Tonight’s Big Ten showdown features No. 16 Minnesota taking on No. 5 Michigan State in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
Michigan State, the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten, is looking to bounce back after a narrow loss to conference rival UCLA, where it posted a strong 197.200. Despite the defeat, the Spartans had an impressive meet, setting a new team vault record of 49.600. Key contributors included Sage Kellerman, who captured the bars title and shared the vault title with teammate Nikki Smith, who also won the all-around. Kellerman and Smith will once again be central to the Spartans’ efforts as they aim for another Big Ten conference win.
Minnesota, on the other hand, is riding the momentum of a 196.825 victory over Washington. Standout performances from Ava Stewart, who claimed the vault title and shared the beam title with teammates Jordyn Lyden and Lauren Pearl, and Teryn Crump, who took the bars title, along with Mya Hooten’s floor win, give the Gophers plenty of confidence. They’ll look to carry this success into tonight’s meet against a tough Michigan State squad.
Michigan State is favored to win this meet with an average score of 197.000 compared to Minnesota’s average of 196.260. Don’t count Minnesota out, though, as its high score for the season is 197.325. It’s anyone’s game, and a conference win is on the line! Follow along with B1G+ and scores.
Rotation 1: MSU VT, Minn UB
Tucker (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5 with a step back on the landing. 9.800
Jencks (Minn): Mounts high bar, arch to save on handstand, high release move, free hip to overshoot to handstand, shy on last handstand to a double layout dismount with a small hop. 9.725
Doyle (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5 to stuck landing. Small leg separation on table. Good form in the air. 9.875
Harrington (Minn): Maloney to Pak with leg separation, full twisting double back dismount to a college stick. 9.725
Zsarmani (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5 to small hop forward on the landing. Looked good in the air. 9.875
Crump (Minn): Maloney to overshoot to handstand in connection, stalder to a toe shoot dismount to a stuck landing. Good one. 9.825
Smith (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5 with small hop forward. 9.875
Stewart (Minn): Maloney to Pak, to Van Leeuwan to double front dismount to a stuck landing. 9.900
Stephen (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5 with small step forward. Another great on in the air. 9.900
Hooten (Minn): Mount to high bar, Jaeger to overshoot, to full twisting double back dismount to a small step. 9.900
Kellerman (MSU): Huge front handspring on table to front pike half off to a stuck landing. 9.900
Lyden (Minn): Maloney to shootover handstand is clean, dismounts with double layout and lands with arm circle and small step. 9.900
Duplissis (MSU-EX): Yurchenko 1.5 with a bigger step forward. Good to see forward momentum. 9.675
Hsu (MSU-EX): Yurchenko full with a small step back. 9.625
Fisher (Minn-EX): Shaposh to a fall, finishes with a full twisting double back to a large step back.
After 1: MSU 49.425, Minn 49.250
Michigan State had another solid vault rotation. The landings weren’t as clean last week but the vaults were solid and there were six 10.0 start values. Minnesota had a good bars rotation showing off clean form and a couple stuck landings. Michigan State has a small lead heading into the second rotation.
