Happy meet day, everyone! I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe that it’s already the last week of the regular season. It may be too late for Southern Connecticut to qualify for regionals, but today will be important for Arizona State to avoid the play-in round or even secure a seeded spot.
Southern Connecticut has been slowly but surely improving its scores recently, but even though its scores have been improving, it’s too little too late in terms of qualifying for regionals. But a big road score today could give the Owls a confidence boost heading into its conference championships. Watch out for Gigi Mastellone, who scored a huge 9.875 on bars last week. Another big score for her could be key to the Owls’ success.
Arizona State is coming off a big win against UCLA last week. Beating the Bruins was big for the Sun Devils, especially because it wasn’t even the best meet Arizona State could’ve put together. The Sun Devils had to count a 9.675 on beam last week and were still able to score a 196.625 to beat their in-conference rivals. A score in the 197 range may help Arizona State inch a bit closer to earning a seeded spot at regionals.
Rotation 1: Arizona State VT, Southern Connecticut UB
Mangahas (ASU): Really nice Yurchenko full, lots of distance, flares it out and takes a small hop on the landing. 9.775
Sitty (SCSU): Starts on the high bar with a Geinger to bail combination, some leg separation on the bail. Finishes with a nice double layout and she sticks it! 9.65
White (ASU): Another nice Yurchenko full, great form in the air and another hop backwards. 9.775
Dinisoe (SCSU): Mounts on the low bar and jumps to high. Switches grip and does a front giant to a shootover to a toe Hecht. Nice handstands throughout. Toe on pike half off and a good landing.
Gregoire (ASU): Yurchenko 1.5, looked a bit off in the air and she sits it down. 9.25
Arnold (SCSU): Mounts on the high bar and is quite short on the first handstand. Blind to Jaeger. Nice shootover, hit that handstand. Short on her final handstand as well. Blind full into a double tuck and she takes a step back. 9.675
Reeves (ASU): Tucked Yurchenko 1.5, got a lot of height and had the tiniest shuffle on her landing. That was a nice vault. 9.875
Ruecker (SCSU): Mounts on the low bar. Maloney to Pak, some leg separation in both. Good last handstand. Blind full to double tuck and she sticks it. 9.675
Scharf (ASU): Huge Yurchenko full, she got so much height and her body was super straight in the air, plus she stuck it! That could go close to 9.95. 9.9 seems a bit low.
Jordan (SCSU): Starts off on the high bar with a free hip to Geinger to bail, good form throughout. Short on the last handstand and takes a hop forward on the double layout. 9.75
A. Smith (ASU): Yurchenko 1.5, good form in the air, a bit crooked on the landing and she took just the tiniest step on the landing. Before the replay I actually thought she stuck it. 9.925
Mastellone (SCSU): Mounts on the high bar with a good handstand. Really nice Tkatchev to Pak combination, her legs were glued together. A tad bit short on that last handstand, and she takes a small shuffle back on the full in dismount. Overall that was a gorgeous routine for SCSU. 9.8
After 1: Arizona State 49.250, Southern Connecticut 48.650
This was a good opening rotation for both teams! Arizona State had a fall towards the beginning of its lineup, but the back half of the lineup more than made up for it, with Hannah Scharf and Anaya Smith both scoring above 9.900. SCSU had six clean bar routines and capped the rotation off with a 9.800 from Gigi Mastellone.
Rotation 2: Southern Connecticut VT, Arizona State UB
Kelly (SCSU): Tucked Tsuk full, a bit low in terms of height and takes a hop back on the landing. 9.725
Barbanente (ASU): Jumps over the low bar and mounts to high. Blind to piked Jaeger to bail combination, really nice form throughout. A bit short on the final handstand and sticks the double layout. 9.8
Allen (SCSU): Another Tsuk full, much higher this time and has a small shuffle on the landing. 9.7
Samiley (ASU): Mounts on the high bar and starts with a blind to Jaeger to bail, great form like Barbanente before her. Short on that last handstand. Gorgeous double layout and has a small hop back.
Sitty (SCSU): Full on tuck off, not lots of height and has a pretty big hop back on the landing. 9.725
Scharf (ASU): Starts on the low bar with a gorgeous handstand. Maloney to Pak combination, a tiny bit of foot separation on the Maloney but the Pak was lovely. I think she was attempting a blind full but she jumps off the bar before she made it all the way around. She gets back up and hits the blind full to double tuck and takes a step forward. Very uncharacteristic for Scharf. 9.275
Ruecker (SCSU): Tucked Yurchenko full, better height than the vault before her and hops back on the landing.
