Air Force's Maggie Slife poses on beam.

LIVE BLOG: No. 49 Air Force at No. 50 Texas Woman’s

The Falcons and the Owls are neck-and-neck in the national rankings, separated by just one spot, setting up a tightly contested matchup. Air Force is riding high after posting a season-best 195.225, shattering its previous high by nearly two points. This effort was spearheaded by all-arounders Maggie Slife and Alyssa Bigler, with Slife securing a No. 27 national ranking in the all-around. Though it’s still early in the season, Air Force currently holds the top spot in the Mountain West—a significant turnaround after finishing last in the conference standings just a year ago.

Texas Woman’s is led by graduate student Steelie King and standout Kaitlyn Hoiland. King, the team’s sole all-arounder, averages just above 38.000 across the events. Hoiland, a former Oregon State gymnast, has made a major impact in her second season with the Owls. She’s posted scores of 9.800 or higher on both vault and bars, anchoring the team’s bars lineup. Last week, however, Texas Woman’s struggled on bars, posting a season-low 46.900, contributing to their lowest overall team score of the season, a 192.325. To rebound and challenge Air Force, head coach Lisa Bowerman will likely rely on the experience and consistency of her veteran athletes.

Action is about to get started! The quality of the stream is not great so I’ll do my best to catch everything.

Luisa Blanco is commentating!

Rotation 1: Texas Woman’s VT, Air Force UB

Reid (TWU): Big Yurchenko full with a pike down and a big step back. 9.625.

Boyer (AF): Nice first handstand, leg sep on Maloney. Nice Bail to handstand. Short on the final hanstand. Double tuck dismount and step on the landing. 9.625.

King (TWU): Yurchenko full and a pike down down. Big block though. 9.725.

Seems to be a delay here.

McKean (AF): Missed the handstand on the Bail. Giant full finishes on top of the bar, and dismounts with a double tuck. 9.550.

Upton (TWU): Big Yurchenko full with a hop back. 9.700.

Kristianson (AF): Pretty over on her bling change, but hits a nice piked jaegar. Loses control and takes some extra tap swings. Double layout dismount with a step on the landing. 9.200.

Isbell (TWU): That was a really nicely done Yurchenko full! Nice shape in the air and just a hop back. 9.750.

Bigler (AF): Nice giant full + geinger, a little loose form. Arches on the Bail to handstand, but saves it. Really nice dismount with a hop. 9.725.

Hoiland (TWU): Really nice Yurchenko 1.5! Just a step to the side. 9.800.

Misenheimer (AF): Nice first handstand. Solid Maloney + Pak. Giant full + double tuck and sticks the landing. That was clean! 9.825.

Caffey (TWU): Yurchenko full with a big hop back. 9.625.

Slife (AF): Nice first handstand. Gorgeous Maloney + Pak. Maybe a tad short on the half pirouette and then the high bar handstand. Hop on the full twisting double back. 9.825.

Ghanbari (TWU): Exhibition Yurchenko full. Just a hop back. 9.675.

After 1: Texas Woman’s 48.600, Air Force 48.550

Just half a tenth separate these two teams after the first rotation. TWU started the day on its highest ranked event and notched a solid 48.600. Bar is Air Force’s third lowest ranked event, but the Falcons kept it close.

Rotation 2: Air Force VT, Texas Woman’s UB

Willis (AF): Yurchenko full with a pike down and step on the landing. 9.600.

Bourgeois (TWU): Nice jaegar to start. Huge half in half out and sticks the landing. 9.700.

Greene (AF): Yurchenko full with a pike down and step on the landing. Looked very similiar to Willis’ vault. 9.625.

Hunt (TWU): Nice first handstand. Nice catch on the straddled jaegar. Beautiful pak and hits that handstand on the half pirouette! Nice! Double tuck dismount with a hop forward. 9.700.

Santana (AF): Yurchenko full and lands with her feet too in front of her, taking a couple steps back. 9.500.

Reid (TWU): Nicely done straddled jaegar. A bit of an arch on the high bar handstand. Nice shape on the Pak salto. Giant full + double tuck and fights to stick, but take a small hop. 9.700.

