog by Savanna Wellman