This Valentine’s Day dual meet brings a non-SEC matchup to Lexington, with Temple traveling to face Kentucky. While Kentucky is expected to win comfortably, both teams have a great opportunity to post strong scores tonight. Kentucky has been steady, averaging around a 49.250 on all events over the past two weeks, but is looking to break into the higher 197s to solidify its top-eight ranking. To do that, the Wildcats will need to turn 9.825s into 9.875s, so stuck landings will be key. Vault has been a standout event, led by Isabella Magnelli and Makenzie Wilson, who perform powerful front handspring pike halves. Freshman Anna Flynn Cashion, who posted a 9.950 on that same vault in week one but hasn’t been in the lineup consistently, could provide a boost if she returns.
Temple enters the meet on a streak of three straight 194+ scores and is looking to keep building. Bars has been a focal point, with the Owls improving each week, capped by a 48.650 last meet. Beam has been Temple’s strongest event, anchored by graduate student Brooke Donabedian, who scored a 9.925 last week. Talladega transfer Krystin Johnson is another key contributor, showcasing a Yurchenko 1.5 on vault and a dynamic floor routine, both of which have earned 9.85+ this season. This meet promises to be an exciting one!
No Cashion in lineups and Johnson is only on vault, touch warmups are underway right now.
Rotation 1: Kentucky VT, Temple UB
Rizo (VT): Yurchenko full, holds the stick, little bit of a chest lean back. Nice start 9.850
DeHaan (UB): Short handstand, Piked Jaeger, overshoot is fine. Another short handstand, late giant full, double tuck with a hop, 9.725
Noonan (VT): Yurchenko half on, front tuck half off, step back, could be a bit higher. 9.800
Varano (UB): Falls on a Jaeger, wasn’t close at all. Remounts, hits it, good handstand after ward. Pak with a leg separation. Half pirouette is late. Good final handstand, double layout with a hop. 9.075
Wilson (VT): Stuck front handspring pike half, chest a bit forward on the landing, 9.900
Brueck (UB): Good handstand. Ray, nice straight arm catch position. Short handstand, Pak with leg separation, very late on half pirouette. Short handstand, double layout with a step. 9.650
Magnelli (VT): Front handspring pike half, hop back, higher than Wilson’s 9.850
White (UB): Very short handstand, Maloney, Pak, leg separation on both. Late half pirouette, another short handstand. Toe on pike half, stuck. 9.775
Killough-Wilhelm (VT): Yurchenko 1.5, tiny hop and then takes a step, nice distance and body line 9.875
Weklar (UB): Fine handstand, Maloney, Bail, nice extension on the bail. A little short on the final handstand, very late giant full, double tuck with a hop 9.725
Rodriguez (VT): Big Yurchenko full with a hop. 9.775
S. Stallings (UB): Fine handstand, Piked Jaeger is nice. Good handstand, bail is clean. Giant full, close to vertical, double tuck with a step and a wobble.
After 1: Kentucky 49.275 Temple 48.625
A solid opening rotation for both teams. Kentucky has a sizable lead after six solid vaults, but will want to get a coupe more sticks moving forward. All three 10.0 vaults looked solid today, which is good. Temple was able to drop a fall in the second spot and scored just a quarter tenth lower than last week. Handstands are the biggest thing keeping scores lower throughout the lineup.
Rotation 2: Temple VT, Kentucky UB
Schugman (VT): Yurchenko full, hop back, nice distance, some significant piking throughout 9.700
Rivelli (UB): Nice handstand, Straddled Jaeger, gorgeous catch, overshoot, caught with bent arms. Another good handstand, double layout with a stick, nice start 9.850
Weklar (VT): Yurchenko half, better body line, hop forward 9.750
Riegert (UB): Nice handstand. Huge Jaeger, so far above the bar. Another great handstand. Bail is crisp. Hit final handstand, double layout short with a step, not the most defined layout shape either. Amazing until the dismount 9.825
Haro (VT): Very short Yurchenko full and falls, missed the block completely 8.575
Davis (UB): Good handstand, another nice Jaeger. Bail, maybe a little bit short of handstand. Good final handstand, double layout step back. 9.800
Budd (VT): Yurchenko full, pike down, step back and chest low 9.625
Procasky (UB): Good handstand. Maloney, Pak, didn’t have a ton of backswing and ends up hitting her feet on the Pak afterwards. Good final handstand, stuck double layout, will want to drop that one. 9.550
Rengifo (VT): Huge block on a Yurchenko full, big hop back. Best amplitude so far. 9.700
Rodriguez (UB): Nice handstand, Tkatchev is great. Another good handstand, Bail is fine. Hit last handstand, double layout with a hop. 9.825
Johnson (VT): Yurchenko 1.5, nice in the air but short with a step back, some leg separation as well 9.750
Killough-Wilhelm (UB): Good handstand, Piked Jaeger, overshoot, nice catch position on both. Lovely final handstand, double layout is stuck, great routine. 9.925
Temple just competed a great front handspring pike half in the exhibition spot that needs to be in the lineup, great vault from Varano.
Rizo also just had a great routine in the exhibition spot on bars.
