Are you ready for some gymnastics?! It’s opening night, the atmosphere in the PMAC is already electric, and it promises to be an exciting night.
As LSU prepares to “protect the crown” as the reigning national champion, it is already facing adversity. Haleigh Bryant will likely miss this first meet due to a strained UCL in her elbow while Kylie Coen is out due to a hyperextension of her knee. Bryant’s absence opens the door for freshman Kailin Chio and senior Aleah Finnegan to compete in the all-around. I’ll also be on the lookout to see if KJ Johnson and Alexis Jeffrey re-appear in the lineups; both missed Gymnastics 101, with Johnson’s absence being described as an “internal matter.”
For Iowa State, the goal is to begin 2025 by continuing the momentum it ended 2024 with. The Cyclones went through a rebuilding period with first-year head coach Ashley Miles Greig and made waves with the highest improvement in ranking among teams. Earlier this preseason, she told me the team is determined to prove 2024 was not a fluke. Look for the freshmen to contribute immediately; Haylee Hardin competes the only 10.0 start-value vault for Iowa State, and former Canadian national team member Frédérique Sgarbossa looks likely to compete multiple events after deferring 2024 for the Olympics. With Bryant’s injury, could we also see an upset on night one of the 2025 season? Anything can happen.
We’ve made it (no thanks to traffic on Interstate 10)! From the brief glimpse I got of warmups, it looks like we won’t be seeing KJ Johnson on floor tonight. Looking at lineups, Iowa State will only be putting up five routines on vault, so that will be a very early sign of how this will go.
You can watch live on the SEC Network or linked here and stats can be found here!
The banner just dropped in the PMAC and, in fitting fashion, “The Climb” played in the background.
Rotation 1: LSU vault, ISU bars
KJ Johnson (LSU): she’s baaaaaack! Yurchenko full, usual power and form in the air, small hop backwards on the landing. 9.825
Wills (ISU): good toe hand to Maloney, slight leg separation on the Pak salto, and she overcooks the handstand and comes off. Not a great start, but gets the double layout landing. 8.850
Brock (LSU): lineup switch, was originally Zeiss in this spot. Only vaults a Yurchenko full tonight, but is very clean, takes a small hop back on the landing. 9.825
Loyim (ISU): blind to piked Jaeger, is too far away from the bar and misses. The Cyclones will count a fall in this rotation. Leg separation on the Pak salto, little short on the last handstand. Double layout with a stick. 8.800
Finnegan (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, stick on the landing! If I’m being picky, there was definitely some bent knees in the air, but the PMAC crowd already calling for a 10. 9.950
Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU): First competitive bars routine for Bergstrom in a few seasons! blind to straddle Jaeger to bail to handstand. Really pretty lines throughout. Full pirouette to double tuck dismount, stutter step backwards. 9.625
Lincoln (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, BIG power off of the table, pretty sizable hop forward on the landing. Some leg separation in the air. 9.825
Bochow (ISU): This is Bochow’s first competitive routine with Iowa State after spending two seasons at West Virginia! blind to straddle Jaeger, looked really close on the catch but pulled it off. Short on her final handstand, double layout with a small hop in place. Nicely done! 9.775
Drayton (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, some slightly bent elbows on the table, solid on the landing. 9.925
Thomas (ISU): blind to straddle Jaeger, beautiful toe point in the air! Pak salto was good to low bar, slightly short on the last handstand, double layout with a tiny balance check. Cyclones starting to find their momentum ever so slightly. 9.700
Chio (LSU): The freshman takes Bryant’s place as the anchor. Yurchenko 1.5, good height and distance, the tiniest knee form in the air, had the stick but took a baby hop forward at the last second. 9.825
Sgarbossa (ISU): Maloney to clear hip to immediate Pak salto, little bit of a rhythm deduction with the extra circle, but NAILS the double layout. Cleanest landing the Cyclones had on this rotation by far. 9.800
After 1: LSU 49.350, ISU 47.750
You can definitely tell the Tigers are struggling just a touch without Bryant, but they definitely held their own. Aleah Finnegan’s vault was the highlight with a clean stick. For the Cyclones, the meet definitely did not start the way they would have preferred, but the back half of Bochow, Thomas, and freshman Sgarbossa did their best to get it back on track.
