A top-15 matchup highlights week six as Penn State heads to Baton Rouge to take on the No. 3 LSU Tigers in a high-energy SEC–Big Ten showdown.
Both teams are coming off strong weekends. LSU edged Missouri by just over a tenth, while Penn State posted its second-highest team score of the season. The Nittany Lions have already eclipsed the 197 mark once this year and have the tools to do so again, even in one of the most electric environments in the country. Bars has been Penn State’s most consistent event, surpassing 49.000 in every meet and peaking at a 49.475. Vault has been the lowest-scoring event so far, and tightening that lineup will be essential if Penn State wants to stay within striking distance of LSU on the road.
LSU’s most recent home meet pushed the Tigers past 198.000 in just their third competition of the season. Despite some uncharacteristic inconsistencies early on, LSU has still managed to produce massive totals. Beam has been a strength, while vault remains a work in progress as the Tigers continue to search for reliable landings and a settled lineup. The vault six has changed week to week, and finding stability there will be key if LSU wants to replicate those big scores away from home. Even with the occasional mistake, the Tigers remain firmly entrenched in the top three and will look to build on that standing this weekend.
The meet will be streamed on the SEC Network, and scores can be found here.
Rotation 1: VT LSU, UB PSU
Zeiss (LSU): Yuerchenko 1.5 to start the night off and a STUCK ONE! A little knee bend and a little close to the vault, but WOW, what a start for the Tigers! 9.875
Monahan (PSU): Maloney up to the high bar and Pak down, almost over on that last handstand, but nails that full in dismount with just a small scoot back. 9.700
McClain (LSU): Yurchenko full, medium hop back but really clean! 9.825
Johanson (PSU): Mounts to the high bar and a nice Tkachev, a little low, but a really great Pak down. A little short on the final handstand and almost has the stick on the double layout, just a step forward on the landing. 9.700
Blackson (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5, going a little too hard for that stick, squats pretty low and takes a step back. 9.700
Leary (PSU): Opens up with a blind to great straddle Jaegar to a shoot over and nails her blind full to double tuck with a stick! 9.850
Drayton (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5 really nice wow and just a hop forward on that but great distance and amplitude. 9.925
Cash (PSU): Great opening handstand to blind to pike Jaegar, gorgeous shoot over right to handstand and a blind full to a double tuck STUCK! That was.a great routine for the Nittany Lions! 9.875
Lincoln (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5 and rinse and repeat from Drayton, with just the hop forward, really well done! 9.875
Piedrahita (PSU): Maloney to Pak, really well done and a great full-out dismount and just a hop back on that landing. 9.750
Chio (LSU): Yurchenko 1.5 and NAILS IT. WOW. That was HUGE!!! 9.975!
Latronica (PSU): Hops to front grip to a piked Jaeger a little close on the catch, shoot over and a little short on that handstand. Toe on to front half dismount and just a hop back on that.
Ballou (LSU) *exhibition: Yurchenko 1.5, a little under rotated and takes a few steps back on that. 9.600
Bender (PSU) *exhibition: Blind to straddle Jaeger a little close, shoot over, nice and a stuck double layout but a little close to the bar on that.
After 1: LSU 49.475, PSU 48.975
A great start for both teams! Penn State is in a huge environment and handled that pressure will. Six for six hits a good opening score highlighted by the 9.875 from Cash in the fourth spot as it heads to vault. LSU had one of its better vault rotations of the season so far with two stuck landings from Zeiss in the lead off and Chio as the anchor just nearing perfect with a 9.975 in her first event of the night. Already strong after one, looking to keep this momentum!
Rotation 2: VT PSU, UB LSU
Leary (PSU): A stuck Yurchenko full to start! Really really clean vault to lead off! 9.725
Zeiss (LSU): Maloney up to Pak, good connection, a little struggle on that pirouette and dismounts with a full out and just a small step forward on that. 9.775
Cash (PSU): Yurchenko full, a little pike down and a small hop back on that landing. 9.800
Jeffrey (LSU): Maloney to shoot over, nice, a little short on that handstand and a full in dismount above the bar but comes down really hard and almost sits it down on that dismount. 9.675
Kaempfer (PSU): Yurchenko 1.5, a little loose in the air with some bent legs throughout and a big step forward on that. 9.675
*long wait after that routine for Jeffrey
Ulrich (LSU): Opens up with Maloney to Pak, nice on that and back up with a nice handstand and nails that double layout dismount!! Needed that momentum for the remainder of that lineup! 9.950
Latronica (PSU): Yurchenko full and a lot of power with a huge hop / step back on that. 9.625
Chio (LSU): Another Maloney to shoot over combo, maybe a little short on that. Khorkina is so good!! Another STUCK full in dismount! Huge routine for this lineup! 9.900
Johanson (PSU): Yurchenko full and just a small hop back on that! Really well controlled vault for the lineup. 9.800
Blackson (LSU): Mounts to the high bar and down with a great shoot over, another stunning Khorkina, so good. Dismounts double layout and takes a step forward on that landing with her chest down. 9.825
Piedrahita (PSU): Yurchenko 1/2 on front pike off and that was huge! Just a small hop forward on that landing. 9.775
McClain (LSU): Really close on that Church but moves good into the Pak. Full out dismount and a step back on that dismount.