Raife (AF): Really nice block on the Yurchenko full and takes a big hop back. 9.700.

Zarlengo (TWU): Solid first handstand. Leg separation on the blind change, but catches the jaegar nicely. Sticks the double layout dismount. 9.700.

Slife (AF): Really nice Yurchenko 1.5! A slight hop back on the landing. 9.850.

Ferrari (TWU): Hits the first handstand. Really well done straddled jaegar. Really unique straddle back! Hitting all of her handstands so far. Nice shape on the double layout but steps forward on the landing. 9.725.

Bigler (AF): Big Yurchenko full but pikes down way too much and hop back and sits it down. 9.050.

Hoiland (TWU): Catches a tiny bit close on the piked jaegar. Just barely gets the handstand on the bail. Giant full + double tuck and scoots back on the landing. 9.750.

After 2: Texas Woman’s 97.175, Air Force 98.825

The Pioneers have decently sized lead heading into the third rotation and bounced back after a sub-47 bar rotation last week. Maggie Slife’s Yurchenko 1.5 was a highlight for Air Force on vault, but there is some work to do on floor to keep it close.

Rotation 3: Texas Woman’s BB, Air Force FX

Upton (TWU): Gorgeous full turn! Kick its out and stays in releve throughout. BHS + LOSO and its solid. Switch + straddle half. Nice shape on those. Aerial to foot landing stuck cold! Front full off the end and sticks the landing. That was great! 9.775.

Martyna (AF): First pass is a double tuck, nice chest position on the landing and takes a controlled step back. Second pass is a Rudi + straddle jump and gets nice height on that jump. Switch ring + switch half. Front layout + front full and dances out of the landing. Great leadoff. 9.725.

Reid (TWU): Collegiate debut on beam. Solid BHS + LOSO to start. Switch leap + split 3/4 and drops her chest. Back leg was slightly low on the first leap. Solid side aerial. Goregous full turn. RO + back 1.5 and takes a hop on the landing. 9.650.

Greene (AF): Front double twist with a controlled step forward. Second pass is a Rudi and its well landed. Switch ring + switch half. Back 1.5 + front layout and gets nice height on the second salto. 9.725.

Hernandez (TWU): Solid full turn to start. Hits the BHS + LOSO. Switch leap + switch half + beat jump, nice positions on those leaps. BHS + back 1.5 and sticks the landing. 9.750.

Meccia (AF): Back 1.5 + front full first pass, some bent knees on the front full. Switch ring + tour jete half, nicely done. Second pass is back 2.5 and takes a big step forward. Finishes with a split ring full. 9.650.

King (TWU): Finesses the full turn depsite being slightly off. BHS + LOSO and falls right off. Front tuck and falls again. Nice switch leap + straddle jump 1/4 to get the routine back on track. Sticks the back 1.5 dismount. 8.375.

Willis (AF): Double back and steps a controlled step back, maybe a slightly low chest. Lacked some control on the leap series. Back 1.5 + front layout, a bit piked in both of those saltos. Nice double pike to finish, maybe another slightly low chest. 9.750.

Brkljacic (TWU): Solid full turn to start. BHS + LOSO and has a balance check. Switch + switch leap and has another balance check. Front toss and falls off. Pioneers will be counting a fall. BHS + gainer full off the side and takes a hop forward. 8.875.

Brochi (AF): Nice height on the back 2.5! Tour jete half + Popa, short of 180 degrees there. Second pass is a front double twist! Nice difficulty. Third pass is a front full + front layout, her technique might have some built in deduction for lack of height. 9.750.

Hoiland (TWU) Solid front aerial + BHS. Switch leap + split 3/4 and has a little balance check. Standing gainer full off the side and takes a hop in place. 9.775.

Slife (AF): Starts with a huge double pike and controls the landing. Back 1.5 + front layout and lands it well. Switch straddle + Popa and has a beautiful positions on both. Double back dismount and controls it once again. 9.850.

Erenhuis (TWU): Exhibition beam routine here. Front toss + BHS. Switch leap + split jump – balance check and is short of a 180 degree split. Nice fluid front aerial + beat jump. Solid full turn. Dismounts with a gainer pike off the end, a bit short of rotation and takes a large step forward. 9.525.