Mangahas (ASU): Jumps over the low bar and mounts to high. Blind to piked Jaeger to bail was gorgeous, perfect form throughout. Tiny bit short on that last handstand and she sticks the full in! Great routine to get the Sun Devils back on track. 9.925
Dorr (SCSU): Tucked Yurchenko full, great distance from the table and a hop back on the landing.
White (ASU): Starts on the low bar with a nice handstand into her Van Leeuwen. Swing half to shootover was nice too, she’s really hitting these handstands. Hits that last handstand and sticks the double layout. 9.95
Bracher (SCSU): Yurchenko full, a bit late to the twist and some slight pike in the hips and a small hop at the end.
Clark (ASU): Starts her routine on the high bar with a blind to Jaeger, catches it a bit close but keeps her momentum going. Nice Pak down to the low bar. A tiny bit short on that last handstand and has the smallest shuffle on the double layout. 9.85
After 2: Arizona State 98.600, Southern Connecticut 97.300
Once again, the later half of Arizona State’s lineup was forced to compete under pressure after an early fall. But the Sun Devils went big and had multiple scores above 9.900, just like on vault. Southern Connecticut put up six hit vaults, it’s lacking in difficulty and amplitude, but overall the execution was pretty consistent.
Rotation 3: Arizona State BB, Southern Connecticut FX
Lee (ASU): Split leap to full turn to start the routine, very solid. Flic flic lay, gorgeous form and a very solid landing. Beat jump to sheep jump, small wobble there but stays calm. Finishes up with a roundoff 1.5 and she sticks it! Great leadoff for ASU. 9.875
Beyer (SCSU): Starts with a really high double tuck with a nice landing. Switch half wolf full wolf full was good, some flexed feet. Next pass is a back 1.5 to front layout, almost slides out of bounds but manages to stay in I think. Last pass is a Rudi, some flexed feet but a very controlled landing. 9.7
Reeves (ASU): Very nice flic flic lay to start her routine, solid landing and great form. Switch leap to split jump was good, great flexibility. Slight wobble on the full turn. Solid front aerial. Dismounts with a roundoff tucked 1.5 and she sticks it.
Ruecker (SCSU): First pass is a nice double pike, her toes were nice and pointed throughout and the landing was very controlled. Switch leap through to switch side Popa Popa, good lines throughout. Back 1.5 to front tuck was good. Finishes with a double tuck, her chest was pretty low but she stayed on her feet. 9.65
Mangahas (ASU): Beautiful front aerial to back handspring to start out, no wobbles at all. Switch leap to switch half, leg up wobble but she stays on. Piked front toss was very solid as well. Finishes with a gainer pike and takes a step back.
Kelly (SCSU): Front layout to front full to front tuck to start out, not the best amplitude but good overall. Switch side to wolf full. Next is a double tuck, it looked low in the air but she landed with her chest up and had a solid landing. 9.75
Clark (ASU): Flic flic lay, her toes were much more pointed that they usually are, it was very nice. Split jump to double stag was good. Gorgeous front aerial, she has such great back flexibility. Finishes with a front gainer full and has a step back on the landing. 9.9
Sitty (SCSU): Starts with a front tuck to a double pike and she steps out of bounds. Switch side Popa Popa, a bit short of 180 on each element. Finishes with. a double tuck, she jumps into that lunge but overall it was controlled. 9.7
Scharf (ASU): Very nice double wolf turn to start, no wobbles whatsoever. Very pretty flic lay, small wobble but she stays on. Nice side sumi, much more solid landing there. Switch leap to split jump, short of 180 on both. Dismounts with a roundoff 1.5 and she sticks it. 9.925
Allen (SCSU): First pass is a very nice double pike, good form and landing. Next is a front layout front full, again very nice form and control on the landing. Pretty switch side to Popa. Finishes up with a double tuck, it was great just like the other passes. Great routine for the Owls! 9.875
White (ASU): Beautiful flic lay series to start her routine, great solid landing. Gorgeous front aerial to beat jump. Split jump to double stag was solid as well. Dismounts with a back handspring to 1.5 and she fights for that stick. Honestly the arm wobble on the dismount may have been the only deduction. Great routine!
