It’s another SEC showdown coming to you live from Bud Walton Arena, where Arkansas will host the Gators. Florida comes into the competition riding high after defeating Utah and West Virginia on the road. Just two weeks ago, the Gators became the first team in the country to surpass the 198-mark this season, and they’ll be aiming for another high score tonight. With momentum on their side, Florida will look to deliver a consistent floor rotation to secure an NQS-worthy away score. While their vault lineup has been solid, boasting a full set of 10.0 start values, floor has been a bit inconsistent this season. Keep an eye on freshman Ly Bui, who has posted back-to-back 9.925s on vault in her last two meets.
Arkansas, meanwhile, is looking to rebound after illness struck the team last week, leading to a sub-196 performance at Oklahoma. However, their upset win over LSU earlier this season proves that the Gymbacks can compete with the best in the SEC and the nation. With the advantage of a home crowd tonight, expect Arkansas to put on a strong showing, especially in the final rotation on floor. Personally, I’ll be watching out for Leah Smith to stick all her tumbling in her routine. Care to join me?
Rotation 1: Arkansas VT, Florida UB
Weaver (Ark): Yurchenko full, great lines in the air. The smallest foot adjustment. Great opening routine. 9.850
Pilgrim (UF): Pak salto to open. Toe hand, Maloney half. Great last HS. FTDT. Arm swing to hold the foot position. 9.875
Lang (Ark): Yurchenko full, flared it out. Stuck. And she’s hype. Appropriately so. 9.900
McCusker (UF): Maloney, pak connection. Slightly short HS. Maloney half. Double layout, a touch forward on the dismount. 9.850
Drexler (Ark): Yurchenko one and a half, a little lock-legged on the landing. Just a shuffle forward. A great switch up for the Razorback lineup adding the difficulty. 9.875
Arana (UF): Toe hand, Maloney, pak salto. A touch over on the pirouette. Strong last HS. Double layout’s amplitude went crazy. Just needed to absorb the landing. A baby hop. 9.875
Roberson (Ark): Yurchenko half on, front layout half off. A medium sized hop back. A little leg separation on the table. 9.875
Wong (UF): Maloney, pak salto. Great lines. Right to HS. Maloney half. Double layout. She hit that! Yes ma’am. 9.950
Essenpries (Ark): Yurchenko one and a half. High on the table on the entry, so she landed back on her heels. A step back. 9.725
Harris-Miranda (UF): Ray. Lovely. Handstands are going crazy. Overshoot. Blind full is a touch loose in the back. Giant to double layout, stuck. 9.925
Klein (Ark): Yurchenko full and a half. Overcooked slightly with a medium pace forward. 9.800
Bui (UF): Welcome to this freshman’s bar debut. Stalder Shaposh to pak salto. Lovely. FTDT is STUCK. Go off queen. 9.900
After 1: Florida 49.525, Arkansas 49.300
I can already tell that Arkansas is swinging for the fences tonight. The team added in an extra 10.0 sv vault tonight and two HUGE fulls that scored just as well. The back half of the Florida bar lineup went off! Kudos to Ly Bui for an outstanding bar debut in the anchor spot.
