New Hampshire is eager to deliver a strong performance in its home opener after a challenging bars rotation knocked it out of contention in its week one tri-meet against Penn State and Penn. Freshmen Aine Reade and Cléante Théorêt impressed in their collegiate debuts with standout routines on floor and beam, respectively. Senior Alyssa Beaulieu, typically a key contributor on beam and floor, was absent from those lineups last week—so keep an eye out for her tonight.
Minnesota, coming off a win against Central Michigan, was led by fifth-year Mya Hooten, who once again delivered solid performances on vault, bars, and floor. Freshman Ava Stewart made a strong debut with the highest beam score of the night, posting a 9.875, which also earned her Big Ten Freshman of the week honors. However, the Gophers had to count some lower scores on vault and floor, so they’ll be looking for more consistency on those events as they face off against the Wildcats tonight.
You can catch New Hampshire’s YouTube stream here and follow along with our live blog below. Let’s get started!
Rotation 1: New Hampshire vault, Minnesota bars
Moreno (UNH): Yurchenko full. Good form off the table, pike down and a hop outside the lines. 9.700
Jencks (Minn): Tkatchev to start. Clear hip to overshoot, a bit short. Double layout is a little piked but lands well. 9.750
Ockerbloom (UNH): Yurchenko full with good height, a little form in the air and a step back. 9.775
Nguyen (Minn): Nice jaeger to overshoot. Floaty double layout with a stick – really nice routine from her. 9.750
Mullin (UNH): Yurchenko full, lots of power and a big hop back. 9.700
Crump (Minn): Toe on, Maloney, pak – nice connection to start. Double layout with a squat and a step. 9.775
McMullen (UNH): Big yurchenko full – fights for the stick with a lean forward, holds onto it. 9.825
Stewart (Minn): Excited for her debut on this event! Maloney to pak, beautiful toe point. Van Leeuwen is nice too. Blind change to double front with a step – I think she went for the double front pike but decided to tuck? It was the right choice, great routine. 9.825
Reade (UNH): Yurchenko full with a step back. 9.750
Lyden (Minn): Toe on, Maloney, bail – nicely done. Huge double layout, stuck! Great toe point throughout that routine, Minnesota will be happy with that. 9.875
Mowers (UNH): Yurchenko half, stumbles a bit on the landing. Nice to see some variety in the vault lineup! 9.725
Hooten (Minn): Blind change, piked jaeger, overshoot – very good. Full in dismount is huge with a squat and a step. 9.825
It looks like they’ll be showing some exhibitions from both teams at the end of each rotation.
Harvey (UNH): Yurchenko full, some leg form and a big step back but good distance. 9.575
Swartzmiller (Minn): Blind change to piked jaeger, falls. Full pirouette to double tuck dismount. Nice toe point throughout. 8.800
Harrington (Minn): Toe on, Maloney, pak – some leg separation but a nice connection. Toe on to full in, gets great height but not much distance and falls to her knees.
After 1: Minnesota 49.050, New Hampshire 48.775
Solid start from both teams, with both of them improving on last week’s scores on their respective events. I was especially impressed by Jordyn Lyden on bars, that’s a great routine for the Gophers to have in their lineup. New Hampshire showed some solid vaults with better landings than last week.
Rotation 2: Minnesota vault, New Hampshire bars
Pearl (Minn): Great height and distance on her yurchenko full, large hop back. 9.650
Simpkins (UNH): Toe on to Maloney, some wild leg form. Bail handstand is good. Finishes with a high, stuck full in. 9.525
Steensland (Minn): Yurchenko full with some loose form on the table but good height, small step back. 9.775
Before (UNH): Toe on, misses her feet and has to re-cast. Maloney to pak with some loose leg form. Misses a handstand and has to re-cast, goes over on the next handstand and falls. Toe on pike front half dismount, solid landing. 8.950
Moraw (Minn): Clean, high yurchenko full with a stick. 9.875
Mullin (UNH): Toe on, Maloney, bail – some flexed feet. Big, high full in dismount with a small hop in place. 9.700
Crump (Minn): Yurchenko 1.5 with a tiny step forward. Not much distance but excellent height. 9.825
Moreno (UNH): Toe on, Maloney, bail – good handstand. Full pirouette to double tuck, stuck. New Hampshire will be very happy with that! 9.750
Stewart (Minn): Yurchenko 1.5 with a step. Nice form on the table but has a big leg separation before landing. 9.825
Arthur (UNH): Ray, catches super close. Pak, short handstand after – might have hit her feet? Full pirouette to double tuck with a stick. 9.675
Hooten (Minn): Excellent stuck Yurchenko 1.5! As clean and high as always. 9.950
Reade (UNH): Big gienger to overshoot, some loose form but very dynamic. Huge, floaty double layout – looked like she was going to stick but ended up taking a small step back. 9.725
Exhibitions now:
Minaev (UNH): Ray with some leg form, caught close. Pak with leg separation. Double layout dismount, fights for the stick. 9.450
After 2: Minnesota 98.300, New Hampshire 97.150
A pretty solid lead for Minnesota after two rotations, but New Hampshire will be very happy with its bars performance after having a rough time on the event last week. Freshman Aine Reade is proving to be a great contributor for the Wildcats! Big improvement in Minnesota’s vault score from last week – the back half of that lineup is brilliant, with three excellent Yurchenko 1.5s. Great to see the freshmen contributing there.
