Happy conference championships day, everyone! Personally, I can’t believe that the postseason is already upon us, but here we are! Today’s EAGL Championship meet will be hosted by the Towson Tigers, who also happen to be the favorites to win.
Towson is the defending EAGL champion, and defending that title should be much easier now that N.C. State is in the ACC. The Tigers have been having a stellar season, and they’re currently ranked 25th in the nation. Last weekend was big for Towson, as it scored a season-high 197.500 and a 196.575 in a double meet weekend. The Tigers have proven that they’re able to put up big scores on every event, but keep your eye on Isabella Minervini, who has gone 9.975 on bars more times than not this season, and Sarah Girot who scored a 9.950 on beam.
If any team is going to challenge Towson defending its title, it would be George Washington. The Revolutionaries squared off with Towson twice last weekend, and was able to come out on top in one of those meetings, and scored a program-record 197.200 in the other. The key to the upset will be bars, which has been the most inconsistent event for George Washington this season. Some big scores from senior star Kendall Whitman wouldn’t hurt either!
Next is New Hampshire. The Wildcats have been steadily showing improvement towards the end of the season, and it all leads up to today, as they’re a bit far off from qualifying to regionals. Senior Kylie Gorgenyi had a great meet last weekend with a 9.950 on floor to lead her to a 39.400 in the all around. In addition to Gorgenyi, Serena Mullin could be a difference-maker for the Wildcats. Mullin put up a 9.925 on beam last meet, and has a career-high of 9.950 on floor. Big scores like these could help New Hampshire put up one last good score for the season and potentially qualify some athletes to regionals.
Temple has been beginning to peak, but unfortunately it’s just too late in the season as the Owls still have too many low scores counting towards their NQS. But today’s meet could be a great way to finish off the season! The Owls put up a program-high floor score just two weeks ago with a huge 49.575. A big score like that one could keep this meet’s contenders on their toes, but Temple will have to hit bar and beam routines to stay in contention.
Finally, we have LIU. The Sharks have had a rollercoaster of a season, with a high of 195.875 and a low of just above 192. While regionals is out of the question for the team, LIU has some individual athletes that could make big moves in the postseason, and that starts today. Syd Morris has been beating their own all-around records week after week, and Brisa Carraro can do a gorgeous bar routine on the right day. So, while winning this meet may be out of reach, don’t forget to watch some individuals keep their postseason hopes alive.
Rotation 1: George Washington VT, Towson UB, LIU BB, New Hampshire FX
Keener (Tow.): Mounts on the high bar with a good handstand. Blind to Jaeger to bail was nice, very good form throughout. Hits the last handstand and takes a small hop forward on the blind full to double tuck.
Silverman (GW): Yurchenko full, really nice distance from the table and a small hop on the landing.
Danilchenko (LIU): Starts the routine with a flic lay, small stutter on the landing but she stays on. Switch leap to straddle half, a bit shy of 180 on the leap. Front aerial to beat jump, another small wobble there. Finishes up with a roundoff double full with a step back.
Vitoff? (Tow.): Mounts on the high bar with an archy handstand to a free hip where she almost went over but saves it. Geinger to bail combination was good. And she sticks the full in dismount.
Brown (UNH): Back 1.5 to front full to start out her routine, nice form and control at the end. Leg up turn to wolf 1.5. Switch full to Popa was good, nice straight legs. Next pass is a Rudi, mostly controlled but maybe a small slide of her front foot.
Fall for LIU on beam
Hong (Tow.): Mounts on the high bar with a blind to piked Jaeger. Nice shootover, a bit shy of handstand there. Hits that last handstand and takes a small hop on the double front dismount.
Katz? (GW): Yurchenko half, lots of power and took a huge hop forward on the landing.
Vaillancourt (Tow.): Mounts on the high bar with a good handstand. Blind to a super high jaeger to a bail. Nice last handstand and takes a small step back on the double layout.
Zois (GW): Super high Yurchenko full, great height and bounces back on the landing.
Carraro (LIU): Roundoff layout stepout mount on to the beam, decent wobble there. Switch leap split jump, another wobble. Front aerial to back handspring series, much more solid there. Very pretty double wolf turn. Dismounts with a roundoff 1.5 and she fights for the stick.
Beaulieu (UNH): Front layout to Rudi to start out, slightly pikes it down but a controlled landing. Switch leap to wolf full wolf full was good. Next is a double tuck, great height and very controlled on the landing.
