LIVE BLOG: No. 38 Western Michigan at No. 40 Central Michigan

We are kicking off week 11 with a MAC dual meet featuring No. 38 Western Michigan and No. 40 Central Michigan. 

Last week Central Michigan (CMU) tied its season-best team score of 196.425 placing second behind Michigan State at its final qual meet of the season. CMU recorded season-high scores on both bars and floor earning 49.025 and 49.075 respectively. Western Michigan (WMU) is coming off of a loss where it scored 195.650 against Kent State. A highlight from the meet was back to back 9.975s on floor for Cassie St. Clair and Payton Murphy. Payton is also the MAC gymnast of the week while Cassie is specialist of the week.

Speaking of individuals, the highest ranked in the individual all around are WMU’s Payton Murphy ranked 41 in the all around (and 26 on floor) and CMU’s Luciana Alvarado-Reid ranked 45.

Important to note, if Western Michigan wins today’s meet, it will earn a share of the MAC Regular Season Championship.

Watch along on ESPN+. Let’s get started!

Rotation 1: Central Michigan Vault, Western Michigan Bars

Jenna Germond (CMU): Yurchenko to a stuck landing. Slight form in the air. 9.800

Dani (WMU): Cast to handstand, Tkatchev, Bail handstand with a slight separation, double pike dismount to a step. 9.750

Hallie Hornbacher (CMU): Big Yurchenko full with a step back. 9.825

Donnakathryn Roy (WMU): Shaposh to toe on handstand, Bail handstand, double layout dismount. 9.700

Samantha Shannon (CMU): Yurchenko full to step back. 9.775

Abby Singh (WMU): Free hip to a huge Tkatchev and a fall, Bail handstand to a slight leg separation, great last handstand, to full twisting double layout and a step/hop forward. 8.950

Zoie Pelfrey (CMU): Yurchenko full to a small hop back. Good form in the air. 9.825

Payton Murphy (WMU): Front giant to Deltchev and shoot over., blind full, toe on half out dismount. 9.700

Luciana Alvarado-Redi (CMU): Huge Yurchenko full with legs glued together. Small hop on landing. 9.850

Sarah Moravansky (WMU): Blind TO Jaeger to shoot over, nice last handstand to double layout with great landing. 9.775

Elizabeth Cesarone (CMU): Beautiful Yurchenko full and flairs out the landing. Small hop back. 9.825

Makenna King (WMU): Blind to Jaeger, Bail handstand, dismounts with double layout and a tiny step back. 9.825

After 1: Central Michigan 49.125 Western Michigan 48.750

Central Michigan had a great start on vault showcasing strong Yurchenko fulls and good landings. Western Michigan also a good start on Bars and was able to drop a mid-rotation fall with five other strong routines.

Rotation 2: Western Michigan Vault, Central Michigan Bars

Hannah Milton (WMU): Yurchenko full slightly piked down to a step back. 9.800

Ashley Veglucci (CMU): Gienger to Pak salto, to full twisting double back to a stuck landing. Great start. 9.825

Abby Singh (WMU): Yurchenko half with great form to a step forward. 9.775

Samantha Shannon (CMU): Blind to pike Jaeger, Bail to handstand is lovely, double layout dismount with small step back. 9.775

Payton Murphy (WMU): Yurchenko full to a stuck landing. Great height off the table. 9.875

Quinn Skrupa (CMU) Maloney to Pak salto, great last handstand to pike Stalder to front half dismount. 9.800

Cassie St. Clair (WMU): Tsuk 1.5 in tucked position to a step. 9.725

Jenna Germond (CMU): Free hip to Tkatchev, Bail to handstand, full twisting double back dismount with a step back. 9.800

Sarah Moravansky (WMU): Nice Yurchenko full to small hop forward. 9.800

Adriana Bustelo (CMU): Free hip to Tkatchev, full pirouette to double tuck and a stuck landing. 9.825

Halle Faulkner (WMU): Yurchenko full to a side step and arm wave. Good form and height. 9.75

Luciana Alvarado-Reid (CMU): Maloney to Pak salto is beautiful, blind change full to gorgeous double tuck dismount. 9.875

After 2:

Central Michigan 98.250 Western Michigan 97.750

Central Michigan continues to lead after a great showing on bars. Western Michigan had a good vault rotation highlighted by Payton Murphy’s stuck landing.