Misiura (PSU) *exhibition: Yurchenko 1/2 a hop forward on that landing.
Ballou (LSU) *exhibition: Blind to pike Jaegar a little loose on that, but a nice shoot over, really aggressive handstand and a really great stuck double layout dismount!
After 2: LSU 98.750, PSU 97.750
Perhaps not the lights out rotation LSU might have been hoping for on bars and that it has shown it can do, but still a great 49.275 on that rotation. With Chio and Ulrich going back to back with two 9.9+ scores, that was definitely the momentum it needed, but with a few landing deductions and some close catches, it didn’t have its biggest bar score and needs to get that energy back going into beam. Same with Penn State, maybe not the rotation it wanted with some larger landing deductions, but the Nittany Lions are holding its own, and still put up a high 48.775 on the event.
Rotation 3: BB LSU, FX PSU
Coen (LSU): Looking for a strong lead off for the team to get it started in the third. Front aerial to beat jump, nice. BHS LOSO and is almost off but saves it. Switch leap to split jump recovers nicely from this bobble. Good full turn right into dance and dismounts with a round off stuck double full! Beside the one bobble, really nice lead off. 9.775
Leary (PSU): Opens up with a front double full to front tuck and just a small hop on the landing but stays in bounds. Switch ring to hop wolf full, good rotation on that. Back 1.5 to front layout, nice and good landing into her ending! 9.850.
Zeiss (LSU): Side aerial to start, nice. Looks aggressive moving through this! Front aerial to BHS series is solid. Switch leap to two feet to split jump and down to a double wolf turn, nice. Gainer full off the end stuck and a GREAT routine to get this momentum started after that lower than normal opening score. 9.875
Monahan (PSU): Punch front double full, nice on that landing. Fun floor choreo!! Torjete full to wolf full wolf full, would’ve liked to see that wolf a little tighter but a nice front layout to front full ending pass. 9.825
Drayton (LSU): Switch half is stunning to start. BHS LOSO is almost off but takes a step back to cover it. Switch leap to two feet into a split jump. Dismounts round off double full with just a small slide back. 9.800
Misiura (PSU): Opens with a double wolf turn but comes out of that shape a little high. Another punch double full but really pretty and a great landing. Switch side to wolf full, good rotation on both of those. Front full to front layout and sticks that landing going into her dance! 9.825
Lincoln (LSU): Front aerial to BHS series, good movement on that connection. Switch side to beat jump, nice. Switch leap to straddle 1/4, the smallest hesitation on that connection. Dismounts BHS 1.5 and sticks that!! 9.750
Johanson (PSU): Double pike, great landing on that. Really loving all of the down on the floor choreo for Penn State! Switch side full to straddle full, and into her second pass, back 1.5 to front half, really good landing. Penn State is looking really great on this event! 9.800
McClain (LSU): Switch leap to switch half, the most gorgeous extension that. Front aerial, has to reset after breaking that connection and does BHS LOSO a little off but handles that well. Gainer full of the side and sticks it! 9.850
Kramer (PSU): Opens up with a really well controlled front double full. Torjete 1/2 to wolf full wolf full, a little out of those shapes. Switch leap into the corner and ends with a really pretty front rudi to LOSO.
Chio (LSU): Round off BHS mount, so good every time. BHS LOSO stunning. Front aerial to split jump, the slightest adjustment on that landing. Switch leap to split jump is solid and ends with.a BHS 1.5 and sticks that!! Going to be a huge score to anchor this lineup!
McElligott (PSU): Huge double tuck to open this routine. Switch ring to switch half ring, really good and ends back 1.5 to front layout. Really great rotation for the Lions! 9.800
Innes (LSU) *exhibition: Good side aerial to open. Switch leap to straddle 1/2 and nails that 1.5 dismount!
Kaempfer (PSU) *exhibition: Punch front double full to start, a little loose legs in the air but nice landing. Switch half to straddle full straddle full and is lacking a bit of rotation on that. Ends back 1.5 to front layout, a little low but makes it around well.
Ulrich (LSU) *exhibition: Missed a bit of this routine but on her front aerial to beat jump, nicely done. BHS 1.5 and sticks that landing!
