Tonight is the last meet before conference championships! It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of the college gymnastics season. The Arkansas Razorbacks are hosting the Nebraska Cornhuskers for senior night. This will be a big meet for both teams, in terms of scores, as regional seedings are approaching.
The Cornhuskers are entering this week with a second-place finish at the Florida quad meet with UF, Lindenwood, and Eastern Michigan. After a great showing, they finished just behind Florida with a 197.100. Emma Spence and Csenge Bacskay contributed to the Cornhuskers’ great night in the all-around with 39.550 and 39.250. Additionally, Clara Columbo, Kinsey Davis, and Sophia McClelland were huge contributors and will be some names to watch tonight.
The Razorbacks are coming off a home loss to Oklahoma. Despite the loss, they looked clean and solid. Bars posed a bit of a challenge for the Razorbacks as they had some unusual small form issues and an uncharacteristic fall from star junior Maddie Jones. However, the Razorbacks came back strong with a solid beam rotation and a lights-out floor rotation. Some names to watch tonight are Lauren Williams, Jensen Scalzo, Frankie Price, and Leah Smith.
Rotation 1: Arkansas VT, Nebraska UB
Weaver (Ark): Yurchenko full, solid. 9.850
Bacskay (Neb): Nice handstand to Pak. Van Leewen, small leg separation. Double layout, small step back with left foot. 9.825
Smith (Ark): Huge Yurchenko full, tiniest of hops back. 9.900
Jencks (Neb): A little over on first handstand but saves it. Nice Ray to immediate bail. Great double layout, stuck. 9.825
Price (Ark): Nice Yurchenko full, small hop back. 9.900
Colombo (Neb): Eagle grip giant to piked Jaeger, super cool combo but a little close catch. Nice handstands throughout. Double layout, stuck. 9.850
Essenpries (Ark): Yurchenko 1.5, slightly large hop forward. 9.875
Simpton (Neb): Great handstands to start. Nice Maloney to Pak. Seemed to lose her balance but regains her grip before going back to high bar. Goes over on last handstand before her dismount and comes off. Recovers well with a pretty, stuck double layout. 9.300
Klein (Ark): Gorgeous Yurchenko 1.5, STUCK COLD. That the best vault I’ve seen from Arkansas this season, wow…dare I say a ten?? 9.975 (one judge did give her a 10.0 though)
Spence (Neb): Maloney to Pak, pretty. Nice lines throughout. Double layout, small step. A nice routine to bring the Huskers back after a fall. 9.875
Williams (Ark): Yurchenko 1.5, great height, small hop. 9.900
Davis (Neb): Pretty Maloney to immediate bail to handstand. Double layout, fights for the stick but takes a small step. 9.875
After 1: Arkansas 49.550 Nebraska 49.250
A great first rotation from both teams! Despite a fall on bars, Nebraska looked solid and poised. The Razorbacks had an incredible vault rotation, posting a program record of 49.550. I also feel compelled to highlight Hailey Klein’s near-perfect vault because it was amazing. We’ve got a great meet on our hands folks, on to the second rotation!
Rotation 2: Arkansas UB, Nebraska VT
Davis (Neb): Nice Yurchenko full, tiny foot shuffle. 9.800
Smith (Ark): Maloney to bail, solid. Nice handstands. Double layout, stuck. 9.925
Hall (Neb): Yurchenko full, love the height she gets! 9.900
Pratt (Ark): Nice Ray to open. Looked a little rushed going into her bail to handstand, but transition was clean. Double layout, stuck. 9.850
Sikon (Neb): Nice Yurchenko full, stuck…even though she landed with her feet a little far apart. 9.875
Drotar (Ark): Maloney to Pak, solid. Great double layout, the sticks seem to be contagious for the Razorbacks. 9.975
Bacskay (Neb): Yuchenko 1.5, steps forward. 9.825
Scalzo (Ark): Nice straddle Jaeger. Bail to handstand, solid. Double layout, another stuck dismount! 9.900
Comin (Neb): Yurchenko 1.5, huge hop forward. 9.850
Park (Ark): Nice Ray. Pretty Pak, small leg separation. Double layout, loses her balance a little and steps backwards. 9.800
Spence (Neb): Gorgeous Yurchenko 1.5, STUCK COLD. 9.925
Jones (Ark): Pretty piked Jaeger. Nice Pak. Another pretty double layout for the Razorbacks. 9.875
After 2: Arkansas 99.0.75 Nebraska 98.625
Another great rotation from both teams. The Huskers got after on vault and looked great. The Razorbacks looked fantastic on bars with a series of contagious sticks. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many clean and stuck landings from both teams. Let’s see what beam and floor brings us as we head into the second half of the meet.
