Last week was a tough one for Florida, as the Gators saw two key contributors, Anya Pilgrim and Sloane Blakely, go down with injuries. Pilgrim’s fall on bars led to her scratching the rest of the meet, and her status remains uncertain. Blakely’s injury appeared more concerning, as she went down mid-floor routine and had to step off. Beyond the emotional toll of losing two core athletes, Florida now faces the challenge of replacing up to eight lineup routines. With a full week to reassess, it will be telling to see how Jenny Rowland adjusts her lineups in the Gators’ return to Gainesville. Freshman Ly Bui, who had an uncharacteristic fall after a last-minute beam assignment last week, may get another shot to prove herself tonight.
Missouri turns this into a top-10 showdown, coming in with momentum after posting a season-high 197.425 in a home win against Georgia. The Tigers have quietly established themselves as a force, but in the O’Dome, they’ll need to make some noise. Kennedy Griffin and Helen Hu have both already earned perfect 10s this season, and while road scoring can be tricky, the stage is set for more big numbers tonight.
Rotation 1: Florida VT, Missouri UB
Bui (Florida) VT: y1.5 big bound forward with an arm circle. Clean enough in the air. 9.775
Burns (Mizzou) UB: Blind to Jaeger down to the low bar, comfortable, nice last handstand, stuck double layout but bit pikey in the air. Nice lead off. 9.850
Nguyen (Florida) VT: This was supposed to be Lazzari. Tiny step forward on y1.5, very nice in the air. 9.975…I really thought I saw a hop.
Light (Mizzou) UB: Another lineup change, this was supposed to be Addison Lawrence. Maloney to Pak, legs apart a little on the Pak. Nice last handstand and dismounts double layout big hop back. 9.850
Ferris (Florida) VT: y1.5 big air, small step back. 9.850, 9.850 party!
Kelly (Mizzou) UB: Huge piked jaeger with some feet, bail down to low bar is good, double back hop forward. 9.800
Disidore (Florida) VT: y1.5 a bit chaotic with a step forward and arm circle, chest down. 9.875 a bit high IMO.
Horton (Mizzou) UB: Kelly’s score taking a bit of time to come in so she waits. Maloney to Pak some leg separation, DLO looked great in the air and a step to the right. 9.850
Wong (Florida) VT: Half on piked half off, right step back. 9.925
Celestine (Mizzou) UB: Maloney to Pak some leg separation, VL back up to the high bar better with that, stalder to pike half like a dart, super clean. 9.900
Harris-Miranda (Florida) VT: STUCK y1.5 and holds it for a minute. I think she gets it. Yep, 10.000 werk it sis.
Titarsolej (Mizzou) UB: What if we get another 10? Maloney to Pak was perfect, stuck double back chest up, it would be deserving. 9.950
After 1: Florida 49.625, Missouri 49.400
That total feels a bit high for Florida with just one stick, but an overall solid start even without Selena’s 10.000. Missouri is dialed in as well.
Rotation 2: Florida UB, Missouri VT
Griffin (Mizzou) VT: It is taking a long time to start. She was announced over a minute ago. Goes for the yfull very small hop back and chest down. 9.850
Pilgrim (Florida) UB: Pak nice no leg separation, VL back up looked good, stuck FTDLO and she looks relieved. Cool to see her come back after last week. 9.900
Kelly (Mizzou) VT: yfull clean in the air, bigger hop back than Griffin’s but not huge. 9.800
McCusker (Florida) UB: Maloney to Pak, VL legs together, very clean form overall, double back toes pointed throughout and a hop forward. Not a lot to deduct until then. 9.859
Tanskanen (Mizzou) VT: Elise Tisler was set to be in this spot, Tanskanen subs in with a Tsuk full hop back, not a ton of distance. 9.825
The second DaBaby song of the night on Equality Night…
Skye Blakely (Florida) UB: Flexed feet on the Tkatchev, legs apart a bit on the Pak, last handstand a bit short, cowboyed double front half and a hop forward. 9.900..
Horton (Mizzou) VT: Great distance on y1.5 and a step forward. 9.900
Wong (Florida) UB: Lovely first handstand, Maloney to Pak no leg separation on either, same with VL, last handstand a little short, DLO might have had a very small hop back. Let’s see the replay. No, I think just pulling heels together. 9.975
Moore (Mizzou) VT: Similarly good distance on y1.5 and a step forward. 9.900
Harris-Miranda (Florida) UB: First handstand nice, feet a bit flexed on Tkatchev and a little close but clears the bar, stuck DLO. 9.925
Celestine (Mizzou) VT: Big hop forward but very clean in the air. 9.900 judges said let’s stick to that score for all Mizzou 10.0 start value vaults.
Arana (Florida) UB: Always good to see her in the lineup. Maloney to Pak Pak maybe a bit rushed but good form, last handstand short, DLO legs come apart a bit on second flip and a step back. 9.875
After 2: Florida 99.200, Missouri 98.775
No sticks for Missouri on vault but not the worst rotation the Tigers could have had there. Florida scoring reigned in a bit on bars, even with the 9.975 for Wong. I did just realize we’ve only had one sub-9.800 routine across 24 thus far, though. Do with that what you will.
Rotation 3: Florida BB, Missouri FX
Draser (Florida) BB: BHS LOSO little lean but stays on. Switch to switch half, very slight break and half is a bit short of 180. Back 1.5 chest way down fights for stick but steps forward. 9.750 guess I spoke too soon about sub-9.800 scores, I think this is justified.