Mullin (UNH): Starts with a front tuck through to a double tuck, a bit squatty on the landing but good overall. Switch half wolf one and a half was good, good flexibility in the leap. Back 1.5 to front layout to finish up, the layout could’ve been a bit higher but I’m being picky.
Gorgenyi (UNH): First pass is a double pike, had to lunge forward instead of back. Front handspring front full front pike, the pike was a bit short in terms of distance. Switch side wolf full, great flexibility in her switch side. Finishes up with a front handspring Rudi, much more controlled on that pass.
After 1: Towson 49.300, George Washington 49.100, New Hampshire 48.950, LIU 48.700
Overall, this was a good starting rotation for all of the teams. There were some mistakes on beam from LIU and floor from New Hampshire, but the remaining gymnasts in the lineup stepped up and eliminated the lower scores. As expected, Towson is leading the pack after its best event, but now the Tigers have to go to beam, where we know anything can happen.
Rotation 2: New Hampshire VT, Temple UB, Towson BB, LIU FX
DeHaan (Tem.): Mounts on the high bar with a blind to a piked Jaeger to bail, some flexed feet but t hey were glued together. Good last handstand and takes a hop in place on the blind full double tuck.
Moreno (UNH): Nice high Yurchenko full, some pike down and a hop in place on the landing.
Keener (Tow.): Nice flic lay, some flexed feet but a very solid landing. Switch leap to tuck three quarter, great flexibility on the leap. Cat leap to front toss to beat jump, tiny shoulder drop but overall good. Dismounts with a side gainer full and she stuck it.
Bauman (UNH): Tucked Yurchenko full, good height and a small hop back.
Hogan (Tem.): Starts on the low bar with a Maloney, some leg separation. Goes up into an archy handstand and does a shootover down to low, much better form there. Good blind full to a double tuck and takes a step back.
McMullen (UNH): Another nice Yurchenko full, some pike down but not as much as her teammate before her, and a small hop back.
Danilchenko (LIU): First pass is a front tuck through to double tuck, chest is a bit low but she holds the landing before stepping into her lunge. Switch ring to switch full was nice, good lines. Switch ring to leg up full jump was also nice. Next up is a double pike, her legs were a bit bent on that landing but she stays on her feet.
Mullin (UNH): Yurchenko full, good distance from the table and a small hop.
Hong (Tow.): Side aerial to roundoff series, very solid landing there. Split jump to split three quarter, very nice lines and flexibility. Straddle jump was great as well. Dismounts with a stuck front full!
Miller (LIU): Starts with a double pike, has to jump back into the lunge. Next is a front full front layout, much more controlled on that landing and she had great form. Switch half to Popa, shy of 180 on both. Finishes up with a double tuck, low chest and steps out of bounds.
Whalen (Tem.): Mounts on the high bar with an archy handstand into her shootover to toe Hecht. A bit shy of her next handstand into a nice high Tkatchev. And she sticks the full in dismount!
Weitz (Tow.): Front aerial to beat jump was good, maybe some bent knees. Flic lay series was very nice, great form and landing. Split jump and split ring. Dismounts with a cartwheel gainer full that gets some good distance from the beam.
Vaillancourt (Tow.): Standing front tuck to beat jump was really good, absolutely no wobbles. Very good flic lay. Switch leap switch leap, close enough to 180 that it should count. Cartwheel to a nice high gainer full and she stuck it.
Morris (LIU): Starts off with a double tuck, very good control on the lunge out of it. Sissone to switch full to wolf full was nice, very good flexibility. Front layout to front full was good, another good landing there. Finishes with a good double pike, some flexed feet but a good landing.
After 2: Towson 98.775, New Hampshire 97.825, LIU 97.400, George Washington 49.100, Temple 48.750
Another good rotation in the books here at EAGLs! Temple got off to a hot start in this rotation and hit all six of its bar routines, Towson went lights out on beam and capped it off with a 9.950 from Grace Vaillancourt. New Hampshire had some high-flying vaults, and LIU had some good tumbling but struggled on some of the landings. Overall, the second rotation was good and all these teams have good momentum to carry into the third.
Rotation 3: LIU VT, George Washington UB, Temple BB, Towson FX
Monk (Tem.): Nice flic lay, big wobble at the end though. Switch leap split three quarter, short of 180 on that leap. Cat leap to side aerial, another wobble on that skill. Finished with a front full with a step forward.
Vaillancourt (Tow.): First pass is a back 1.5 to front layout, maybe some slight leg separation but a good landing. Beautiful switch side straddle half, she goes above 180. Rudi to a super high straddle jump as her next pass. Switch half to Popa, a bit shy of 180 on the Popa.