Rotation 3: Central Michigan Beam, Western Michigan Floor

Ashley Veglucci (CMU): Full turn, BHS LOSO to slight wobble, cat leap to switch side solid, side somersault, dismounts with back double full to a stuck landing. Good start. 9.725

Amanda Gruber (WMU): Opens with front layout to Rudi to good landing, next pass is double tuck to a hop back, switch side to Popa. 9.825

Karina Lankamer (CMU): Candle mount, front toss to back handspring is solid, full turn, switch leap to sheep jump, dismount with back 1.5 full to hop forward. 9.800

DonnaKathryn Roy (WMU): Opens with big double pike to great landing, switch leap full to switch jump full, second pass is punch front through to double tuck and controlled landing. 9.875

Samantha Shannon (CMU): BHS LOSO solid, full turn, side somersault, switch leap to switch half solid, dismounts with back 1.5 full to a stuck landing. Great routine. 9.900

Dani Petrousek (WMU): Opens with big double tuck to a bounce back but stays in bounds, second pass is front handspring, front full to front layout, nice leap series, dismounts with double pike. 9.900

Amber Mueller (CMU): BHS LOSO is solid, switch leap to switch half to beat jump, front aerial to slight wobble, full turn, dismounts with cartwheel Gainer 1.5 back full and fought for the landing. 9.800

Cassie St. Clair (WUM): Opens with back 1.5 full to punch front layout to a good landing, nice leap series, last pass is punch front double full to great landing. 9.900

Quinn Skrupa (CMU): Switch leap to split jump, BHS LOSO is solid, full turn, front aerial to split jump, dismounts with BHS to back tuck full 1.5 to slight hop. 9.750

Payton Murphy (WMU): Opens with punch front to huge double tuck, switch ring leap series is gorgeous, second pass is Rudi, closes with double pike to great landing. 9.975

Luciana Alvarado-Reid (CMU): BHS LOSO to slight balance check, beat jump to front aerial is solid, switch leap to switch side, full turn, Gainer back pike dismount to a stuck landing. 9.900

Ally Schaupp (WMU): Opens with Rudi to back layout step out, next pass is front handspring to double full, good leap series. 9.925

After 3: Central Michigan 147.400 Western Michigan 147.325

Western Michigan had an excellent floor rotation narrowing Central Michigan’s lead from 0.50 to 0.075. Western Michigan had 4 routines over 9.90 on floor. Central Michigan also had a solid beam rotation highlighted by two 9.900 from Luciana Alvarado-Reid and Samantha Shannon. It’s anyone’s meet to win!

Rotation 4: Western Michigan Beam, Arkansas Floor

Dani Petrousek (WMU): Wolf turn, BHS LOSO solid, side aerial to beat jump, switch leap to tuck full and full is a little short, dismounts with punch front full to a small hop. 9.625

Quinn Skrupa (CMU): Opens with back full 1.5 to punch front layout, switch leap to stag, closes with double back tuck to bounce back, switch ring to switch side. 9.850

Hannah Milton (WMU): Full turn to slight wobble, side aerial to roundoff unique series, cat leap to switch quarter, front toss, Gainer full dismount. 9.750

Elizabeth Buttle (CMU): Opens with front full to punch front layout, nice leap series, next pass is double back tuck and closes with a jump combo. 9.850

Julie Korfhage (WMU): Full turn, BHS, BHS, LOSO solid, split jump to split half, punch front full dismount to stuck landing. 9.725

Elizabeth Cesarone (CMU): Opens with punch front full to front layout, second pass is huge double pike with a bounce back, nice leap series, final pass is a double tuck to a good landing. 9.900

Amanda Gruber (WMU): Full turn, BHS LOSO to large wobble and leg up but stays on, cat leap, switch half, dismounts with back 1.5 full to a stuck landing with arm wave. 9.575

Luciana Alvarado-Reid (CMU): Opens with Rudi to double stag jump, second pass is back 1.5 full to punch front layout to great landing, strong leap series. Nice routine. 9.900

Payton Murphy (WMU): Front toss to balance check, full turn, BHS LOSO to a wobble with leg up, split jump to ring jump, dismounts with cartwheel gainer full to a good landing. 9.550

Ashley Veglucci (CMU): Opens with front double full, second pass is 2.5 full to punch front, closes with double back to a large bounce back. 9.900

Sarah Moravansky (WMU): BHS, BHS LOSO, switch leap to standing LOSO, full turn, dismounts with full 1.5 to small hop. 9.800

Halle Hornbacher (CMU): Opens with punch front layout to Rudi, beautiful leap series, next pass is huge double back tuck to a great landing. 9.925

FINAL: Cental Michigan 196.875 Western Michigan 195.800

Central Michigan with the win! Western Michigan was a little shaky on beam while Central Michigan had an excellent floor rotation to capture the win.

VT: Murphy (WMU), 9.875
UB: Alvarado-Reid (CMU), 9.875
BB: Alvarado-Reid (CMU), Shannon (CMU), 9.900
FX: Murphy (WMU), 9.975
AA: Alvarado-Reid (CMU), 39.525

READ THIS NEXT: Upgraded Vaults Increase Top Programs’ Championship Hopes

Live blog by Jackie Craig

 

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