Sacramento State travels to Southern Utah for an MPSF Friday night showdown against the defending conference champions. While Southern Utah is favored to win, the team could benefit from building momentum after a shaky start to the season. Beam falls have dragged down the Flipping Birds’ scores on multiple occasions, and they’ve only surpassed 196 once this season. As Southern Utah begins a three-meet home stand, securing strong scores is critical for NQS purposes. Watch for Ellie Cacciola, who has found her form on beam with scores of 9.900 and 9.875 in the last two weeks. Her consistency will be key for Southern Utah’s success.
Sacramento State, meanwhile, is off to a solid start with three mid-194 scores. The Hornets have a lot of strong individual routines but haven’t quite put everything together as a team. Beam is their standout event, currently ranked No. 26 nationally, with routines that showcase excellent split positions and confident acro series finishes. Sarah Lutrel and Rylin Zimmerman will be key athletes to watch on beam. However, bars has been a weak spot for the team, with four strong routines but struggles filling out the lineup due to an early-season injury to Rose Wilson. If Sacramento State can hit 48.600 or higher on bars in the first rotation, it could set the tone for a big night and the possibility of breaking the 195.000 barrier.
During intros, Southern Utah held a moment of silence in honor of the passing on long time Sacramento State head coach Randy Solorio.
Rotation 1: Southern Utah VT, Sacramento State UB
Cacciola (VT): Nice block on a Yurchenko full, good distance also. Hop back and a step. 9.775
Sitzman (UB): Good handstand. Straddled jaeger, overshoot, nice catch position on both. Handstand a tiny bit short, giant full with a step. Solid. 9.750
Kelly (VT): Yurchenko full on, pike off, big hop back and step. Nice block for that vault and got good distance too 9.650
Morgenthaler (UB): Straddle Jaeger, short handstand. Pak is fine. Another short handstand, double layout with a step. 9.625
Hampton (VT): Yurchenko full with a hop, chest a little forward. 9.725
Jones (UB): Straddled Jaeger, flexed feet. Catches Pak super close, muscled kip cast handstand. Has to redo cast to get the half pirouette. Double layout with a step, those deductions will add up. 9.575
Goodman (VT): Yurchenko full. Smaller hop but chest also a bit forward 9.750
James (UB): Good handstand. Jaeger is good, another good handstand. Pak is a bit close but works through. Giant full is very late, double tuck with a step. 9.725
Christensen (VT): Yurchenko 1.5, just a step to the side, nice vault, 9.775
Houghton (UB): Great handstand. Straddled Jaeger, nice catch position. Small arch on a handstand, Pak is good. Short handstand, double layout and falls, just landed too deep trying to stick. Unfortunate because it was nice on the bars. 9.000
Randolph (VT): Yurchenko 1.5, nice debut huge amplitude couple leaps forward. Not going to be a huge score today but a nice vault for Southern Utah moving forward, 9.700
Cohen (UB): Falls on a Tkatchev, and just ends the routine there. Counting a fall now.
After 1: Southern Utah 48.700, Sacramento State 47.675
Southern Utah takes a one point lead after one rotation after a solid vault rotation that had Niya Randolph debut her Yurchenko 1.5. Across the board, the dynamics on Southern Utah’s vaults looked solid, just didn’t get the landings today. Sacramento State struggled on bars having to count a fall, and will look to recover on vault.
Rotation 2: Sacramento State VT, Southern Utah UB
Gilman (VT): Yurchenko half, medium hop, great distance and clean line 9.750
Christensen (UB): Nice handstand, Piked Jaeger. Handstand and bail are fine. Short final handstand, stuck double layout, nice start. 9.850
Frank (VT): Tucked yurchenko full with a hop, some flexed feet in the air. 9.675
Neff (UB): Good handstand, Maloney, Bail, maybe a little short there. Final handstand is short, double layout with a hop.
Driessen (VT): Yurchenko full, stuck. Chest a little down and not the biggest vault ever, but nice control 9.750
Hampton (UB): Fine handstand, nice straddled Jaeger, Pak is fine. Handstand is okay on high bar, double layout with a hop
Morgenthaler (VT): Happenend in the background mid bar routine, Yurchenko full with a hop 9.675
Goodman (UB): Good handstand, Piked Jaeger is great. Pak is clean, touch of flexed feet. Half pirouette is late. Giant full, stuck double tuck, nice. 9.850
Zimmerman (VT): Yurchenko full, one step, nice chest position on the landing. 9.675, was expecting that to be a touch higher
Randolph (UB): Nice handstand, freehip shaposh, Bail. Bail is a little short. Split leg double layout with a hop.
Lutrel (VT): Another stuck Yurchenko full, nice distance and position. 9.800
Ferguson (UB): Good handstand. Piked Jaeger, caught a little close, bent arms. Pak and falls, Remounts double layout hop in place to finish. No big deal because Southern Utah already has a 49.100.