Rotation 2: Florida VT, Arkansas UB
Pilgrim (UF): Yurchenko one and a half, a little piked in the air, so had to take a hop forward. 9.850
Roberson (Ark): Clear hip to maloney to pak. A little far on the catch, somewhat whippy. HS right on top. Double layout was a touch long, nearly held onto the stick. Just a hop forward. 9.800
Lazarri (UF): Extension was outstanding on the one and a half today. A hop forward. Dynamic off the table. 9.900
Swaney (Ark): Toe hand, Maloney, pak salto. Double layout is great and very much stuck. Some leg separation in the air. 9.900
Bui (UF): Another one and a half, a touch back on her heels. She didn’t quite get the pop off the table, but spotted the landing well. 9.775
Ewald (Ark): Illinois transfer coming in hot. Blind, Jaeger. Elastigirl. Pak salto. Nice and graceful. Snappy on the last HS. Double layout, piked down at the end, so she had to hop back. 9.825
Wong (UF): Yurchenko half on, front pike half. A slight scooch back. Great height and form throughout. 9.900
Park (Ark): Ray. Some loss of form on the catch. Pak right out of the connection from the clear hip. Double layout. Another scoot back. Great set. 9.800
Ferris (UF): Yurchenko full and a half, short with a step back. Seemed rushed on that one. 9.750
Jones (Ark): Blind, piked Jaeger. Great feet together position and toe point. Pak salto. Textbook. Strong last HS. Double layout, stuck. Yes. Nailed it. 9.925
Harris-Miranda (UF): Yurchenko one and a half. Dare I say, perfection? Stuck. Great entry on the table. Lovely to watch. 9.950
Waligora (Ark): Blind, staddle Jaeger, overshoot. Smooth connection. Right on top on the HS. Double layout stuck. HUGE score incoming. 9.950
After 2: Florida 98.900, 98.700
Florida had some shaky spots in that vault lineup, trying too hard to hit the landing. Selena Harris-Miranda really put the exclamation point in the anchor spot, nearly making me drop my pen. Arkansas posted a season high on bars, rightfully so. Handstands were on top, lines were sharp and landings were hit. Waligora and Jones were on their Ps and Qs tonight. This is going to be a tight race, folks!
Rotation 3: Arkansas BB, Florida FX
Gamiao (Ark): LOSO LOSO. A slight hip lean to save the wobble. Side somi. Right on. Switch leap, split jump. So calm. So easy. Making eyes at the judges. RO back one and a half with a step forward. Good opening routine to pace the Gymbacks. 9.825
Nguyen (UF): Front double full to sissone. Some leg form in the air on the twisting. Switch ring, switch half. Extension on point. Back one and a half, front layout. Right around and danced out. Great set. So graceful. 9.875
Ewald (Ark): Front roll mount. One armed BHS, BHS. Unique series. Switch leap, LOSO. A check, had to turn to the side with a break at the hips. Split, Switch split, straddle 1/4. A touch under position on the switch. Kickover front Rudi with a hop back. Fought for that one. 9.675. The Razorbacks will look to drop this score.
Pilgrim (UF): Double leg up turn. Back one and half step out to double full. Some leg crossing in the twisting, controlled well. Tour jete half, split full. Nice. Love the Rihanna vocals. Better have my money! Front tuck through to double tuck. Not quite around and had to take a step forward. Not her best, but she pulled it out. 9.750
Park (Ark): Candle stick mount for the nostalgia. She’s in the zone. BHS LOSO. Sharp arms right to the lunge. Switch leap, switch leap. Side aerial, one and half. Tried to hold on, but had to take the step back. 9.825
Clark (UF): The true freshman! Straddle jump to let us know what’s coming. Double layout, a tiny slide of the front foot if I’m being picky. The best I’ve seen from her this season in the control department. Tour jete half, popa. In the clouds. Hello amplitude. Front through to double tuck. Right to the lunge. Gator chomp. That’s what’s up. 9.925
Waligora (Ark): Razorback beam debut! BHS LOSO. Some wavering followed panicking. Took the fall. Almost had it. Side aerial. Right on. Split jump, tuck full. Unique jump connection. Right around. RO back one and a half. Didn’t quite hold onto the landing, a step forward. Arkansas will count the Ewald score. 9.175
Ferris (UF): Imagine being so good that you can alternated between E passes. FTDT tonight. Well controlled. Switch side, popa. Dynamically hits the positions in the air. Back one and a half, front layout. Another great set. 9.850
Weaver (Ark): BHS LOSO. On the money. She’s in control. Side aerial. A check. Straddle jump, double stag ring. Good head release there. Back one and a half is nailed. Way to fight for every tenth there. 9.800
Wong (UF): Double layout. Nearly a two foot stick. My word. Straight to the 180 on that leap connection. Two chomps for Leanne. Whip half, front full. Controlled well. Welp. What to take? What to take? Maybe some leg separation on the double lay? 9.925
Roberson (Ark): Beat jump, pike jump. Switch leap, back tuck. A smile. Side aerial, LOSO. Perfection. Calling the hogs. WOOOOOOOOO PIG. Front full is nearly stuck, just a belated hop forward. 9.900
Harris-Miranda (UF): Front through to double tuck. A slide of the front foot. Switch side half, straddle jump. Back one and a half, front half, stag jump. Great set to finish out the lineup. 9.900
After 3: Florida 148.375, Arkansas 147.725
Arkansas couldn’t quite keep up the pace, counting a sub-9.7 on beam. Roberson rose to the occasion, anchoring the lineup with a stunning set. Florida showed some of its depth on floor, adding in Danie Ferris this week. One more rotation to goooo!