Rotation 2: Minn VT, MSU UB
Pearl (Minn): Yurchenko full with a slight hop up on the landing. Leg separation on the table. 9.775
Stephen (MSU): Maloney to overshoot to handstand, nice last handstand, dismounts with full twisting double back to a larger step backward. 9.775
Steensland (Minn): Yurchenko full with a small shuffle backwards. 9.800
Zsarmani (MSU): Mount high bar, Pak, Maloney to in bar Gienger, to double layout and a small hop backwards. 9.825
Moraw (Minn): Yurchekno full to a small hop back. A little leg separation in the air. 9.825
Doyle (MSU): Blind to pike Jaeger to Pak, last handstand is a good one, full pirouette to double back and a stuck landing. 9.875
Crump (Minn): Yurchenko 1.5. to a step forward. Good vault off the table. 9.800
Smith (MSU): Toe hand to Maloney to Pak, beautiful last handstand, dismounts with double layout to a stick. Great form throughout. 9.925
Stewart (Minn): Yurchenko 1.5 with a lot of power and a large step forward. 9.675
Kellerman (MSU): Blind to straddle Jaeger, Bail to handstand, double layout to the third stick in a row. 9.925
Hooten (Minn): Huge Yurchenko full with a small step forward. Great in the air. 9.850
Harkness (MSU) Gienger is clean, Bail to handstand, double layout with a small hop backward. 9.850
Harrington (Minn-EX): Yurchenko full with a pike down and a large hop back. 9.600
Tucker (MSU-EX): Maloney to overshoot handstand, pirouette to double back and a stuck dismount. 9.850
After 2: MSU 98.825, Minn 98.300
Michigan State had another solid rotation on bars. We heard on the broadcast that the goal was to focus on the landings, and they certainly did with a number of sticks. Minnesota had a good vault rotation but weren’t able to find the landings. Michigan State continues to lead and widen the gap between the two teams. The Spartan’s head to beam next which was problematic in its last meet with UCLA. It’s still any team’s meet to win.
Rotation 3: MSU BB, Minn FX
Kalefe (MSU): Full turn, triple series – BHS, BHS, LOSO to slight arm circle, switch leap to tuck jump full is solid, cartwheel gainer full to a stuck landing. Good opening routine. 9.825
Jencks (Minn): Opens with front double full to a good landing, leap series is solid, next pass it back 1.5 full to punch front layout and another good landing. Closes with Rudi to immediate staddle jump. Nice routines to start flow. 9.825
Duplissis (MSU): BHS BHS LOSO is solid, full turn, leap series is solid, dismounts with RO 1.5 with small step forward. She was originally going to exhibition. 9.750
Steensland (Minn): Open with front handspring Rudi to layout step out, second pass is RO 2.5 full to a good landing. Solid leap series. Last pass is 1.5 back full to punch front layout. 9.825
Tucker (MSU): Cat leap to front aerial to BHS with pause between the two elements. Fall on leap series. Leg up on side aerial. Gainer full dismount. Tough one especially with the fall last week. 8.700
Pearl (Minn): Opens with RO 1.5 to punch front layout, leap pas is solid ends with Popa, final pass is double pike and her front foot slides slightly. 9.850
Smith (MSU): BHS LOSO is solid, beat jump to staddle half is clean, full turn, dismounts with RO double tuck dismount to small step forward. Nice routine after the fall. 9.875
Koch (Minn): Opens with front double full to a good landing, nice leap series, RO 1.5 full to punch front layout is strong, closes with Rudi to another good landing. 9.825
Schulte (MSU): Switch leap to switch half to beat jump is solid, BHS LOSO is clean, switch leap to gainer full dismount. Nice one. 9.925
Gonsiorowski (Minn): Opens with nice full in and a good landing, switch side to Popa leap series is solid, next pass is RO 1.5 full to a front pike, closes with double tuck with chest down and a step forward. 9.875
Stephen (MSU): Kick over pike front toss is solid, full turn, BHS LOSO is solid, beat jump leap series with a slight correction, RO double full dismount to a stuck landing. 9.900
Hooten (Minn): Opens with a full in to a good landing, switch side to wolf full is solid, next pass is front full to front pike and a stuck landing, closes with huge double tuck and a good landing. Great routine. 9.925
Zsarmani (MSU-EX): Front toss to a bobble, repeats skill and has same bobble. Moves on. Leap series is solid. Full turn. Dismounts with RO 1.5 full.
Johnson (Minn-EX): Opens with a front full front half, next pass is RU double pike to a good landing, switch side Popa is the leap series, closes with RO double tuck with a large step foward.
Kellerman (MSU-EX): Full turn, one arm BHS LOSO is solid, beat jump, switch leap switch leap from her knee, dismounts with RO 1.5 full with a small hop forward. Good one.
