TGIF and thank goodness for Friday Night Heights in the PMAC! I’m here in Baton Rouge for the first of two meets this weekend with some top-tier competition. Up first is a top-three matchup between two SEC powerhouses. LSU may have the upper hand in ranking, but after that, this one is a toss up. Alabama has surged in recent weeks but it has yet to reach 198, a number that will contend for a conference championship and beyond. The tone will be set early as the Crimson Tide starts on bars where Chloe LaCoursiere and Azaraya Ra-Akbar are two of the top three bar workers in the nation. LSU seems to have shaken off some early-season jitters and locked in most of their lineup spots, but don’t be surprised if we see Jay Clark explore some additional options with this being a double meet weekend. Kailin Chio will obviously be the one to watch for the Tigers, but Konnor McClain has been listed as day-to-day ever since a forearm issue at the Oklahoma meet last weekend. Will Clark risk aggravating the injury with this being a conference match-up, or will she be rested again? Only time will tell.
You can watch tonight’s meet live on the SEC Network, and follow along with live stats through Virtius here.
Y’ALL! What is even happening. I’m currently living on a prayer right now with very little wifi so just bare with me.
Rotation 1: LSU VT, Alabama UB
Zeiss (LSU): Y 1.5, some loose knees in the air, good height and distance, solid landing. 9.875
Walker (ALA): Gorgeous first handstand, Maloney to Pak, her usual, catches her Van Leeuwen well, short on the final handstand, FTDT, some leg looseness in the air with a solid landing.
McClain (LSU): Y full, big height, flares out to find the landing and gets the stick. Will be REALLY close to a 9.950.
Gladieux (ALA): Blind to straddle Jaeger to immediate overshoot, catches the Jaeger with some bent elbows but moves through well. Blind full to double tuck dismount with another stick.
Roberts (LSU): FHS pike half, doesn’t quite get the block she normally does, short on her rotation and has to put her hands down. Not exactly where you want to be this early in danger of counting a fall.
Pawlak (ALA): Nice first handstand, Maloney to bail, really tight in that handstand position, double layout dismount, some leg separation with a step back on landing.
Lincoln (LSU): Y 1.5, lots of distance off the table, looked like she nearly missed her hand on the block but does well to get it around, hop forward on the landing.
Fuller (ALA): Pak salto to open, really pretty position in the air, Van Leeuwen back up to high bar, was really close to the bar on the double layout and had some pike down, with a stick.
Drayton (LSU): Y 1.5, huge height, tiny bit of bent elbows on the block, tries to only take on step on the landing, but ends up taking another step out of it.
LaCoursiere (ALA): This is one routine I am PUMPED to see. Nails her first handstand, Maloney to Pak is solid, catches her Van Leeuwen with nice straight arms, FTDT with another stick. Crimson Tide calling for the 10. Not sure if they’ll throw one this early but you never know. 9.950.
Chio (LSU): Y 1.5, and stop me if you’ve heard this before, it’s ANOTHER stuck vault for the sophomore. Looked like the landing surprised her more than any of her others though but it’s solid.
Ra-Akbar (ALA): Opens with a gorgeous Pak salto, holds her handstand on the low bar before going back for the Van Leeuwen, stalder to double tuck with a step back on the landing. The margin will be less than a tenth after one.
AFTER ONE: LSU 49.450, Alabama 49.375
Well now that my wifi issues “appear” to be solved, let’s talk about this rotation. Chio continues her impressive streak of sticks, although I will say that one felt more like an “oopsie” stick than some of her others. Tigers have the lead, but Alabama answered the call on the bars to keep things close with another 9.950 from Chloe LaCoursiere. Shaping up to be a good one here!
Rotation 2: Alabama VT, LSU UB
Cawley (ALA): Y 1.5, had a lot of height off the table, was unsure of herself on the landing and landed with a deep squat and a step forward.
Zeiss (LSU): Nice first handstand, Maloney to Pak, nice straight arms on both of her catches, little short on the final handstand, FTDT with a step on the landing.
Kvamme (ALA): Y 1.5, good height and distance, little out of control trying to find her landing but takes a step forward.
Cowan (LSU): Ray to immediate overshoot, nails the connection. Hits her final handstand, double layout with a stick…and a stick celebration. Is this the new trend now?
Paradise (ALA): I have no clue what that vault looked like because the cameras were focusing on Cowan’s routine, sorry!