Tisler (Mizzou) FX: Front lay to Rudi lands chest up, solid, switch full to straddle full positions looked good, back 1.5 to front lay step forward good. 9.875
Pilgrim (Florida) BB: BHS LOSO no hesitation, switch to switch half, cat leap to front aerial was good, switch to split leap, stuck gainer full, not much to take there. 9.850
Horton (Mizzou) FX: Vincent Price laughter to open, that’s a new one! Full-in not the highest but lands chest up. Switch side, punch front through to open double back. Hard to describe but she is super chill doing that routine, like she’s dancing around her house, yet powerful at the same time. Loved it! 9.925
Nguyen (Florida) BB: Onodi to BHS, kept connection, switch to split leaps 180 per usual, stuck y1.5 chest up. Jenny joining in on the 10 hands. 9.875
Light (Mizzou) FX: Back 1.5 to front lay which she walks out of, switch half to wolf full, makes direct eye contact with the camera on her dance, double pike chest way down but sticks it cold. 9.900
Wong (Florida) BB: Switch to split BHS LOSO, front aerial to beat no hesitation, takes her time and clean, tucked gainer full with a small hop back. 9.925
Celestine (Mizzou) FX: Full-in super high, slide back. Double back a bit cowboyed in the second salto, she’s an amazing performer. 9.900
Harris-Miranda (Florida) BB: Triple series bang on, switch leap 180 straddle maybe a little short and a tiny break in between, slight hesitation on the full turn, chest down and holds stick on back 1.5 dismount. 9.825 they hammered the little breaks.
Griffin (Mizzou) FX: A 10.000 caliber routine from earlier this season. Double pike front foot slides back a bit. Punch on her front tuck looked a little low but fine into double back. Love her Single Ladies combo, amazing amplitude and positions on her leaps. 9.925 tonight.
Arana (Florida) BB: Her debut on this event! BHS LOSO no hesitation, front aerial slight check walking out of it, front aerial slight check and break into leaps, connection could get broken there, stuck gainer full off the side. 9.825
Moore (Mizzou) FX: Super fast run into her DLO, chest slightly down but quite powerful. Superhero flip a la Gabi Stephen. Front tuck into sky high double tuck with a controlled step back. 9.900
After 3: Florida 148.500, Missouri 148.325
I love the throwback vibes of Mizzou’s floor rotation; the Tigers’ landings were dialed in tonight. Florida showed some more vulnerability on beam and scores stayed mostly in check, but the Gators maintain a little cushion going into home floor.
Rotation 4: Florida FX, Missouri BB
Wier (Mizzou) BB: Front aerial slight check into BHS LOSO. Hitch kick to straddle 1/2, really nice position on that. Cartwheel Gainer full. 9.775
Nguyen (Florida) FX: Front double full to sissone. Switch ring to switch half looked clean, Back 1.5 to front lay basically her usual routine. 9.900
Jackson (Mizzou) BB: Front aerial to BHS slight bend in the aerial, switch to switch half fully extended positions, back 1.5 dismount small hop. 9.850
Disidore (Florida) FX: Career debut on floor. Rudi to stag super pretty. Leaps were 180, back 1.5 to front lay layout was a bit low. 9.900
Kelly (Mizzou) BB: Out of Time by the Weeknd is such a good beam song. Front aerial to BHS beautiful form. Switch leap combo strong, side aerial no hesitation, wolf turn was spot on. back 1.5 hop forward. 9.875
Clark (Florida) FX: DLO step back looked a bit not controlled. Tour jete half to popa, nice positions throughout, front tuck through to double back. 9.925 dang!
Celestine (Mizzou) BB: Wolf turn to start, BHS to side aerial pretty significant pause in between. Front tuck love that skill in college, slight check. Split to switch full, cat leap holds the stick on her Gainer full with chest down. 9.875 very solid rotation for Mizzou thus far.
Wong (Florida) FX: DLO controlled step as always. whip half to front full her usual and leaps looked secure. 9.925
Lawrence (Mizzou) BB: No hesitation on her leap series, side aerial to BHS good positions and extensions, bold leg hold, holds stick on back 1.5 and getting 10.000 hands. 9.900
Harris-Miranda (Florida) FX: Front tuck through to double tuck. The ding midway through her routine is ear splitting in this arena. I love her dance, though. Back 1.5 to front lay to front half. 9.975
Hu (Mizzou) BB: Mount is her usual, front aerial through to the next, “I want it that way” and the crowd is belting, beat jump to switch 3/4, gainer pike off the end, has to take a hop back on gainer pike. 9.900 I was kind of expecting that.
Ferris (Florida) FX: Full-in and uncontrolled stumble/lean back, big height though and looked great in the air. Straddle positions are 180 on leaps. Back 1.5 front lay. 9.900
FINAL: Florida 198.125, Missouri 197.725
That’s a season high for Missouri by three tenths. The Tigers will be very happy with that score for NQS and an overall strong performance going into the postseason. Florida matches its season high that it earned at home against Georgia a few weeks ago, and with the usual disclaimers about home scoring in Gainesville, it was an overall solid meet for the Gators without any major mistakes, which is a lot after the tumult of last week.
VT: Harris-Miranda (Florida) 10.000
UB: Wong (Florida) 9.975
BB: Wong (Florida) 9.925
FX: Harris-Miranda (Florida) 9.975
AA: Wong (Florida) 39.75
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Live blog by Katherine Weaver