Rotation 3: New Hampshire beam, Minnesota floor
Ockerbloom (UNH): Missed this one – 9.675
Jencks (Minn): Front double full to start, well done. Switch half to straddle full. 1.5 to front layout, good form. Rudi to straddle jump with nice height. 9.825
Harvey (UNH): Full pirouette, hides a wobble with choreo well. Back handspring, back handspring, layout stepout – very slow and controlled. Switch leap to split jump, solid. Beat jump to ring jump – doesn’t quite hit ring position. Gainer pike off the end with a stick! 9.725
Steensland (Minn): Has everybody clapping along right from the start! Huge rudi to layout stepout, some leg form but great height. 2.5 twist with some crossed legs. 1.5 to front layout, excellent. Fun music and choreography, and superb tumbling to match. 9.825
McMullen (UNH): Back handspring, layout stepout – solid. Full pirouette. Cat leap to switch half – split slightly under. Side aerial, big break at the hip but saves it. Round off 1.5 dismount, lean forward and a small hop. Nice form throughout. 9.600
Crump (Minn): Very high double pike with a slide back. Front tuck through to double back, very controlled landing. Switch side to straddle full, good splits. 1.5 to front full, very good. Loving all these three pass routines from the Gophers! 9.750
Theoret (UNH): Lovely form and presentation. Back handspring, layout stepout – steps back and falls. Beat jump to split jump 3/4. Side somi, very nice. Side aerial to tuck 1.5 dismount with a small step. Shame about the fall – her toe point and form make this routine a treat to watch. 9.200
Pearl (Minn): Opens with a nice 1.5 to front layout. Good height on her leap series. Double pike with a small hop. 9.850
Challman (UNH): Sissone to split jump, good splits. Back handspring, layout stepout – small adjustment, nice in the air. Cat leap to front toss, a little underrotated with a small balance check but holds on. Round off 1.5 dismount with a stick. Solid routine going up after a fall. 9.775
Gonsiorowski (Minn): Full in with some leg separation, steps out of bounds. 1.5 to front pike, controlled landing. Very clean double tuck to finish. 9.650
Mullin (UNH): Back handspring, layout stepout – very solid. Sissone, switch half, beat jump – split looked a bit short. Cat leap to side aerial, small lean. Round off 1.5 with a hop forward, good form in the air. 9.725
Hooten (Minn): Huge full in to start. Switch side to straddle full, nicely done. Front full to front pike, stuck cold! The crowd is really loving this routine – of course, it’s Mya Hooten! Finishes with a clean double tuck. 9.900
Exhibitions:
Reade (UNH): Cat leap, switch half, beat jump – short split. Switch leap to pike jump, good. Round off 1.5 dismount with a small hop. I could see that routine making the lineup soon. 9.600
Rowray (Minn): Very dramatic music but she performs to it well! Front layout to rudi, small hop. Side aerial to layout stepout, pretty. Front layout to front full – very low and falls. Switch side to straddle full to finish. 8.900
Swartzmiller (Minn): Big rudi to double stag jump – unique pass, I like it. Switch side to straddle full has good split positions but is a bit underrotated. 1.5 to front full, well controlled. 9.675
After 3: Minnesota 147.450, New Hampshire 145.650
A slightly shaky beam rotation for the Wildcats, but they’ll be happy to have counted no falls. Minnesota improved on its floor score from last week by over a point, thanks to excellent sets from Pearl and Hooten. The Gophers are taking their lead to beam – their highest scoring event in week one.