Ruskey (Tem.): Flic lay, some slightly bent knees but a solid landing. Beat jump to front toss was solid as well. Small wobble on the full turn. Cat leap to switch side, a bit shy of 180, she was a little crooked in the air. Dismounts with a back handspring to 1.5 and she sticks it!
Morris (LIU): Yurchenko full, pike down but they did stick it!
Katz (GW): Starts on the high bar with a free hip into a shootover. Nice Tkachev, maybe a bit loose in the air, she went out really far on the full in and she fell to her knees.
Ricketts (LIU): Nice Yurchenko full, much better body position in the air and a small hop on the landing.
Calafati (Tow.): Starts with a front double twist to front pike, lacking a bit of height but a good landing. Switch side to straddle jump was good, again lacking some height. Really nice Rudi to back layout to straddle jump, lots of height there and great straight legs.
Schugman (Tem.): Beat jump to switch side to start out, crooked in the air. Very pretty front aerial next, great form. Front handspring stepout to front aerial was gorgeous, just picture perfect form. Finishes with a roundoff 1.5 with a small hop.
Whitman (GW): Mounts on the high bar with a short hadnstand and a short free hip. Geinger had a lot of leg separation. Shootover looked better. A tiny bit shy on the last handstand and dismounted with a blind into a Rudi dismount.
Donabedian (Tem.): Kicks out of a gorgeous full turn to start her routine. Switch leap to double stag jump next, very solid. Beautiful front aerial to back handspring series, perfect form. Cat leap to side sumi was good too. Roundoff to 1.5 with a small hop forward, that was a gorgeous routine!
Tisler (Tow.): Front handspring front layout to Rudi was very nice, good control. Switch full to stag jump, maybe a bit off at the end but she covered it well. Back 1.5 to front layout was beautiful, she steps into the lunge very nicely.
S. Stallings (Tem.): Switch leap to split jump was very nice, great flexibility. Gorgeous flic flic lay, stunning form and a great landing. Split jump to straddle quarter was great as well. Wobble on the full turn but she stays on. Dismounts with a roundoff 1.5 with a hop forward.
Halsell (Tow.): First pass is a piked full in, she was a bit quick to the lunge and lifted the front foot a bit. Switch full to split full was nice, above 180 there. Finishes up with a front tuck through to a double tuck and she holds the landing before lunging.
After 3: Towson 147.950, LIU 146.025, New Hampshire 97.825, Temple 97.650, George Washington 97.225
Well, we may have just seen George Washington’s regionals hopes crumble before our eyes. The Revolutionaries had two falls on bars, and they would have to have some seriously outstanding beam and floor rotations to get back into the mix for regionals. Other than bars, the rest of this rotation was good. Temple had some gorgeous beam routines, LIU was consistent on vault, and Towson got the crowd going with some great floor routines. Only two rotations left here at EAGLs!
Rotation 4: Towson VT, New Hampshire UB, George Washington BB, Temple FX
Hoffman (Tow.): Nice high Yurchenko full, some pike throughout and a hop on the landing.
Dorunda (Tem.): First pass is a nice double tuck, her chest was a bit low on the landing but a very controlled landing. Switch side Popa wolf full, could use some more flexibility there. Finishes up with a front layout to Rudi, pretty good routine!
Bauman (UNH): Mounts on the high bar and starts with a great handstand. Nice blind to Jaeger to bail, some flexed feet in the Jaeger. Really nice last handstand. Toe on to full in and she lands really low and I can’t really tell if she fell or not, but it was low.
Weklar (Tem.): Rudi to back layout stepout to start, great form and height. Wolf full wolf 1.5 was solid. Switch side to straddle jump, shy of 180 on both. Back 1.5 to front layout, the layout was low and she stumbled back but stayed on her feet.
Graver (UNH): Mounts on the low bar and has a free hip Maloney to Pak combination, some slight leg separation throughout. Blind full to double tuck and she takes two hops back.
Izzo (GW): Very pretty flic flic lay series to start out, picture perfect form and a solid landing. Switch leap to straddle quarter, she was super off in the leap so her jump was short of 180, but she stayed on the beam. Dismounts with a roundoff 1.5 with a small hop forward.
Tisler (Tow.): Nice high Yurchenko 1.5, great distance and takes a small hop forward.
Whitman (GW): Front aerial to roundoff series, slight wobble at the end. Switch leap split jump split jump was good. Dismounts with a front gainer full and she sticks it.
