This Sunday afternoon brings us a fun cross-conference meet between the Scarlet Knights and the Mountaineers. After putting up some high 195s and one 196+ score, Rutgers has slipped back into the low 195s over the past couple of meets, and will be looking for a higher number here. A successful all-around performance from Ella Aird will really give Rutgers a boost, and Emily Leese has the ability to go big on leg events.
After being a perennial bubble team for years, West Virginia has slipped this season. The team has been hit hard with injuries, creating a general lack of depth. However, the Mountaineers have steadily gained momentum and haven’t recorded a sub-195 score for the past four weeks. While regionals are looking out of reach at the moment, it is possible for West Virginia to record a win here if it hits to the best of its ability while Rutgers falters.
Rotation 1: WVU VT, RU UB
McDonnell (WVU): Yfull, decent height and distance with a hop back. 9.675
Manifold (RU): Ray to shootover, nice combination. Blind to 1.5 Rudi dismount with a hop back and to the side, very unique combo. 9.625
Muns (WVU): Yfull, big leg separation on the table, tries to flare it out and stick but ends up leaning forward and taking a small hop. 9.675
DiNovi (RU): Maloney, pak, good final handstand, blind full to double tuck with a step back. 9.725
Lewis (WVU): Yfull, sizeable bounce back. 9.8
Lorente-Garcia (RU): Maloney, pak, leg separation on the Maloney that the judges will be able to see from their angle. Double lay, pings off a little early but keeps the landing under control with a small hop. 9.7
Pierson (WVU): Yfull, takes her time with it in the air, small hop back. 9.8
Rains (RU): Big straddle jaeger, pak with a lot of leg separation. Stalder to double tuck and her knees buckle. 9.1
Wehry (WVU): Front pike half with a hop back and to the side, knees and foot form throughout, but still a 10.0 SV for WVU. 9.775
Aird (RU): Piked jaeger, nice. Clear hip to bail, lovely form. Very pikey double lay with two steps backwards. 9.65
Collins (WVU): Y layout, hop back. WVU didn’t need that, but still lovely that she got to compete on senior night. 9.575
Balser (RU): Clean straddle jaeger to pak. Double lay with a small hop. 9.8
After 1: WVU 48.725, RU 48.500
It wasn’t the cleanest start for either team, with nobody really being able to hone in on landings. Rutgers avoided counting a fall, but had to count two scores in the 9.6s. West Virginia’s lack of depth is still on display with Collins vaulting a double layout, but they put up six hit vaults and have the lead after the first rotation.
Rotation 2: RU VT, WVU UB
Lorente-Garcia (RU): Yfull, lots of distance, and a big hop back. 9.725
Smith (WVU): Good first handstand, big straddle tkatchev. Good, patient swing. Double lay with two little steps forward. 9.65
Raby (RU): Clean yfull with a small hop back. 9.775
Lowe (WVU): Piked jaeger, pak with some leg separation. Blind to double tuck with a hop forward. 9.8
Goldsmith: Yfull, very similar to Raby with a hop. 9.75
Pierson (WVU): Maloney, Yezhova, hop on the front pike half dismount. 9.625
Aird (RU): Sky high Yfull with a small hop. 9.8
Leigh (WVU): Low on first handstand. Blind change to jaeger, pak with a lot of leg separation. Double lay with a hop back. 9.75
Dildy (RU): Yfull, great form in the air, lots of distance, small hop back. 9.8
Wehry (WVU): Maloney, pak, leg separation on the pak but lovely form on the Maloney. Pike front half dismount with a step forward. 9.7
Leese (RU): Massive Y1.5, great form in the air, takes a hop forward. 9.8
Lane (WVU): Jaeger into shootover, and collapses on the bar. Ouch. Pulls it back, ends the routine with a great stuck double layout. 9.075
McDonnell exhibitioning bars. Considering WVU’s depth issues, the fact that they can exhibition is great.
After 2: RU 97.425, WVU 97.225
Rutgers brought it back with high-flying vault rotation. There weren’t any sticks, but every vault had excellent form with tons of height and distance. West Virginia pushed through bars, but had a lot trouble finding its landings.
Rotation 3: WVU BB, RU FX
Smith (WVU): Secure full turn. LOSO, LOSO, small leg check. Cat leap, straddle quarter with a wobble. Beat jump, pike jump, solid. RO 1.5 twist, with a step across and another small step. 9.625
Zannella (RU): Double tuck with a tiny bounce in place to open. Clean combination pass. Whip to double full with a bit of a wild lunge, really difficult closing pass! Switch half ring, to switch ring, doesn’t really hit the ring position on either. 9.75
Pierson (WVU): Calm full turn. Front tuck to BHS, connection was slow but no wobbles. Beat jump, straddle quarter, very confident. Beat jump again, connected to nothing. BHS to tucked 1.5 dismount, stuck! Great routine. 9.8
Jones (RU): Double pike with a really big lunge out of it.Switch half, straddle full, really low back leg on the switch half. Front lay to Rudi, fights for a controlled lunge. Front 1.5 to front lay with a hop forward into the lunge. 9.775
Brown (WVU): BHS BHS LOSO, good. Full turn, a little off but avoids any major bobbles. Switch leap, pike jump, solid. RO double twist, stuck! Short and sweet routine. 9.875
AIrd (RU): Double pike, big lunge back, I think she just kept it in bounds. Switch half to a leap I couldn’t identify due to really unclear direction. Front lay to front full, a little low but gets it around. Double tuck to close, lunges forward. 9.725
Wehry (WVU): Beat jump, BHS LOSO, small shoulder check. Side aerial to two feet, really attacks the beam. Split leap, straddle half, good extension. Full turn, another small shoulder check. Gainer full off the end of the beam, stuck. 9.825
Webster (RU): Full in to open. Switch ring to switch half to another kind of unclear split leap. Punch front to double tuck, good. Some upbeat choreo to close the routine.