After 3: LSU 147.975, PSU 146.925
A solid rotation for Penn State! All counting scores over a 9.825 coming away from the event with a 49.175 the best of the night for the Nittany Lions so far. Heading to beam, Penn State needs to use this energy to get another high team total on the road and not let the intimidation of the purpled-out arena get to them on beam! LSU had a good rotation on beam, but definitely not all that it is capable of with what it has previously shown. With the biggest score coming from Chio in the anchor spot with a 9.925, the rest of the lineup had small mistakes that added up in that ending team total, but still put up over a 49.200. LSU is heading to one of its best events and can end this night strong on floor like it is surely capable of.
Rotation 4: BB PSU, FX LSU
Monahan (PSU): Front toss to BHS swing down, really well done. Wolf jump, really pretty. Beat jump to straddle 3/4, looking solid and ends round 1.5 just a small hop back on that landing. Excellent start on this event! 9.750
Inness (LSU): Front double full to start off, nice control on that landing. Back 1.5 to front layout, another good landing into her floor choreo. Torjete 1/2 to straddle full, nice extension on that. Front rudi to double stag jump to end and a really clean routine to lead off for the Tigers! 9.875
Maul (PSU): Missed the series on the stream, but is on the beam so good so far. Really beautiful movement on this. Switch leap to straddle 1/4, heels a little far on that landing. Back 1.5 dismount stuck!! 9.850
Ballou (LSU): HUGE double layout and a great landing to start. Love this routine!! So much fun. Switch side to wolf full, pike full, nice on that into her last pass, front layout to front rudi. Another really great routine for the Tigers! 9.875
McElligott (PSU): Solid BHS BHS LOSO, right up and no movement on that. Switch leap to straddle 1/4, a little under that straddle but no wobbles. Round off 1.5 and just hops her feet together on that! 9.850
Coen (LSU): Front double full, nice landing but drags that back foot. Front layout to front full, solid landing and so much energy throughout this routine. Torjete 1/2 to straddle full, straddle full, right into her ending! 9.925!
Herring (PSU): Front toss to BHS was a little off but kept that momentum going well. Switch side, really nice. Beat jump to straddle 3/4, good on that and ends tucked front full off the end and hangs onto that stick! 9.850
Drayton (LSU): Double layout is stunning! Really nice leaps and goes into front through to double tuck and NAILS that. This is going to be a big score for the Tigers! 9.95!
Kramer (PSU): Great BHS LOSO to start. Cat leap to front toss and is aggressive on that finish. Split jump to split 3/4, really beautiful extension. Tucked front full off the end and just a small hop.
Chio (LSU): A little delay with the music, but opens with a perfectly stuck full-in. Wow. Switch ring to torjete full, really great. Back 2.5 twist to front tuck and under rotates that but stays on her feet. 9.800
Latronica (PSU): Front aerial to beat jump really well done. BHS LOSO stunning. Double stag ring jump, a little off but recovers well. Gainer full off the side and sticks it! What a rotation for Penn State! 9.9
Lincoln (LSU): HUDE double layout to start. That gets better everytime! Torjete 1.5 really nice. Ends strong with a front layout to front full, really nice control. 9.925
Zeiss (LSU) *exhibition: Great first tumbling pass, almost goes out but keeps it in. Switch full into the corner into her last pass, a back 1.5 to front layout, really nice finish!
Ulrich (LSU) *exhibition: Huge double layout, a little low chest, but a good landing on her feet. Switch side to straddle full, excellent extension on both those dance elements. Ends with a back 1.5 to front layout, really nice routine for her!
FINAL: LSU 197.525, PSU 196.125
Not the exact meet the Tigers would have wanted at home, but still a lot of highlights throughout the night for LSU. Something just looked a little off for the Tigers, missing some landings on vault and bars and just overall a little lower scores than the Tigers are used to throughout. The Tigers, with the excpetion of a previous home performance, have not put together a really complete, full performance; and it still broke a 197.5 team total. The Tigers ended strong on floor with a 49.5 + event total, and have all the makings to be the top team in the nation; just need to put it together at the same time.
Penn State had an excellent showing tonight and put up a great team total of a 196.125. The Lions struggled a bit on vault, especially with landings and just having that added difficulty in the lack of 10.0 start value vaults. However, this was a consistent, strong performance across all events with the Lions having 24/24 hit routines on a really big stage. Highlighted by a strong beam performance of a 49.200, Penn State showed its strength in its calm demeanor throughout the competition giving it a good ending in Baton Rouge!
Event Winners:
VT: Chio LSU 9.975
UB: Ulrich LSU 9.950
BB: Chio LSU 9.925
FX: Drayton LSU 9.950
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Live blog by Julianna Roland