Rotation 4: Minnesota beam, New Hampshire floor
Koch (Minn): Clean full turn to start. Back handspring, layout stepout – lovely height and form. Beat jump to split jump 3/4, split looks short. Front toss to arabesque – lands in a very deep squad and has a super impressive save, on one leg! I want a replay of that. Round off 1.5 dismount, stuck. Good form throughout. 9.725
Simpkins (UNH): Double pike, lands short and stumbles forward. Front layout to front full, good height. Switch half to wolf full. Double tuck with good height and small slide back. 9.550
Stewart (Minn): Candle mount to start. Split jump to ring jump – very good. Front aerial to Korbut – connection is slightly slow, but very nice form. Back handspring to gainer full off the side, stuck. Excellent routine. 9.800 – feels low to me, maybe I missed something?
McMullen (UNH): She’s using Jade Degouveia’s old music, one of my all-time favorites! 2.5 to front tuck with some leg form. Switch half, wolf full, wolf full – very good. Double tuck, slightly low chest but well controlled. 9.725
Moraw (Minn): Good back handspring, layout stepout to start. Cat leap to side aerial, clean. Beat jump to split jump 3/4, short split. Back handspring to gainer full off the side with a step. 9.775
Minaev (UNH): Double pike, low chest and a small hop. 1.5 to front layout, a bit low. Split full to wolf full, good. Double tuck, slightly low chest. 9.725
Lyden (Minn): Nice candle mount. Double wolf turn – and it’s very pretty! Back handspring, layout stepout – solid. Cat leap to switch side – short split. Round off 1.5 dismount, stuck. Really nice routine. 9.825
Mullin (UNH): Front tuck through to double back, very clean and controlled. 1.5 to front layout with some leg form but excellent height. Great tumbling in that routine. 9.750
Pearl (Minn): Back handspring, layout stepout with some bent knees. Switch leap, split 1/4 – good splits. Front aerial to beat jump, solid. Back handspring to gainer full off the side. The Gophers are delivering a very clean and confident beam rotation! 9.750
Reade (UNH): This opening pass is a gym fan favorite – round off directly to double layout, great height. Front layout to front full, well done. She’s a great tumbler – and anchoring as a freshman! 9.850
Rowray (Minn): Back handspring, layout stepout – clean. Split leap to split half, very good splits. Front toss, solid. Switch side with a small bobble. Full turn. Gainer front full off the side, good landing. A good beam rotation for Minnesota! 9.775
Challman (UNH): Front double full, slightly underrotated. Split full to wolf full, good height. Rudi to layout stepout, super high and pretty. The crowd is really loving this routine. 9.850
Exhibitions:
Nguyen (Minn): back handspring, layout stepout – nice form, small bobble. Cat leap to switch side, balance check. Split jump 3/4, good. Side aerial to gainer full off the side, solid landing. 9.700
Boss (UNH): Front tuck through to double back, great height. Switch side to straddle full, nice. Fun choreography – lots of these New Hampshire routines have been nice to watch with good music. Front double full is a little short with some loose leg form. 9.400
Crump (Minn): Back handspring, layout stepout – off center and falls. Beat jump to layout stepout, takes a step back with a big wobble. Split jump to split jump half, good. Back handspring to 1.5 dismount with a small step back. 8.875
Before (UNH): A very long wait before she goes while the judges conference on Boss’s score. Double pike, overrotates and falls backwards. Front tuck through to double tuck, deep squat. 8.850
FINAL: Minnesota 196.375, New Hampshire 194.550
Both teams showed significant improvement tonight after relatively rough starts in week one. Minnesota looks solid, with an especially nice vault rotation today. Beam was a bit shakier than usual, and the Gophers will want to smooth out those little mistakes to aim for team scores in the 197s. New Hampshire will be happy with its showing in its home opener, with a great floor rotation to close out the meet. Bars continues to be a problem event, but the potential is there.
If Reade’s beam score had counted, she would have won the all around with a 38.925. I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do for the Wildcats this season!
VT: Mya Hooten, 9.950
UB: Jordyn Lyden, 9.875
BB: Jordyn Lyden, 9.825
FX: Mya Hooten, 9.900
AA: Serena Mullin, 38.875
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Live blog by Sophie Poirier
