This week four matchup pits the Minnesota Golden Gophers against the Nebraska Huskers. The Gophers are favored entering the competition, coming fresh off an exciting upset against Michigan. On an upward trend so far this season, the Gophers have built on their opening score total by over a point and a half, hitting the 197 mark last weekend. In that competition, junior Jordan Lyden earned a massive 9.925 on bars, at the same time matching her beam and floor career records. Among other heavy hitters, Lyden is likely to put up a good performance across her three events tonight.
Host Nebraska will be up against some tough competition in the Gophers, but the Huskers have similarly seen improvement throughout their short season thus far, reaching a 195.250 last weekend. Senior Lauren Homecillo is one to watch, as she has been making a significant impression on both beam and floor for the Huskers. Skilled all-around competitors Isabel Sikon and Whitney Jencks are expected to round out the lineups, as well.
This meet will be on the Big Ten Network at 4 p.m. ET, and scores can be found on Virtius.
Please allow me to shout out the adorable corn plush the Huskers are giving away. So cute!!!
Rotation 1: Nebraska VT, Minnesota UB
Griffin (Neb): Yurchenko full, bit of a squatty landing. 9.800
Gerdes (Minn): Aggressive handstand, Maloney to bail handstand *almost* goes over. Sticks her clean FTDT no problem. 9.750
Pech (Neb): High Yurchenko full, lands crooked, hops to the side. 9.775
I. Nguyen (Minn): Big Tkatchev, bail handstand legs apart a bit, pretty DLO, fights to stick but steps back. 9.575
Peterson (Neb): Yurchenko full, maybe a bit low, hop back. 9.800
Crump (Minn): Smooth Maloney to Pak, goes over on the pirouette and comes off. Hold HS on high, drills the DLO. The first test for the Gophers. 9.325
Baechle (Neb): Yurchenko tucked 1.5, also a little crooked on the landing and a big step to the side. 9.725
Saltzmann (Minn): A test for the freshman. Pretty Jaeger, bail straight to handstand, sticks the DLO with a small wobble in the upper body. Saltzmann is unfazed and puts the Gophers right back on track. 9.900
Shaver (Neb): Yurchenko full, straight form, two small hops back. 9.725
Slevin (Minn): Fluid Maloney to Pak, Van Leeuwen, goes over on the handstand, swings back, DLO to finish, rises and sticks. Another uncharacteristic mistake for the Gophers. 9.450
Sikon (Neb): Yurchenko full, gets her chest up well, hops back. 9.750
Lyden (Minn): Maloney to bail handstand, she’s hitting her handstands nicely, a massive DLO with a small hop back. 9.800
AFTER ONE: Nebraska 48.850, Minnesota 48.475
A wonky start for the Gophers with a few unusual mistakes counting towards the event total. Freshman Lacie Saltzmann did her best to get the Gophers back on track with a gorgeous 9.90 routine. While this is a season-low event total for the Gophers, they have the depth and experience to bounce back well in the second rotation. The Huskers find themselves leading after rotation one, posting only a single 10.0 SV routine but making up for it with formidable consistency. The Huskers now head to bars where they have the capability to put up another solid performance.
Rotation 2: Minnesota VT, Nebraska UB
Moraw (Minn): Yurchenko full, slips on the table (?) and stands it up but is very low on the landing. 9.400
Burns (Neb): Nice handstand, Jaeger, bail handstand and holds it, DLO and nails the stick! 9.850 – a career high for Burns
Stewart (Minn): Yurchenko 1.5, good distance, steps forward. 9.825
Griffin (Neb): Maloney to Pak, Van Leeuwen with some form breaks, stalder shoot to tuck half dismount, super unique, tiny step back. 9.725
Crump (Minn): Yurchenko 1.5, clean form and chest up, very nearly sticks but take a step forward. 9.825
Sikon (Neb): Pretty jaeger to bail, blind full with little bend in her arms, right to double tuck, and sticks! 9.825
Slevin (Minn): Yurchenko full with a huge block, little hop back today but the stick potential is there. 9.800
Kraus (Neb): Huge Tkatchev to bail, FTDT dismount and steps back. 9.700
Ostrum (Minn): Yurchenko 1.5, high but underrotated and lands with her legs a bit straight. Steps back. 9.725
Peterson (Neb): Good first handstand, Maloney to bail, leg separation, big FTDT, tiny step. 9.775
Gerdes (Minn): Yurchenko 1.5, opens early, steps back and a hop. 9.600
Jencks (Neb): Pretty long lines, Ray to bail, nice DLO and a shuffle back. 9.800
AFTER TWO: Nebraska 97.825 (48.975), Minnesota 97.250 (48.775)
After a near-fall in the opening routine, landing issues in the back half of the lineup proved the challenge for the Gophers on vault. Minnesota has had a stellar season so far, defeating Arkansas and Michigan back to back. This competition shouldn’t be a huge hill, but mistakes have made it so at this point. The Gophers will need to recoup quickly in the third rotation to keep their momentum in the season. Nebraska had a great showing on bars, and should they maintain their current rhythm, are in good standing to achieve a competitive NQS score.