Rotation 2: ISU vault, LSU bars
Iowa State will only go five up on vault in this rotation, so it will have to hit and hit well.
Wills (ISU): Yurchenko full, piked down on the landing, some feet form in the air, small hop on the landing. 9.675
Zeiss (LSU): Maloney to Pak, clean form, beautifully held handstand on the low bar, full twisting double back dismount, slightly low chest with a small step. 9.800
Wilke (ISU): Yurchenko full, also slightly piked down on the landing. Small side step, but got a lot of distance on that vault! 9.700
Looks like we have a judges’ conference on Zeiss’s bar routine.
Cowan (LSU): Ready to go after a small break. Ray to immediate overshoot, good form in the air. Double layout dismount, small slide back on the landing. 9.850
Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU): Yurchenko full, very clean form in the air with a solid stick. Definitely what the Cyclones needed! 9.850
Jeffrey (LSU): Mount on low bar, Maloney to bail, beautiful handstand on the low bar, full twisting double tuck dismount, small step on the landing. 9.825
Adams (ISU): Yurchenko full, her normal height and distance, small hop on the landing. Bit of a pike down as well.
Chio (LSU): Maloney to bail, perfect handstand on the high bar! The crowd’s gasp when she hit the Markelov was fantastic. Nails her dismount. She is going to be a fan favorite in the PMAC.
Hardin (ISU): Went for an Omelianchik, bailed out at the last second. Not really sure what happened, hopefully I can find out post meet.
Finnegan (LSU): Deltchev, thanks goodness it’s back. Bail to handstand, nicely done. Full out dismount, with a small step.
McClain (LSU): Church to immediate Pak salto, nicely done, tiniest leg separation on the Pak. Holds that final handstand nicely, full twisting double back, deep knee bend but keeps it up. 9.800
After 2: LSU 98.625, ISU 96.575
Well. This is fun. Neither team is in full season form and both are missing some key names in important events. Finnegan leads the all-around at the moment, but Chio is hot on her heels. Second half of this meet should be interesting.
Rotation 3: LSU beam, ISU floor
Ballard (LSU): BHS LOSO, off to the side and falls off. Sissone to switch half, good split in the air. Round off double twist, stick. Not quite the way the Tigers wanted to start beam, pressure sets the rest of the way. 9.250
Manternach (ISU): Ah yes, the storm siren before each routine. Front tuck through to double tuck, got the landing, but possibly stepped out of bounds. Good extension on the leaps. Front full to front layout, good rise between the leaps. 9.675 with a 9.550/9.800 split. because why not.
Drayton (LSU): Needing to get back on track here. Solid job on the front aerial, looks a little off on the series, but makes the correction in the air. Double twist dismount, little low on the chest with a step forward. 9.675
Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU): Shania Twain just woke this crowd up big time! Front layout to Rudi, really low chest, but got the landing. Back 1.5 to front layout, nicely done. Switch half to split jump, good toe point throughout. 9.600
Chio (LSU): Fun originality with the RO BHS mount. Her extension in the leaps is absolutely INSANE. Front aerial to split jump, small lean after the jump. BHS 1.5 twist dismount with a stick. Slowly starting to find a rhythm again. 9.925
Guinee (ISU): First routine for the freshman! Front double full to open, much needed difficulty! Lost her toe point just a bit in the leaps, but kept them connected nicely. Front layout to front full final pass, very nicely done!
Dunne (LSU): BHS LOSO, good. Front aerial, slight lean after the aerial. Gainer pike dismount, slight leg form in the air.
Haylee Hardin just walked off the floor in tears with coach Ryan Snider, not sure if she’s out of floor yet or not. *CONFIRMED: she will not compete floor
Wilke (ISU): Back 1.5 to front full to open, fun series with the rock and roll music! She’s really into this routine! Double pike to close, really close to the line but keeps it in.
McClain (LSU): Switch leap to switch half, usual form and extension. Front aerial to BHS, solid. Side aerial, and she had Achilles surgery HOW MANY MONTHS AGO?? Gainer full dismount stuck.
Adams (ISU): Front double full to open, VERY HEAVILY taped. Her ankle was wrapped in ice when I got here, so the fact she’s even competing is insane. Beautiful toe point on her leap series. Very floaty front layout to front 1.5 to close. Good ending despite losing Hardin’s floor.
Crowd booing McClain’s 9.825.
