Tonight’s Big Ten showdown features No. 4 Michigan State taking on No. 14 Ohio State in a highly anticipated matchup.
Michigan State enters the meet as the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten and is coming off a stellar performance in its conference win over in-state rival Michigan, where it set an attendance record and posted a 197.500. Leading the Spartans were Nikki Smith, who took the all-around title with a 39.525, and Gabrielle Stephen, who finished second with a 39.325. Both gymnasts will be key contributors again tonight as Michigan State looks to maintain its momentum.
Ohio State also secured a victory in its last outing, defeating conference foe Iowa with a 196.275. Tory Vetter led the Buckeyes, winning the all-around with a 39.575, while Payton Harris made her season debut, tying for the beam title. Ohio State will be looking to build on that success as it faces the Spartans in this exciting Big Ten clash.
This will definitely be a fun meet to watch, as Michigan State and Ohio State are the No. 1 and No. 3 teams in the Big Ten. Follow along with video (B1G+) and scores.
This is the first time that the teams have met in a dual meet since 2022.
Rotation 1: tOSU VT, MSU UB
Washington (tOSU): Huge Yurchenko full to start with a stuck landing. Great block and form in the air. 9.85
Stephen (MSU): Toe handstand, Maloney to overshoot, nice handstand on high bar and dismounts with full in. A little movement on the landing. 9.775
Smith (tOSU): Freshman from Maryland. 1.5 Yurchenko full with a little step forward on the landing. 9.825
Tucker (MSU): Toe handstand, Maloney, overshoot, a little short on handstand, double back dismount with a small hop. 9.800
Grimes (tOSU): Another huge Yurchenko full with a stuck landing. Flares the out of the full to the landing. 9.825
Doyle (MSU): Mounts high bar, blind change to Jaeger toe hand to Pak Salto, good last handstand, pirouette to double back and a small hop forward. Beautiful routine. 9.800
Vetter (tOSU): High Yurchenko full with good form and a step back on the landing. 9.800
Smith (MSU): Toe hand, Maloney to Pak Salto, good handstand, stuck double layout. Good one. 9.850
Coleman (tOSU): Yurchenko 1.5 to a fall. A little high and back on the table. 9.250
Kellerman (MSU): Mounts high bar, blind change to staddle Jaeger, overshoot, clean last handstand, dismounts withe double layout to a stuck landing. Great, clean routine. 9.850
Guevara (tOSU): Yurchenko full with a ton of power and a hop and step back on the landing. A little pike on the landing. 9.650
Harkness (MSU): Gienger, overshoot, great last handstand, dismounts with double layout and a hop forward. 9.800
After 1: MSU 49.100, tOSU 48.950
Michigan State looked great on bars. Almost every handstand was hit and there were several stuck landings. Ohio State University also had a good vault rotation highlighted by a couple stuck Yurchenko fulls and thankfully didn’t have to count the fall. It’s a close meet after one rotation. Michigan State is a top six team on vault, and it will be exciting to see if they can exceed how Ohio State University did on vault in the first rotation.
Rotation 2: MSU VT, tOSU UB
Tucker (MSU): Huge Yurchenko 1.5 with a stuck landing. Clean vault. 9.900
Washington (tOSU): Toe hand to Maloney, Pak Salto, Piroutette to a double tuck dismount and a small hop back. 9.775
Duplissis (MSU): Another Yurchekno 1.5 to a stuck landing (stick fest?). Good form. 9.850
Parks (tOSU): Short on first handstand, Maloney to Park Salto, good handstand, double layout and fights for the stick. 9.700
Doyle (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5 with a little hop on the landing. 9.850
Buchanan (tOSU): Mounts high bar, a little short on handstand, blind change to Jaeger, transition to low bar is a little close, double layout dismount to a small hop back. 9.750
Smith (MSU): Huge Yurchenko 1.5 to a stuck landing! I think that’s her 3rd stick this season. Great vault – huge pop off the vault. 9.950
Rader (tOSU): Toe hand Maloney, Pak Salto, a little short on last handstand, double layout to a squat and hop forward. 9.650
Stephen (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5 with a step back. Another huge vault. 9.800
Harris (tOSU): Great handstand to a Ray, overshoot with a little form, good last handstand, Pirouette to double tuck and a little scoot back. 9.725
Kellerman (MSU): Front handspring front pike half to a stuck landing. Great form and power off the vault. 9.900
Vetter (tOSU): Mounts high bar, huge Tkachev, overshoot, dismounts with a full in and a step to the side. 9.825
After 2: MSU 98.550, tOSU 97.725
Michigan State’s vault rotation was… wow! Six 10.0 start value vaults executed incredibly well with great landings. It’s no surprise the Spartans increased their lead by several tenths in rotation two. Ohio State had a good bars rotation. There were some missed handstands but overall they had clean routines and landings. The Buckeye’s need to make up for lost tenths in the next rotation.