Rotation 3: Nebraska BB, Minnesota FX
Jencks (Neb): BHS LOSO, solid to open. Front toss, tentative on leaps, RO 1.5, hops forward. A good opening routine for the Huskers on beam. 9.775
Saltzmann (Minn): Powerful double pike, legs glued. Front layout, front full, nicely controlled. Double tuck to finish. She keeps her legs together in all her skills. 9.875
Homecillo (Neb): BHS BHS LOSO, some leg form but lands well. Precise straddle 3/4. RO 1.5 to a stick! She gets the stick chain with a comically large “N”. 9.825
Pearl (Minn): RO 1.5 to front layout, essentially sticks but dances out of it. Pretty leaps. Double pike, bounces up out of it. 9.750
Gard (Neb): BHS LOSO, good. Commentators are saying she judges gymnastics in her free time! Beat to aerial, switch switch and she is celebrating while on the apparatus! Gainer pike to a stuck landing. Great routine for Gard and the Huskers. 9.775
Gosiorowski (Minn): Gorgeous FTDT and sticks it cold. Front through to double tuck, a bit uncontrolled in the lunge. 9.850
Kraus (Neb): Well-done BHS LOSO doesn’t move an inch. Big smiles into a cartwheel–possibly the rarest skill in college. Gainer tuck full, not much amplitude but sticks it. 9.875
Swartzmiller (Minn): Front handspring layout 1.5 to a big straddle jump. RO 1.5 to front layout travels long, on the line but doesn’t go out. 9.850
Burns (Neb): BHS LOSO LOSO, nicely done. Small check on the turn, RO 1.5 dismount, steps forward. 9.725
Ostrum (Minn): Front through to double tuck, a little lean back on the lunge. Rudi LOSO rises and flips in place. Very energetic choreo! 9.900
Sikon (Neb): Candlestick mount, BHS LOSO, slightly off but keeps it centered. Great extension in her splits. RO 1.5 tucked to a stick! 9.825
Lyden (Minn): RO 1.5 to layout full, tight twisting position, good rotation on her leap combo, RO double full with more pristine twisting. 9.875
AFTER THREE: Nebraska 146.900 (49.075), Minnesota 146.600 (49.350)
The Gophers managed to pick up the pace after an energetic floor rotation. Highlighted by Ostrum’s 9.90, the Gophers build on their previous floor totals to maintain their positive trend through the season. Minnesota still trails the host team, but now just by three tenths. And while beam can prove a challenge, the Gophers have a high score ceiling once they can establish confidence. The Huskers put on a show for their beam rotation, rising above the sought-after 49.0 mark for the first time this season. The current score total gives the Huskers an opportunity to hit their first 196, if they can take advantage of the momentum. Their current leading position should give the Huskers confidence heading into the final rotation, and in front of a home crowd, floor can really be a party.
Rotation 4: Minnesota BB, Nebraska FX
Ostrum (Minn): BHS LOSO with clean form. Nice leap position, small check on her side aerial. BHS gainer full and sticks it. A great start for the Gophers! 9.850
Gard (Neb): Double tuck, a little soft landing, front layout to layout full, keeps it moving. Double pike for her third pass, good. 9.725
Gerdes (Minn): Front aerial, BHS LOSO, catches before a bigger wobble. Little off on her jump combo, repeats the split and wobbles a tad. BHS gainer full to dismount. 9.700
Burns (Neb): Long double pike but clean, double tuck, bounces out. She stops her routine during her leap combo after rolling her ankle.
Moraw (Minn): BHS LOSO, leg up on that. Solid on her side aerial. Precise straddle 3/4. BHS gainer full, rises nicely and sticks. 9.700
Baechle (Neb): Some change of pace after Burns’ injury, Baechle will need to keep the energy up for the rest of the lineup. Front handspring to double full, done well. RO 1.5 to front full, some leg form. I love how she works her choreo. A solid rebound routine. 9.750
Pearl (Minn): Small check in her dance to begin. BHS LOSO, slight hip break. Aggressive leaps, folds and comes off in her front aerial. BHS gainer full dismount, a hop in place. 8.975
Sikon (Neb): Pretty double tuck to open, very controlled landing. RO 1.5 to front full, misses the bounce a bit and comes up slightly underrotated. 9.600 (raised from a 9.350)
Rowray (Minn): Solid BHS LOSO to open. A series of wobbles in and after her leap combo, breaking the connection. Front toss done well. Front gainer full to a stick. 9.400. That will have to count.
Jencks (Neb): Judging delay. Not sure what happened with Sikon’s score. Front layout to Rudi, clean. High double tuck to finish. 9.775
Lyden (Minn): Wolf double turn, BHS LOSO is solid, switch side. RO 1.5 straight up and sticks. A clean finish for the Gophers after a few issues. 9.875
Homecillo (Neb): Drills the double pike, clean RO 1.5 to a floaty front layout. She’s got a huge smile throughout. Double tuck lands well. 9.850 And that’ll seal the win for the Huskers!!!
FINAL: Nebraska 195.600 (48.700), Minnesota 195.075 (48.475)
VT: Ava Stewart, Teryn Crump (Minn) – 9.825
UB: Lacie Saltzmann (Minn) – 9.900
BB: Nya Kraus (Neb) – 9.875
FX: Olivia Burns (Neb) – 9.900
AA: Isabel Sikon (Neb) – 39.000
Well… I did not expect an upset tonight! The Huskers took advantage of Minnesota’s various mistakes to open with and maintain the lead. Huskers Kraus and Burns nabbed individual titles this evening on beam and floor respectively, in addition to Sikon’s all around. The Gophers were down from out the gate with some funky bars mistakes and didn’t really recover. A highlight for the Gophers was their floor performance, looking more like their usual and reaching a 49.350 total. This bright spot reminds us that this was simply an off meet for the Gophers. But what an exciting finish for the Huskers tonight! I promise, it was the good energy brought by their little friend the Gymsker.
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Live blog by Frances Leadman