Rotation 3: Arkansas BB, Nebraska FX
Gamiao (Ark): Beautiful standing loso loso, this was a nice change. Side somi, solid. Nice full turn. Switch leap split jump, nice amplitude and extension. Ro 1.5, small step. 9.825
Jencks (Neb): Front layout to Rudi, pretty lines. Switch half wolf half, nice extension. Ro bhs double back, solid. Nice first routine for the Huskers. 9.875
Jones (Ark): Front aerial bhs bhs, looked a little off going into the second bhs but finished clean. Nice full turn. Split jump double stag jump, small balance check. Front full, small step. 9.825
Rourke (Neb): Front through ro bhs double back, great height. Nice amplitude on leaps and jumps. Ro bhs double pike, great height, small foot shuffle. 9.725
Swaney (Ark): Cat leap front aerial, pretty. Bhs loso, makes it look easy. Switch leap split jump, great lines. Full turn, a little off to one side. Bhs 1.5, fights for the stick but I’m not sure if she shuffled or not. 9.900
Bacskay (Neb): Ro bhs 2.5 front tuck, misses her timing on the punch and sits it down. Nice front bounder. Great extension on leaps. Ro bhs double pike, great height. 9.150
Weaver (Ark): Bhs loso, solid. Straddle jump double stag jump, doesn’t quite get her back leg up all the way but pretty. Nice side aerial. Solid full turn. Ro 1.5, stuck. 9.875
Comin (Neb): Ro bhs full-in, chest a little low. Tour jete wolf full wolf full, so so pretty. Oh! I love the bit of spice she has in her dance. Ro bhs 1.5 front layout, great height and rise. 9.875
Klein (Ark): Side aerial loso, drops her shoulder and picks her leg up but saves it. Switch leap split jump, pretty. Nice full turn. Ro 1.5, small step. 9.775
McClellan (Neb): Nice front double full to open. Switch half Popa straddle jump, love her oversplits. Rudi back loso, great height and pretty lines. 9.925
Linton (Ark): Nice double wolf turn to start. Bhs bhs loso, covered up a wobble so so well. Switch leap split jump, solid. Ro 1.5, stuck! She looked like she was tearing up mid-dismount, someone bring me some tissues…cue my tears. I’m going to miss her gymnastics. 9.875
Spence (Neb): Front through ro bhs double back, solid. Double wolf turn, nice to see these in NCAA. Switch ring switch half, great extension and lines. Ro bhs double pike, nice rise. 9.950
After 3: Arkansas 148.375 Nebraska 147.975
It’s been a solid meet for both teams as we enter the final rotation. There was a little bit of form and maybe some nerves here and there but overall solid performances from the Huskers and the Razorbacks. I also need to highlight Emma Spence’s floor routine because WOW, it was beautiful.
Rotation 4: Arkansas FX, Nebraska BB
Sikon (Neb): A super cool mount to start. Bhs loso, great extension. Cat leap switch half, small balance check. Nice full turn. Bhs 1.5, stuck. 9.875
Gamiao (Ark): Ro bhs double pike, stuck. Ro 1.5 step out double full, this was a cool pass. Switch half Popa, nice extension. Ro bhs double back, also stuck. 9.900
Gard (Neb): Bhs loso, solid. Full turn, small balance check. Split half, drops her chest slightly. Side aerial switch leap split jump, a bit off balance going into the aerial but keeps the connection going. Side gainer full, stuck. 9.800
Klein (Ark): Front layout though ro bhs double back, solid. Switch side Popa Shushunova, ahhh I love this combo! Nice ro bhs double pike, great control on landing, just the smallest of foot movements. 9.900
Bacskay (Neb): Bhs bhs loso, just a little bit of right leg bend. Switch leap split jump, nice rise and extension. Nice full turn. Small wobble during her dance. Ro double full, stuck. 9.900
Jones (Ark): Fhs front double full, just gorgeous. Switch ring switch half, great amplitude and lines. Ro 1.5 front layout, also gorgeous. Closes with a beautiful fhs Rudi. 9.975
Hall (Neb): Nice full turn. Bhs loso, a little too much momentum and steps back. Nice front aerial. Split jump stag jump, tiny balance check. Ro 1.5, small hop. 9.875
Smith (Ark): Front layout through ro bhs double back, solid, just a tiny foot shuffle from her front foot. Switch half straddle half, nice height. Ro bhs double pike, drilled a hole through the floor! 9.950
Spence (Neb): Pretty wolf turn. Front aerial bhs bhs, nice control. Switch leap split jump, solid. Ro 1.5, slight leg separation and small step. 9.900
Williams (Ark): Huge full-in to open. Ro 1.5 front layout, great rise going into the layout. Great leaps. Love seeing her signature worm in Walton. Ro bhs double back, stuck cold with the lunge. As I said earlier, dare I say ten??? 9.950 (womp womp)
McClelland (Neb): Double wolf turn, solid. Bhs loso, pretty. Straddle jump split jump stag jump, small balance check. Bhs tucked 1.5, small hop. 9.900
Price (Ark): HUGE double pike to open, stuck! Switch side Popa Popa, great height and extension. Front full front layout, also stuck (I think)! 9.950
FINAL: Arkansas 198.100 Nebraska 197.375
VT: Klein (Ark) 9.975
UB: Drotar (Ark) 9.975
BB: Swaney (Ark), Bacskay, Spence & McClelland (Neb): 9.900
FX: Jones (Ark) 9.975
AA: Spence (Neb) 39.650
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Live blog by Jessica Brock