Ruskey (Tem.): First pass is a front tuck through to double tuck, good control at the end but some flexed feet throughout. Switch side to straddle 1.5, some flexed feet again. Finishes with a double pike, kind of stumbles into the lunge but does keep that front foot down.
Peters (GW): Side aerial to back layout series, such pretty form and a very good landing. Cat leap to switch leap to straddle jump, she wobbled there but saved it. Switch leap to gainer pike, she looked off in the leap but she stuck the landing.
Monk (Tem.): Starts with a front tuck through to double pike and she has to step forward to her lunge. Tour jete half to split full was nice, could use a bit more split. Finishes with a front handspring front double full! I was not expecting that E pass at the end, but it was great!
Kiner (GW): Front aerial to back handspring, slight wobble between those elements, I don’t know if they’ll count the connection. Front toss, another wobble there. Switch half to beat jump, another wobble. Gainer pike to finish up and steps back.
Donabedian (Tem.): Starts off with a front handspring Rudi back layout stepout, absolutely gorgeous form throughout the whole pass. Switch ring to switch full was nice too, a bit low on the switch full. Finishes with a front handspring to front double full, steps a bit sideways on the landing, but it was still a beautiful pass.
After 4: Towson 197.300, New Hampshire 147.000, Temple 146.700, George Washington 146.350, LIU 146.025
Everyone came ready to play for this rotation, especially George Washington on beam! After a shaky bar rotation, the Revolutionaries went above 49 on beam and keep the small glimmer of hope alive. Towson has finished the meet and scored a huge 197.300, which should be a big confidence boost heading into regionals!
Rotation 5: Temple VT, LIU UB, New Hampshire BB, George Washington FX
Lynch (GW): Her first pass is a back 1.5 to front layout, really good height and good control at the end. Wolf full wolf 1.5 was nice. Next is a double tuck, good landing but her chest was pretty low. Switch side to Popa, the Popa was a bit crooked in the air.
Monk (Tem.): Yurchenko full, very piked in the air and hops forward in the air.
Bixler (LIU): Mounts on the high bar and is a bit short on the first handstand. Blind to Jaeger to bail, pretty solid form. Struggling on these handstands, nice blind full to a double tuck with a hop on the landing.
Aresta (Tem.): Yurchenko full, good form in the air but pikes it down and she sticks it!
DeVincenzo (UNH): Cat leap to front toss to beat jump was nice, slight wobble on the front toss. Switch leap to straddle quarter was gorgeous, she has some really nice flexibility. Nice flic lay, some slightly bent knees. Nice side gainer full to a stick to finish the routine.
Burke (GW): Really nice double front to start her routine, she cowboys it a bit but the landing was perfect. Nice double tuck next, her front foot slides a bit but I’m being picky. Switch side to a Shushunova, very short of 180 on that leap. Finishes with a front full front layout, great form and landing there.
Gorgenyi (UNH): Flic lay series, very pretty form. Cat leap to side aerial, a small wobble there but stays on. Straddle jump to straddle three quarter. Finishes with a front gainer full and she sticks it!
AnnaLisa Page from LIU had to start over her bar routine because of the cables being loose, so hopefully the fall doesn’t count.
Silverman (GW): Very pretty double pike to start, she was close to going out but I think she stayed in. Back 1.5 to front layout was good, nice control there. She finishes up with a double tuck, she has a picture perfect landing and great form.
Morris (LIU): Starts on the high bar with a switch grip to piked Jaeger, very nice form. Nice Pak, some foot separation though. Really holds that last handstand and sticks the double layout!
Whitman (GW): Really nice double front to start out, her landing was super controlled and her form was good other than the cowboying. Next pass is a front double twist into a front layout, again she has gorgeous form and a great landing. Darn it I missed the leap pass. And she finishes with a front double full and it’s just as beautiful as the other passes!
Final: Towson 197.300, New Hampshire 196.150, George Washington 195.800, Temple 195.600, LIU 194.975
What a great EAGL championships! Towson had a great meet going into regionals and every other team finished off the season on a great note. It’s unfortunate that George Washington’s regionals hopes are likely gone, but the Revolutionaries finished the best that they could. Until next year, EAGL! It was a great year!
Event Winners:
Vault: Halsell, Tisler; 9.900
Bars: Minervini, 9.950
Beam: Vaillancourt, 9.950
Floor: Whitman, 9.950
All Around: Morris, 39.475
READ THIS NEXT: Bubble Watch: March 20
Live Blog by Emily Lockard