After 2: Kentucky 98.500 Temple 97.150
Kentucky extends it lead but will feel like it missed out on a bigger score after only sticking one dismount. On the bars there were a lot of really nice releases and handstands throughout that rotation. Temple had a solid vault rotation, but could benefit from more sticks and some more amplitude on a couple of vaults, but solid all around.
Rotation 3: Kentucky BB, Temple FX
Rodriguez (BB): Switch leap, split jump, good positions. Bhs, bhs, loso clean. Full turn. Side somi, no issus. Back 1.5 is stuck, great start. 9.875
Weklar (FX): Rudi, loso, some bent knees. Switch leap, wolf jump. Wolf jump 1.5 is short of rotation, Loso full and fornt layout, crashed, appears to be in pain but continued to finish the choreography. 8.850
Brose (BB): Front tuck, excellent. Front toss, misses connection, redoes, front toss, backhandspring, clean. Switch leap, beat jump, low back leg on the leap. Full turn. Back 1.5 with a step, another good one. 9.775
Dorunda (FX): Double tuck, solid, chest a little forward. Switch side, Popa, wolf full, nice. Front lay, rudi, not the most dynamic 9.675
Lee (BB): Bhs, bhs, loso and falls. Switch leap, straddle jump. Wobble on choreography. Front aerial, beat jump. Double stag jump, back 1.5 with a step. Will need to drop, 9.175
Rengifo (FX): Double pike, step back, nice in the air. Switch ring, switch ring half, nice ring on the first. Back 1.5 front lay, bit of a leg separation on the layout. Good one, 9.725
Bennett (BB): Full turn. Backhandspring, loso, loso, really nice extension. Cat leap, front aerial, balance check. Switch leap, beat jump, low back leg. Stuck gainer pike. 9.775
Ruskey (FX): Front tuck through to double tuck, chest a little low but solid. Switch side half, Popa, nice. Double pike is clean.
Killough-Wilhelm (BB): Front aeiral, balance check. Redoes, front aerial, bhs, bhs better. Switch leap, beat jump, nice split position. Side aerial, back 1.5 9.850
Schugman (FX): Leaps are fine. Back 1.5, front half, a bit low and some knee bend. Double pike, short with a step forward.
Mangelli (BB): Bhs, loso, loso, nice, tiniest of arm waves. Switch leap, straddle quarter. Front aerial, nice. Full turn, another tiny arm waver. Gainer pike, stuck, great one. 9.925
Donabedian (FX): Rudi, loso, clean. Y turn, nice. Tour jete half, split full, short of split on the first. Front double full, had a great landing, but had a tiny stumble after that. 9.775
After 3: Kentucky 147.700 Temple 145.575
Another solid 49.200 for Kentucky on beam, led by Magnelli’s gorgeous set. Again Kentucky will feel like it left a few tenths on the table, but lots of nice work all around. After a miss, Temple was solid on floor to score a mid 48. Donabedian was a highlight, ending with an E pass.
Rotation 4: Temple BB, Kentucky FX
Schugman (BB): Front aerial, balance check. Redoes, front aerial, front aerial, nice connection speed. Full turn. Back 1.5, stuck. 9.650
Rodriguez (FX): Rudi, back layout, nice. Ring leap, tour jete half, good. Double tuck, solid. Back 1.5, front half. Excellent start. 9.875
Ruskey (BB): Bhs, loso, balance check. Beat jump, fornt toss, deep landing but nice. Full turn, check. Switch side, short of split. Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.675
Magnelli (FX): Rudi, loso, nice straddle positions on her leaps. Double pike, good landing. Another beautiful straddle jump, 9.875
White (BB): Switch leap, split jump, nice. Solid bhs, loso. Full turn, tiny check. Straddle jump, straddle jump full, cheats the rotation a bit. Back 1.5 stuck, good one.
Procasky (FX): Front lay front full. Leaps were okay Double tuck, short. 9.850
Dunne (BB): Nice wolf turn, bhs loso some bent knees but solid. Front aerial and falls. Nice switch leap, switch leap after remounting. Another check on a split quarter.
Killough-Wilhelm (FX): Clean double full, good control. Switch leap, switch half ring. Back 1.5, front lay tiny shuffle, good 9.900
Dorunda (BB): Bhs, loso, loso, fights to hang on. Switch side, good position. Full turn. Back 1.5 with a step.
Brose (FX): Nice double pike to open. Tour jete wolf full. Front full, front lay, good control. Front double full to finish, strong set. 9.900
Donabedian (BB): Switch leap, double stag jump. Front aerial, bhs. Side somi, solid. Back 1.5 with a step
Davis (FX): Excellent double pike, Switch side 1/2, Straddle half. Huge back 1.5, perfect front layout. Double tuck, a touch short, 9.925
FINAL: Kentucky 197.175, Temple 194.200
A huge floor rotation for Kentucky to end things and break in the 197s, lots of strong work across the board. Skylar Kiloough-Wilhelm had a huge day scoring 39.550 and Rodriguez had a pair of 9.875s in the lead off spots on beam and floor. Temple scored another 194 with a solid day across all for events, being able to drop routines with falls when needed.
VT: Makenzie Wilson 9.900
UB: Skylar Kilough-Wilhelm 9.925
BB: Isabella Magnelli 9.925
FX: Hailey Davis 9.925
AA: Skylar Killough-Wilhelm 39.550
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Live blog by Rebecca Williams