After 3: Air Force 145.625, Texas Woman’s 145.000

Air Force did its normal on floor, scoring a 48.800 on the event. It was a solid effort overall and set the tone heading into the final rotation. Texas Woman’s had a lot of balance checks and ended up counting a fall for a season-low 47.825. Beam is beam, so the Pioneers will look to put that rotation behind them heading into floor.

Rotation 4: Air Force BB, Texas Woman’s FX

Brochi (AF): BHS + LOSO, she barely uses half of the beam on that. Switch leap + straddle 1/4, nicely done. Solid full turn. Hitch kick +  side aerial and circles her arms around. Back 1.5 dismount and takes a hop back. 9.700.

Zarlengo (TWU): Double tuck first pass and takes a controlled step back. Switch half + wolf jump full, a little messy. Back 1.5 + front layout and gets nice height on both saltos. 9.725.

Bacott (AF): Really solid control on the full turn. Standing back tuck and its clean. Side aerial + side aerial to scale – not sure if the scale was intention, but she made it work! Switch leap + double stag jump. Gainer full off the side and lands with a low chest and takes a hop forward. 9.700.

Upton (TWU): Starts with a Rudi and lands it with control. Switch straddle + Popa + wolf full – nicely done! Double pike second pass and bounces out of it with a low chest. Front layout + front full to finish it off. 9.725.

Nguyen (AF): Hesitant going into the BHS + LOSO and has a balance check. Another balance check on the full turn. Switch leap + switch half and tries to cover up her wobble with dance. Straddle 1/4 that was pretty short on 180 degree split. Gainer pike off the end and sticks the landing. She stayed on, which is all Air Force needs to do to win. 9.600.

Hernandez (TWU): Front tuck through to double pike, really nice height and landing. Switch straddle half + Straddle jump. Dismounts with a back 1.5 and its nicely done. 9.850.

Bigler (AF): Unique L turn. Really side aerial + gainer side somi! Standing back LOSO and nearly loses it but stays on. Beat jump + split 3/4. RO + back 1.5 and takes a step back. The Falcons are refusing to fall off the equipment. 9.650.

Isbell (TWU): Double back with a big step back. Tour jete half + wolf full, looked a bit rushed there. Back 1.5 + front layout and it is well done. 9.775.

Slife (AF): BHS + LOSO and no problem there. Nice control on the full turn. Nice height on the front tuck but does move her foot forward. Switch leap + split 1/4 and drops her chest. Really nice height on the back 1.5 dismount and takes a hop forward. Five hit routines and that should secure the win. 9.675.

Bourgeois (TWU): Stellar double pike! Tour jete half + Popa, nicely done! Solid back 1.5 + front layout. Dismounts with a nicely done double tuck. 9.800.

Greene (AF): Starts will the full turn. BHS + LOSO is solid. Switch leap + switch leap, maybe short of 180 degrees. Solid standing LOSO + beat jump. Steps backward on the back 1.5 dismount. 9.675.

Ghanbari (TWU): She needs a 9.900 to win. Solid leap series, maybe a bit of precision deductions. Front full + front layout and lands it well. Sticks the double back dismount cold. 9.875 – that’ll tie the score!

FINAL: Texas Woman’s 194.025, Air Force 194.025

It’s a tie! These teams were closely matched heading into the meet, and it did not dissapoint. Air Force had the lead heading into the final rotation, but Texas Woman’s knocked it out of the park on floor after counting a fall on beam. The Pioneers’ 49.025 is their season-high on floor and the first time the squad has breached a 49.000 on any event all year.

VT: Maggie Slife (Air Force) 9.850
UB: Allie Misenheimer, Maggie Slife (Air Force) 9.825
BB: Bailey Upton, Kaitlyn Hoiland (Texas Woman’s) 9.775
FX: Kyleigh Ghanbari (Texas Woman’s) 9.875
AA: Maggie Slife (Air Force) 39.200

READ THIS NEXT: WCGA Releases SCORE Board Details


Live blog by Aaron Doyle

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