Finnegan (LSU): Need a hit to drop Ballard’s score. BHS LO LOSO, nailed it. Switch leap to split jump, nice 180 in the split. Front aerial, the tiniest balance adjustment on the landing. Side gainer full dismount, will drop the 9.250 from Ballard!
After 3: LSU 147.800, ISU 145.375
Both teams definitely had some struggles in that rotation, but the Tigers were able to erase Ballard’s fall with a hit set from Finnegan. Hardin had to have injured herself on vault, she hopped out of the arena on one foot with tears in her eyes. Hopefully it’s just a stinger and she’ll be back sooner than later.
Rotation 4: ISU beam, LSU floor
Loyim (ISU): Switch leap to switch leap, lacked a little split. Beautiful full turn. BHS LOSO, lean after the layout but stays on the beam. Side gainer full dismount, small hop on the landing. Solid opener, need to end this meet on a high note! 9.575, one judge gave her a 9.9 start value?
Ballard (LSU): Will be interested to see how she bounces back from her fall on beam. Double layout, nails the landing. Back 1.5 to front layout, nice rise between skills. Switch full to sissone, nice to see they took out the switch ring. Double pike to close, lands on her toes, but gets the stick. Great leadoff routine! 9.850
O’Brochta (ISU): Triple series, nails it! She’s had issues with that series before, so glad to see her hit it now. Good toe point on leap series. BHS 1.5 dismount, step forward on the landing. The mat slid a little under her feet as well. Not the best, but a hit is a hit. 9.700
Brock (LSU): Full-out to open, little bit of a low chest on the landing. Wolf jump 1.5, nice difficulty, 1.5 to front layout, very floaty on the layout! Switch side to Popa, well above 180 on the straddles! 9.875
Adams (ISU): BHS LOSO, solid. Little bit of a balance check in the choreography. Switch leap to switch leap, much closer to 180. Beautiful full turn, leg lift on the front aerial. You can tell the Cyclones are a little nervy unfortunately. Gainer full dismount. 9.775
Dunne (LSU): Front tuck through to double tuck to open, very good form in the air. Ring jump full, nice toe point, little short on rotation. Double pike for second pass, switch leap to switch ring half, missed the position ever so slightly on the ring, but a good routine overall. 9.875
Wilke (ISU): Front toss to back tuck, broke the connection and had some balance breaks, so likely will be a lower start value than she would like. RO 1.5 dismount, short and sweet, gotta love it.
Drayton (LSU): Nice and floaty double layout to open. Switch ring to switch half, very nice ring position in the air. Front tuck through to double tuck, underrotated and had to take a step forward. 9.875.
Looks like another possible conference. I’m willing to bet it’s on the start value since she broke the connection. 9.700/10.000 SV split.
Thomas (ISU): These last two routines need to be a hit. Front toss to BHS, very confident in the series, maybe a slight break? Full turn was nice, Switch leap to straddle quarter, nice extension! RO 1.5 dismount, gets the landing. 9.800
Chio (LSU): Full-out to open, nice form in the air, slight lean on the landing. 2.5 twist to front tuck, I thought for a split second it was low, but of course it wasn’t. Great routine to end the freshman’s debut in the PMAC!
Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU): Full turn to open. Cat leap to front toss to BHS, nicely done, maybe the tiniest break between skills. Switch leap to switch leap, lean after the second switch. Split jump, good toe point. Front full off the end, some knee bend in the air. Everyone stayed on the beam, which is a win!
Largest home-opener attendance in history, not bad LSU.
Finnegan (LSU): Double arabian to stag jump to open, her usual. Switch ring to tour jete half, good 180 position throughout. 2.5 twist to punch front to close it out.
FINAL: LSU 197.300, ISU 194.100
For a January 3rd meet, both teams looked okay. The Tigers will want to clean up some landings before heading to Oklahoma City next week, while the Cyclones will be working to improve across the board. Overall, this was a good time and gives both teams a solid starting point to work from.
VT: A. Finnegan (LSU) – 9.950
UB: K. Chio and A. Finnegan (LSU) – 9.900
BB: K. Chio and A. Finnegan (LSU) – 9.925
FX: A. Finnegan (LSU) – 9.950
AA: A. Finnegan (LSU) – 39.725
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Live blog by Savanna Wellman