Melanson (SCSU): Starts with a 2.5 to front tuck, she stuck the front tuck but had some form issues in the 2.5. Switch side wolf full next. Back 1.5 to front pike, her back foot did slide as she was getting to the lunge. Next is a front handspring Rudi, much better landing there, better control.
After 3: Arizona State 148.150, Southern Connecticut 146.100
I’d say this was the most solid rotation of the meet! Neither team had a fall, and Arizona State showed off some amazing form, confidence, and landings on the beam. SCSU had some high-flying floor routines, including a huge 9.875 from Libby Allen. One more rotation to go in Tempe!
Rotation 4: Southern Connecticut BB, Arizona State FX
Allen (SCSU): Split half to start her routine, maybe a bit short of 180. Nice flic lay to beat jump, she looks very confident. Cat leap to switch side, no question about hitting 180 there, she went well over. Wobble on the full turn. Finishes with a roundoff tucked (?) 1.5 and she sticks it!
Lee (ASU): First pass is a front double full, she didn’t make it all the way around and I doubt she’ll get credit for it. Next is a back 1.5 to front layout, a bit quick to the lunge there. Switch ring to switch half, some slightly bent knees in the switch half. Finishes with a Rudi, much better landing on that pass. 9.675
Kahl (SCSU): Front aerial to back handspring series, very nice, just some slightly bent knees in the back handspring if I’m being picky. Nice switch leap to split quarter. Cat leap to side aerial to split jump, very solid throughout. Dismounts with a cartwheel to 1.5 and hops back on the landing.
Gregoire (ASU): First pass is a nice full in, great control on that landing. Switch side to Popa, short of 180 on both. Next is a Rudi to back layout stepout, some form issues on the Rudi but that layout was super high! Good routine to get the Sun Devils back on track after the misstep from Kayla Lee. 9.9
Dinisoe (SCSU): Switch leap to split three quarter was nice, some flexed feet. Pretty flic lay, great form and landing there. Front aerial to beat jump was nice as well. Roundoff to a tucked 1.5 dismount and she sticks it. 9.825
K. Smith (ASU): Very nice double pike to start her routine, great form and good control on the landing. Front full to front layout was good, maybe a bit quick to her lunge. Switch full to split full was very pretty. Nice double tuck to finish off her routine, good control on that landing as well.
Stanfa (SCSU): Flic flic lay, some flexed feet and a leg up wobble but stays on. Switch leap to split three quarter. Split half next. Wobble on the full turn. Finishes with a roundoff 1.5 with a hop forward on the landing. 9.625
White (ASU): Starts with a front double full, very pretty form and stellar control on the landing. Next is a back 1.5 to front full, she steps out of it with such control. Switch ring to switch half was nice, good flexibility there.
Melanson (SCSU): Cat leap to front aerial, a few big wobbles but she stays on. Looks like she was supposed to connect that to a back handspring but the connection was not there. Switch leap to straddle quarter, short of 180.Cat leap to side aerial to side aerial. I don’t know if that was planned but hey she got a connection! Cartwheel to tucked 1.5 dismount and she fights for that stick. She puts one leg up but gets the stick.
Mangahas (ASU): Starts off with a full in, her chest looked a bit low to me but my stream is also glitching so I don’t know for sure. Next pass is a front tuck through to a double tuck, again my stream is super glitchy but I think it was good. Switch half wolf full?
Lee (SCSU): Front toss to sissone to switch half? She fell off. Front aerial to back handspring series, small wobble at the end. Gainer front full to dismount and she sticks it.
Scharf (ASU): First pass is a front tuck through to double tuck, great form and control. Next up is a front full to front tuck, looked good from what I was able to see. I have no idea what that leap pass was, I’ll be honest. My stream is getting worse by the second. Nice double pike. Looked like a solid routine!
Final: Arizona State 197.600, Southern Connecticut 194.400
Today was a great meet for both teams! Arizona State scored its season-high by just over three tenths, which should no doubt help its NQS heading into the postseason. Southern Connecticut also had a great night and scored its season high as well! Tonight’s meet should give both teams some much-needed confidence as they head into the postseason.
Event Winners:
Vault: A. Smith, 9.925
Bars: White, 9.950
Beam: White, 9.950
Floor: White, 9.950
All Around: White, 39.625
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Live Blog by Emily Lockard