Ulrich (LSU): Maloney to Pak, it’s so FLOATY in the air!! Gorgeous final handstand, double layout with a SOLID stick. That was one of the best bar routines I’ve seen her do. 9.900 and the PMAC crowd is booing.
Marshall (ALA): FHS pike half, nice solid block off the table, controlled with a foot movement back.
Chio (LSU): She is a 10 away from a gym slam on this event. Maloney to bail to handstand, super tight in that handstand. Blind to Markelov, her catch was better than it has been in previous routines. FTDT with a foot movement. Won’t be a 10 but still a good routine.
Gladieux (ALA): Y 1.5, some bent elbows off the table that sent her off to the side, takes a hop forward on the landing. Crimson Tide haven’t stuck many landings here in this rotation.
Blackson (LSU): Pretty first handstand, bail to handstand, hits that position beautifully, blind to Markelov, that was so high above the bar, insane! double layout with a hop back. Only major deduction should be on the landing.
Ra-Akbar (ALA): Y 1.5, another sideways block due to some bent elbows, but minimizes her deduction with a hop on the landing.
McClain (LSU): Glad to see her back after her injury in warm ups last week. Church to Pak, no issues today, hits her final handstand, FTDT with the tiniest foot movement on the landing. That’s a confidence boost for her after some rough routines this season.
AFTER TWO: LSU 98.850, Alabama 98.675
Alabama had a chance to pull ahead after some lower than normal scores on bars for the Tigers, but the stick bug didn’t transfer over to vault. The Tide head to floor though, which is one of their top events, so there could be a momentum shift if there are any stumbles on beam. Halfway point and this is every bit as advertised!
Also heads up that my view of beam is kind of rough, so I’ll do my best but things might get missed. Hopefully not though.
Rotation 3: LSU BB, Alabama FX
Zeiss (LSU): Side aerial opens her routine, solid. Front aerial to BHS, some looseness in the BHS but nothing major. Switch leap split jump, maybe short of the 180. Double wolf turn, nicely done. Tucked gainer full, landed with a low chest, fought to keep the stick but has to take the hop.
LaCoursiere (ALA): Double tuck to open, slides that front foot back on the landing. Switch ring tour jete half, solid position and rotation. FLO to Rudi to double stag, controls the jump better than in weeks past.
Innes (LSU): Full turn to open, Front aerial to BHS, keeps her arms moving to get her credit for her connection. Really pretty side aerial, Switch leap straddle quarter, well over 180, RO 1.5 dismount with a hop forward.
Cawley (ALA): Tucked full-in, has to take a sizeable step backwards. Recovers well on her back 1.5 to front layout, gets through her remaining choreography with no issue. After the first pass, it was a solid routine, just lacked some control on that E pass.
Drayton (LSU): Slight balance check after the switch half, BHS LOSO, off on her BHS and takes. Zeiss’ 9.800 will now count and LSU is in pressure sets. Another wobble after her full turn. RO double twist, leans but keeps her feet still.
Rybicki (ALA): Tide with a chance to capitalize here if they can put up some huge numbers. Double tuck to open, solid control on that landing. Gets her leap series around nicely, Back 1.5 to front full to close, controlled step out of it. Tide feeling it after three routines.
Lincoln (LSU): Needing to avoid counting a fall here. Front aerial to BHS, nicely done. Switch half to beat jump, connection is questionable as there was a slight pause but we’ll see what the judges do. Beautiful straddle jump. BHS 1.5 with a stick, solid comeback routine after Drayton’s fall.
Ra-Akbar (ALA): Front tuck through to double twist, underrotates and steps back. Switch ring to switch half, solid 180 in the leaps. Back 1.5 to front layout second pass, nice rise between skills. Stays on her feet on the double wolf turn.
McClain (LSU): Good leap series to open, front aerial to BHS, looks like they may have reworked her routine some? She’s looking super confident after some rough gos in previous weeks, side gainer full with a stick. After missing last week, she’s having herself a night on three events.
Sears (ALA): Starts her routine while the PMAC is cheering for a 9.975. Double layout to open, gorgeous form in the air. Massive height in her leap series, WOW. Final pass is front tuck through to double tuck, controlled step back on the landing.
Chio (LSU): Needing a hit here to drop Drayton’s fall and coming off the first 9.900 plus score of the rotation. Solid on her opening mount. BHS LOSO, spot on. Pretty full turn. Front aerial to split jump, nice 180 position. Switch leap split jump, nicely done. Sticks her dismount and the PMAC is calling for another 10.