After 2: Southern Utah 97.800, Sacramento State 96.325
Southern Utah extends its lead after nice work on bars, specifically with catch positions on Jaegers and stuck dismount. Sacramento State was solid on vault and had nice sticks from Driessel and Lutrel to score a tenth higher than last week there. On to beam and floor, big rotation for Southern Utah right here
Rotation 3: Southern Utah BB, Sacramento State FX
Bringhurst (BB): Bhs, loso and falls. Pressure on now. Full turn, check. Beat jump, split 3/4. Nice front toss. Back 1.5 with a step off the mat 8.975
Gilman (FX): Double pike, slide back. Tour jete half, Popa, feet apart between jumps. Front lay, tuck half, that was supposed to be a full I think, so potential SV issue. Double tuck, lands short with a little stumble. 9.500
Christensen (BB): Side aerial, backhandspring, secure. Switch leap, split jump, back leg low on both. Front toss, tiny check. Full turn. Back 1.5 with a step, good reset for them. 9.775
Houghton (FX): Front lay, Rudi, clean twisting form. Switch side, Popa, fine. Double tuck and a step OOB per the commentator. 9.750
Randolph (BB): Internet went out at the start, but seemingly hit routine, Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.750
Dumas-Guzman (FX): Front lay, front full, clean. Tour jete half, short of split. Switch half, Popa, Popa, not the highest jump positions. A nice performance quality throughout. Front Rudi, big stumble back. 9.600
Cacciola (BB): Love how she holds the releve after her full turn. Switch leap, split jump, gainer loso, beat jump, right on. Bhs, loso, small check but minimizes the deduction. Back 1.5 with a hop, another hit down. 9.825
Morgenthaler (FX): Rudi, loso, great amplitude on the loso, small slide. Tour jete half, popa, fine, not the most precise. Double pike, two big steps back and a stumble, stays in bounds 9.575
Miller (BB): Bhs, loso, balance check but stays on. Switch half, beat jump, fine. Stuck double full, great way to end the routine. 9.875
The male commentator is OBSESSED with watching Scotty Bauman during these beam routines
Jones (FX): Double tuck, nice control. Switch half, Popa, Popa, landing positions were not the cleanest. Front lay, front full, solid. Controlled Rudi to finish.
Ferguson (BB): Double wolf, chest a little low but fine. Back handspring, side somi, keeps it moving well. Beat jump, split 3/4. Backhandspring swing down, love it. Gainer pike with a step, huge to not count a fall. 9.800!
Lutrel (FX): Double pike, hop and step to the side. Front lay, front full, solid. Tour jete half, split jump full, fine. Double back, camera was right behind the coach, so couldn’t see chest position. Seemed solid though.
After 3: Southern Utah 146.825, Sacramento State 144.800
Southern Utah scoring 49.025 on beam after a leadoff fall is a big step forward for this team. Especially exciting was a career high 9.875 for Rylee Miller Sacramento State was solid on floor but had to count a few landing errors, a nice pair of 9.775s to end it by Lutrel and Jones.
Rotation 4: Sacramento State BB, Southern Utah FX
Gilman (BB): Bhs, loso and fall. Same situation as Southern Utah here. Full turn. Side aerial, Straddle jump, straddle jump 3/4. Back 1.5 with a step. 9.150
Hampton (FX): Front double full, solid control. Switch ring, switch half, okay on the ring position. Rudi, loso, no issue. Nice lead off, 9.875
Morgenthaler (BB): Wolf turn. Bhs, bhs, loso, secure, not the most extended leg position though. Pike jump, straddle half, short. Back 1.5 with a crossover step, nice hit. 9.700
Fernandez (FX): Good amplitude on opening double tuck. Switch half, wolf full, wolf full, travels a bit. Back 1.5, front full, slide forward. Rudi, chest a little low and a foot slide. 9.850
Driessen (BB): Bhs, loso and falls. Full turn. Switch leap, straddle half, beat jump. Front toss, a bit low. Gainer full with a hop. 9.050
Christensen (FX): Back 1.5, front full, superb control. Fun screaming bit of choreography with the teammates. Switch side 1/2, straddle jump. Double tuck, chest a touch low, but not bad.
Jones (BB): Full turn. Bhs, loso, balance check but stays on. Switch leap, misses a connection. Redoes, switch leap, split 3/4, short on split jump. Side aerial, sharp. Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.675
Randolph (FX): Double layout, great chest position, small slide back. Switch side 1/2, straddle jump, straddle jump. Front tuck through to double tuck, shuffle back. 9.825
Lutrel (BB): Bhs loso, tiny arm waver. Beat jump, split 3/4. Full turn, balance check. Switch leg aerial, nice. Side aerial, back 1.5 is short with a step back
Cacciola (FX): Whip double back, great control and chest position. Switch ring, switch half, wolf full, nice ring position, travels a bit on the wolf jump. Front rudi, solid. 9.875
Houghton (BB): Bhs, loso, very secure. Switch leap, straddle quarter, nice back leg position. Straddle 3/4, balance check, Redoes, stradle full, another smaller check. Full turn. Double full with a step
Gull (FX): Full in, nice, step back is a little large. Tour jete half, wolf full. Back 1.5, front pike. Double tuck, great chest position, should be a big score. 9.850
FINAL: Southern Utah 196.150 Sacramento State 192.725
A nice meet and score for Southern Utah after notching a 49.300 in the final rotation! The Thunderbirds will be pleased with that performance across the board, but still have some areas to improve on, like vault landings. Not Sacramento State’s best day having to count falls on bars and beam, but still some highlights throughout, like Sarah Lutrel winning vault with a stuck Yurchenko full.
VT: Sarah Lutrel 9.800
UB: Brinlee Christensen, Trista Goodman 9.850
BB: Rylee Miller 9.875
FX: Mia Hampton, Ellie Cacciola 9.875
AA: Brinlee Christensen 39.250
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Live blog by Rebecca Williams