Lane (WVU): Front toss to wolf jump full, well done. BHS LOSO, good. Full turn solid. Switch leap, doesn’t connect it to anything. BHS 1.5 twist with a step back. 9.8
Dildy (RU): Punch front to double tuck, small slide back on the lunge. Lovely extension in her leaps. I really like her musicality during her dance sections. Double pike, too much juice and steps out of bounds. 9.425
Leigh (WVU): Front aerial to BHS with a small wobble. Full turn with a slight shoulder check. Straddle half, clean. Cat jump to switch half to beat jump, solid. Cartwheel to gainer full with a small bounce. 9.8
Leese (RU): Full in, really open with good control on the landing. Good extension on her leaps. Front punch to sky high double tuck, another great landing. 9.85
Beam exhibition from Freehling, again great to see WVU exhibitioning after such a strong rotation.
After 3: RU 146.350, WVU 146.325
West Virginia went 49.1 on beam, not counting any scores under 9.8. It was a great rotation for the Mountaineers, closing the gap on Rutgers to be just .025 behind going into the last rotation. Rutgers had some uncharacteristic errors on floor, but still put up a great routine from Leese.
Rotation 4: RU BB, WVU FX
Leese (RU): Front toss with the tiniest of wobbles. Repeats the front toss, this time connecting to a BHS. Split jump to straddle 3/4. Quick full turn. Beat jump. Tucked 1.5 dismount, smallest foot shuffle. 9.725
Lewis (WVU): Front 1.5 to LOSO to open. Tour jete half to split full, lightly short of split on both leaps. Ends with a big double tuck with a very controlled lunge. Lots of emotion from her after saluting. 9.85
Aird (RU): Calm full turn. BHS LOSO, good. Switch leap, switch half, front leg a little low on the switch half. Front gainer full off the side of the beam with a small hop. 9.8
Lane (WVU): Front 1.5 to back layout to split jump opening pass. Lots of height on her leaps. Front 2.5 closing pass with a step to the side. 9.575, start value discrepancy decided in favor of the lower start value.
Dildy (RU): Cat jump to front toss to BHS, nice series. Cat jump to straddle quarter is secure. Calm full turn. Standing straddle quarter. Cartwheel gainer full dismount, stuck but doesn’t bring her heels together. 9.825
Judges’ conference on Lane’s score.
Lowe (WVU): Opens with a great double tuck. 1.5 twist to front lay, lovely. Double pike to close. Great routine to get WVU back on track. 9.875
Koopman (RU): Last minute addition to the lineup. BHS BHS LOSO, good. Full turn is solid. Switch leap to side aerial, good. Gainer full with a small hop. Great redemption for her! 9.775
Brown (WVU): Barbie themed routine! Rudi to LOSO, good. Slightly crunched in her leap combination. Front double full, stays controlled in her lunge. 9.85
Inquiry submitted for Lane’s score.
Manifold (RU): BHS LOSO with a small wobble. Cat leap to side aerial, rock solid. Split jump to straddle quarter. “If I Were a Rich Man” playing in the background is a choice. Full turn good. Side aerial to 1.5 twist with a hop forward. 9.85
Pierson (WVU): Big double lay to open. Great extension on her leaps. Punch front to double tuck, good. All the tears after the routine is over, what an emotional moment for her at her last home meet. 9.9!
Zannella (RU): Split leap to ring leap, low front leg on the ring leap. BH LOSO LOSO, big leg check but stays on. Secure full turn. Side aerial to tucked 1.5 with a hop forward. 9.725
Collins (WVU): In for Freehling for senior night. Rudi layout step out to open. Short of split on leaps. Double tuck, steps OOB. Not her best routine but another really emotional floor set for senior meet. 9.75
FINAL: WVU 195.550, RU 195.325
The Mountaineers stay undefeated against the Scarlet Knights in Morgantown! What a way to end the meet with three emotional senior floor routines, headlined by a big 9.9 from Pierson. Rutgers performed well, and will be looking to hone in on landings with Big Tens in just two weeks.
VT: Aird, Dildy, Leese, Lewis, Pierson (9.800)
UB: Balser (9.800)
BB: Brown (9.875)
FX: Pierson (9.900)
AA: Pierson (39.125)
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Live blog by Naomi Stephenson