Gladieux (ALA): Alabama is not phased by this atmosphere. Just saying. Tucked full in to open, lands it a little low but stays on her feet. Nice rotation in her leap series, FLO to Rudi to split jump, no issues there. Even with the crowd cheering on Chio’s 10, Gladieux delivered. Insane.
AFTER THREE: LSU 148.375, Alabama 148.175
After a fall in the beginning of the rotation, the Tigers come back strong with a 9.975 from McClain and Chio’s second ten in a row on beam. Alabama delivered in a loud PMAC with its second-highest floor score of the season behind three straight 9.900s pluses from the back half of the lineup. LSU is ahead by two tenths heading to its strongest event while Alabama can use this momentum to work towards another solid road score for NQS.
Rotation 4: Alabama BB, LSU FX
Looks like no Lincoln again on floor and with another appearance on floor, Lexi Zeiss will be making her first career appearance in the all-around tonight.
Fuller (ALA): Front aerial to open, nice and controlled. BHS LO LOSO, takes it to the end of the beam and nails it. Slight wobble after her second element of her leap series. RO 1.5, some loose knees in the air but gets a stick.
Innes (LSU): FHS front double full to open, nice control on the step out of it. Back 1.5 to front layout second pass, really nice rise between skills. Lacked some extension on her leap series but gets it rotated nicely. FLO Rudi double stag jump to close a solid leadoff routine for LSU.
LaCoursiere (ALA): Candle mount was solid, tiniest balance check on her leap series, front aerial to BHS, nice connection, works through the rest of her routine, RO 1.5 with a hop forward.
Ballou (LSU): Nina “Bayou”. I love it. Really nice double layout to open! Switch side wolf full leap series, nice rotation in that series. Front layout to front full pass to end it. Solid routine for the freshman should keep the momentum in the Tigers’ favor.
Also, forgive me for how short some of these recaps might be, if you’ve ever tried to blog a meet with a giant mascot Tiger in front of you, you understand. D:
Ladanyi (ALA): Front aerial to split jump, her arms did stop moving between skills so we’ll see if the judges credit the connection. BHS LOSO, solid. Switch leap split jump, nice 180 position and extension. BHS side gainer full with a stick.
Coen (LSU): FHS front double full to open, slight stumble step out of it. Front layout to front full second pass, nicely done. Her leaps are probably my favorite part of her routine because she always manages to nail her positions and her rotation. Should be another high score here.
Cawley (ALA): Missed the opening element of her routine, but sounded like she hit it. Switch leap to switch side, solid. BHS side gainer full, good rise off the beam, with a stick. Alabama quietly cruising on beam with no major bobbles so far.
Drayton (LSU): Here’s hoping she can come back strong after her beam. Huge double layout to open, looked like she adjusted her feet on the landing. Switch ring switch half, hits her 180 position. Front tuck through to double tuck, takes a sizable step back on the landing. Shouldn’t be a 9.900 like the three before her, but it’s still a hit. Oh 9.925, okay I’m in la-la land.
Gladieux (ALA): Hits her acro series, Full turn was solid. Really pretty front aerial to beat jump, switch leap split jump very nicely done. She’s been a rockstar for the Tide her entire career and tonight is no exception as she sticks her double full dismount.
Chio (LSU): Sticks her full out to open the routine. Switch ring to tour jete half, perfect in the air on her splits. 2.5 twist to punch front with another really nice landing. PMAC calling for another 10 for the sophomore…we shall see. Nope, 9.975.
Kvamme (ALA): Mounts after a long wait. Hits her front aerial to BHS LOSO series. Switch leap split jump, leaps at 180. Front toss, nice high chest on the landing of that. Front gainer full dismount with a stick. Really nice ending for the Tide!
Zeiss (LSU): Zeiss will finish it here for the Tigers. RO whip half to Rudi, really nice control on the step back. Switch full to stag jump, interesting looking combination. RO 1.5 twist to front layout to close it out. Closes out her first career all-around appearance with a bang!
FINAL: LSU 197.975, Alabama 197.600
VT: Chio (LSU) – 9.975
UB: LaCoursiere (ALA) – 9.950
BB: Chio (LSU) – 10.000
FX: Chio (LSU) – 10.000
AA: Chio (LSU) – 39.800
Well, after a chaotic start to the evening, we finally got to enjoy this meet that delivered in every aspect of a top-three matchup. LSU closed out with an impressive 49.600 on floor while Alabama gets another solid road score under its belt but will look to improve upon a few things when it faces the Tigers again on Sunday. See you then!
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Live blog by Savanna Wellman