Rotation 4: Florida BB, Arkansas FX
Draser (UF): BHS LOSO. Right on. Switch leap, switch half. Didn’t absorb the landing, and had to take the wobble. Back one and half is stuck. Yes. 9.800
Gamiao (Ark): Double pike. Great height, controlled well. Run run front tuck. Back one and a half to double twist. Killed it. Getting it going entertaining the crowd. Great extension on the leaps. Double tuck. Bounced out of it a touch. 9.825
Lazzari (UF): One armed BHS, LOSO slid down the side. Ouch. Front aerial. Right to the finish. Switch leap, split jump. Split half on the side of the beam. Nice. Cartwheel gainer full, stuck. Way to finish. 9.225
Klein (Ark): Front through to double tuck. A slight staggered on the landing, but controlled. Switch side half to the straddle, danced right out. Front lay, front full. Great. Yes’m. 9.850
Notably, Leah Smith has been missing from Arkansas’ lineups tonight, and I’ve noticed her in a walking boot.
Pilgrim (UF): Candle stick mount. BHS LOSO, a leg up wobble there. Back in it. Cat leap front aerial. Wanted a little more attitude position there. Switch leap, split leap. Great shape. BHS gainer full dismount stuck. 9.675
Jones (Ark): Front double full. A little stutter to control. Great leg position on the twist. Switch ring, switch half. Danced right out. Back one and a half, front lay. Keeping it moving. Rudi, a little too much power but managed. 9.875
Nguyen (UF): Onodi, BHS. A leannn. Backward full turn. Switch leap, split jump. Some loss of arm position there, but controlled. BHS back one and a half. Stuck. 9.750
Waligora (Ark): Aggressive pointing to the entire crowd. Front layout, front double full. Made it look easy. Tour jete half, wolf full. Nice and around. Snaps. Claps. Back one and a half, front layout. Yesss. Get hype. 9.925
Wong (UF): Switch leap, split leap. Front aerial, split jump finessed. BHS LOSO. Sharp arms. Gainer full off the end, a hop forward. She looked a little nervy but made it through. 9.725
Roberson (Ark): Hey Heyyyyyyy! Double layout is huge. A little scoot-y on the feet. Switch side, popa. Front layout step out through to double tuck. Lock legged and bounced up a bit. 9.875
Harris-Miranda (UF): BHS LOSO BHS. I’m SCREAMING. She’s off. Switch leap, leann, split jump. A missed connection. Front toss. Good. Back one and half, held that landing. UF is counting a fall now. 9.000
Price (Ark): Double layout is BOUNCY tonight. No matter. Razorbacks have the win in the bag. Switch side, popa, popa. Front full, front lay. Right on. Dancing it out to finish. Frank DAWGGG! 9.925
FINAL: Arkansas 197.175, Florida 196.550
Arkansas is living in upset central. I love 2025. In all seriousness, the Razorbacks came to play and were able to capitalize on a shaky beam performance from the Gators. That’s the second time the Razorbacks have pulled out an upset of this fashion at home this season, and the team reached its goal of surpassing 197 as well. After three rotations, I didn’t see a beam meltdown from Florida on the horizon, but as they say sticks and mistakes are sometimes contagious.
VT: Selena Harris-Miranda (UF), 9.950
UB: Mati Waligora (Ark) & Leanne Wong (UF), 9.950
BB: Joscelyn Roberson (Ark), 9.900
FX: Taylor Clark (UF), Frankie Price (Ark), Mati Waligora (Ark) & Leanne Wong (UF), 9.925
AA: Leanne Wong (UF), 39.500
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Live blog by Tavia Smith