Harrington (Minn-EX): Opens with double tuck and opens a little soon with a step forward, next pass if 1.5 full to punch front layout and a good landing, leap series is switch side to straddle full, closes with double pike, opens a little late and falls backward.
After 3: MSU 148.100, Minn 147.600
Michigan State continues to lead after the third rotation. The Spartans dropped a mid line-up fall with five solid routines. Minnesota had an excellent floor rotation highlighted by Mya Hooten’s anchor spot which earned her a 9.925.
Rotation 4: Minn BB, MSU FX
Koch (Minn): Full turn with a leg kick out, BHS LOSO is solid, beat jump to straddle three quarter, kick over front to scale is nice, dismounts with RO 1.5 full to an off balance stick. 9.850
Tucker (MSU): Opens with Rudi to LOSO, nice leap series, closes with front double full to a great landing. Nice opening routine and a good routine after her fall. 9.775
Stewart (Minn): Candle mount, split jump to ring jump is solid, front aerial to BHS swing down, wolf turn, dismounts with BHS gainer full and a small step back. 9.825
Beaufait (MSU): Opens with punch front double full and a little uncontrolled on the landing, switch leap to switch half ring, closes with RO 1.5 full to punch front layout and a solid landing. 9.825
Moraw (Minn): Full turn to slight balance check, BHS LOSO is solid, cat leap to solid side aerial, beat jump to straddle three quarter, dismounts with BHS gainer full. 9.825
Harkness (MSU): Opens with solid full in, nice leap series ending with wolf full, next pass is front through to double tuck and a good landing. Found landings she missed last week. 9.850
Rowray (Minnn): BHS LOSO is solid, switch leap to staddle half is solid with, bit of a balance check on a skill I missed, nice switch side gainer front full off side of beam. 9.850
Stephen (MSU): Opens with front through to front handspring Rudi with controlled landing, switch half to wolf full is solid, closes with nice double full with a great landing. Nice job! 9.875
Lyden (Minn): Double wolf turn, BHS LOSO is solid, hitch kick to switch side, dismounts with RO 1.5 full and a stuck landing. Short and sweet routine. 9.850
Smith (MSU): Opens with a huge full in to a little shuffle back, switch half to straddle full is solid, last pass is front through to double tuck and a great landing. 9.900
Pearl (Minn): BHS LOSO to arm wave and a fall, full turn, switch leap to straddle quarter is solid, front aerial to beat jump, dismounts with BHS to gainer full and a step on the dismount. 9.200
Schulte (MSU): Opens with sky high full in with good control on landing, leap series is solid, last pass is front step to double tuck and a stuck landing. 9.925
Olshefski (Minn-EX): Gainer LOSO to beat jump with slight wobble, BHS LOSO with a arm adjustment, switch leap straddle quarter is solid, BHS gainer full off the side to a stuck landing.
Ortiz (MSU-EX): Opens with a huge full in to a great landing, next pass is front through to double tuck with a little slide back on the landing, switch leap to Popa Popa and doesn’t make it quite around.
Steensland (Minn-EX): BHS LOSO is solid, kick over front with arm wave, beat jump to split three quarter and a larger wobble, dismounts with RO 1.5 and a step to the side.
Lebster (MSU-EX): Opens with front layout Rudi to a straight jump, next pass is front double full to a good landing, leap series is solid.
FINAL: MSU 197.475, Minn 196.800
Michigan State led after the first rotation and never looked back sealing the win with a strong floor rotation. Minnesota had a strong showing overall and closed strongly on beam with 5 hit routines.
VT: Kellerman (MSU), Stephen (MSU), 9.900
UB: Kellerman (MSU), Smith (MSU), 9.925
BB: Schulte (MSU), 9.25
FX: Hooten (MSU), Schulte (MSU), 9.925
AA: Smith (MSU), 39.575
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Live blog by Jackie Craig