Rotation 3: tOSU BB, MSU FX
Guevara (tOSU): Little bobble out of full turn, BHS LOSO with slight arm wave, cat leap to switch half, nice handstand showing off flexibility, dismounts with back double full and small hop back. 9.675
Beaufait (MSU): Opens with front double full, switch leap to switch ring is solid, next pass is back 1.5 to punch front layout and great landing. 9.825
Smith (tOSU): Double wolf turn is solid, front toss to BHS is clean, staddle jump to straddle quarter is huge, dismount with easy gainer full and a small scoot back. 9.650
Tucker (MSU): Opens with clean Rudi to immediate layout step out. Double turn to leap series is unique and well executed, closes with front double full to a clean landing. 9.825
Harris (tOSU): Valdez, staddle jump to straddle quarter is clean, front aerial to back tuck is solid, dismounts with RO double full and a small hop back. 9.825
Harkness (MSU): Opens with huge full into a good landing, switch leap, switch full, wolf full is clean, closes with punch front through to double back with a little too much power and a jump back out of bounds. 9.600
Vetter (tOSU): Full turn, BHS LOSO with an arm wave, beat jump to side aerial and off the beam, remounts switch leap to switch quarter, BHS to gainer full. 9.100
Stephen (MSU): Opens with punch front to FHS Rudi to good landing, leap series is sky high, cartwheel to LOSO, next pass is FHS front double full to a great landing. 9.900
McCann (tOSU): Roundoff layout is solid (wow), great leap series, full turn, dismounts with RO 1.5 full to a stuck landing. Great routine after the fall. 9.900
Smith (MSU): Opens with a full in to a beautiful landing, switch side to Popa is solid, closes with punch front through to double back to a great landing. 9.850
Warga (tOSU): Clean full turn, front aerial to BHS to slight balance check, cat leap to switch half with back leg a little low, easy front toss, closes with gainer back pike off the beam with a step forward. 9.775
Schulte (MSU): Opens with a full in to a great landing, switch half to Popa to staddle jump is solid, next pass is punch front through to double back to a stuck landing. 9.900
After 3: MSU 147.850, tOSU 146.550
Michigan State continues to lead with a strong showing on floor. The Spartans were able to drop an out of bounds to score 9.825 or higher for each routine. Ohio State had a good showing on beam highlighted by McCann’s confident and clean beam routine earning her 9.900. Fortunately, Buckeyes were also able to drop a fall. Michigan State is leading by over a point as we head to the fourth and final rotation.
Rotation 4: MSU BB, tOSU FX
Kalefe (MSU): Full turn, BHS, BHS, LOSO is solid, switch leap to tuck full is solid, dismount with cartwheel gainer full. Nice lead off. 9.875
Washington (tOSU): Opens with huge double pike to a great landing, next pass is front layout to front full and another good landing, switch full to wolf full, great dance, closes with powerful double tuck and a larger step back. 9.800
Duplissis (MSU): BHS BHS LOSO is solid, full turn, beat jump to split three quarter, dismounts with RO 1.5 full and step back. 9.725
Grimes (tOSU): Opens with huge double pike to a clean landing, next pass is roundoff 1.5 full to front layout, leap series is clean, closes with double tuck to a bounce back. 9.800
Misenheimer (MSU): Full turn, front aerial to a balance check, repeats front aerial to split jump, BHS LOSO is solid, switch leap to split jump, dismounts with RO back 1.5 full to a stuck landing with arm wave. 9.700
Guevara (tOSU): Opens with front double full to punch front wiht clean landing, switch half to Popa is clean, next pass is Rudi to back layout step out and a good landing. 9.900
Smith (MSU): BHS LOSO to a bobble with leg up but stays on the beam (good save), solid leap series, clean full turn to beat jump, dismounts with double back with a step forward. 9.600
Vetter (tOSU): Opens with solid double back tuck, switch full to Popa to Popa is clean, closes with punch front layout to Rudi and a good landing. 9.850
Schulte (MSU): Full turn, switch leap to switch side and beat jump is solid, BHS LOSO with a step back, dismounts with gainer full and a stuck landing. 9.750
Harris (tOSU): Opens with double front to punch front with a great landing, high leap series, closes with FHS front full to front layout and another good landing. 9.800
Stephen (MSU): Front toss layout is solid, full turn, BHS LOSO is solid and sky high, dismounts with RO double full to a stuck landing. Great routine to close. 9.900
Coleman (tOSU): Opens with huge full in to a controlled landing, sky high leap series, closes with punch front through to double tuck to an uncontrolled landing. 9.850
FINAL: MSU 196.800, tOSU 195.750
The Spartans had a shaky beam rotation (compared with their other rotations) counting four scores in the 9.7s. Ohio State had its best rotation of the night ending on floor with a 49.200 but it wasn’t enough to overtake the Spartans. Michigan State wins with by a little over a point.
VT: Smith (MSU), 9.950
UB: Kellerman (MSU), Smith (MSU), 9.850
BB: McCann (tOSU), Stephen (MSU), 9.900
FX: Guevara (tOSU), Schulte (MSU), Stephen (MSU), 9.900
AA: Stephen (MSU), 39.375
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Live blog by Jackie Craig
