Four teams across four conferences representing a vast range of national rankings will take part in this afternoon’s quad. With such a wide gap in capabilities, the results may seem to be a foregone conclusion, but distinct objectives take center stage for each team. With another month now upon us, the time is nigh for teams to buckle down as the postseason approaches at full tilt.
Entering on top is N.C. State. Sophomore Syniya Thomas will headline for the Wolfpack on her three events, demonstrating finesse with a season-high 9.975 on floor. The Wolfpack currently holds one score above 197 and wants a comparable road performance for an essential boost to its NQS.
Host Towson sits just on the cusp of the regional berth, mirroring last year’s edge out of the postseason. In this double quad weekend for the Tigers, both meets promise to feature program phenom Isabella Minervini. Minervini’s all-around prowess and captivating execution should captain a strong showing from the Tigers at both competitions.
West Virginia also has a quick turnaround in its second meet over three days. The Mountaineers have been able to find a better footing on beam but are still moving slowly. Another push toward 196 could improve the Mountaineers’ confidence and galvanize the rest of their season.
Rounding out the playing field is Ursinus: the sole Division III school participating that will use this quad as its last meet before the NCGA-East regional. The Bears, including talented all-arounder Erin Roe, have the chance to make a final statement as they prepare for the DIII postseason ahead.
The meet will be streamed on ESPN+, and scores can be found here.
Today is Towson’s Pride meet and the first 150 will receive a pride-themed jersey.
Rotation 1: Towson VT, West Virginia UB, NC State BB, Ursinus FX
Belanovski (Towson): High Yurchenko full, lands with a little hop but great positioning. Great opening!
Skeel (WVU): Bail, nice giants to DLO, leans but sticks that
Harper (NC State): BHS LOSO, beat to split 3/4 under 180, front tuck full, stuck.
Duffy (Ursinus): Front thru to double is good, double pike a little soft. Wolf full x2,
Hoffman (Towson): Pretty Yurchenko full, flares and a little scooch.
K. Smith (WVU): FLoaty Maloney to pak, leg sep, blind full to stuck double tuck.
Volk (NC State): BHSBHS Loso no wobbles, switch to tentative tuck 3/4, pretty needle scale, front toss is solid, sticks her standing gainer full
Bentman (Ursinus): Switch side to Popa, punch Rudi
Minervini (Towson): Yurchenko full on to pike off, good form in the air.
Mendoza (WVU): Low Maloney, toe on to Pak, fluid giants to DLO, leg separation, small shuffle.
Rardin (NC State): I missed the beginning. Switch leap to gainer piked dismount, lands with her chest up well.
Roe (Ursinus): Huge double pike, scoots back. Pretty leaps, one foot out on her second pass. Nice double tuck to end.
DeCroo (Towson): Yurchenko full, great block! Almost sticks.
Lowe (WVU): Blind full was good, to double tuck , a bit cowboyed.
Hall (NC State): BHS LOSO, knee form. Front aerial to beat, shoulder dip. Sticks her gainer full.
Ellis (Ursinus): Pretty RO 2.5, RO 1.5 to front full, no need for a lunge, switch half to tuck full is good.
Lannon (Towson): Yurchenko 1.5, lots of distance but a little low. Small hop.
McDonnell (WVU): Big FTDT, can’t hold the stick.
Tackett (NC State): Front aerial, emphasizes the salute. BHS LOSO super solid. Lean on her jumps. Gorgeous needle scale. Leans but sticks her 1.5
Warburton (Ursinus): Double pike, shuffle steps and goes OOB. Rudi, slightly low chest, to double stag. Front lay to front full, basically stuck.
Lane (WVU): Huge Ray, good DLO
Edwards (Towson):
Thomas (NC State): Lean on her front aerial, goes again, front aerial to BHS is controlled. Switch to split 1/4. Cat leap side aerial super solid. BHS gainer full.
Schreiber (Ursinus): FHS 2/1, too much juice, OOB, pulls her Rudi around for a back layout.
Exh- Rodio (Towson): Big FHS pike half, step.
Exh- Reid (NC State): Nails the switch to split 1/4, BHS LOSO, little check. BHS tuck 1.5, twisted a little early but a good landing.
AFTER ONE: NC State 49.400, West Virginia 48.975, Towson 48.975, Ursinus 48.100
NC State crushed its season high beam score — set this past Friday — by a tenth. West Virginia beat its bars season high by one tenth, also, and is tied with Towson for second going into the next rotation. Towson posted four scores above 9.800 with multiple high-flying routines. Ursinus topped out with both Erin Roe and Arianna Ellis going 9.725* on floor, a new season high for each of them. *Correction: Erin Roe’s score was changed to 9.625 after-the-fact.
Rotation 2: Ursinus VT, Towson UB, West Virginia BB, NC State FX
Toppi (Ursinus): Yurchenko layout, small step.
Gough (Towson): Good straddle Jaeger, comes off on the bail looks like something hurt. She goes back up. Sticks her DLO to finish strong.
K. Smith (WVU): Front aerial split, RO 1.5 steps forward.
Fisk (NC State): Great double pike, toes pointed. Switch full to split full, 1.5 to layout, keeps in in bounds
Hurtado (Ursinus): FHS front tuck, deep squat, steps forward.
Lindgren (Towson): Straddle jaeger, pak, giants swing pretty to a DLO, step forward.
Lowe (WVU): BHS LOSO, very solid. Side aerial beat is good. Holds her jump series, stuck RO 1.5!
Myers (NC State): Super high double tuck to open. Pretty leaps, over 180. Front lay to Rudi, great.
Stewart (Ursinus): Big Yurchenko layout, lots of distance, steps back.
Slocum (Towson): Piked jaeger, Pak, arabian double! Very unique dismount.
Mendoza (WVU): BHS LOSO, knee form but solid landing. Front aerial is good, leaps over 180. Tiny hop on her Ro 1.5.
Adler (NC State): FHS full to front lay, precise twists. Rudi to straddle jump, her twisting is pristine.
Duffy (Ursinus): Yurchenko tucked full, a little early on the table. Steps back.
Portillo (Towson): Aggressive swing, straddle jaeger, pak salto, switch kip, DLO and gets the stick!
Webster (WVU): Good full turn, side aerial, to side aerial two foot, keeps it moving. Small step on RO 1.5
Rardin (NC State): Switch full to wolf full, Rudi to a massive split jump. RO 1.5 to floaty front lay.
Schreiber (Ursinus): I missed this one 🙁
Greene (Towson): Stalder to piked jaeger, goes down on the low bar transition, I think, holding her heel.
Adams (WVU): Steps back out of her split full, kinda makes it work, front aerial to BHS, fluid connection. Steps on her dismount
Hadrick (NC State): Front layout, Rudi, precise jumps, RO high 1.5 to front lay
Roe (Ursinus): Yurchenko full with a gigantic block, big step back.
Bars is on hold while Greene is taken care of on the mat.
Minervini (Towson): Good HS, pretty Tkatchev to Pak, textbook DLO and sticks. Really a testament to her mental toughness.
M. Smith (WVU): Good full turn, standing LOSO LOSO, wobbles there. Cat leap split 1/4, check. Sticks her RO 1.5.
Thomas (NC State): Big double pike, great position in her straddle leaps. Floaty RO 1.5 to layout, great rise in the layout.
Exh- Tuohy (WVU): Imperceptible shoulder check on her turn, beat jump to back tuck back tuck as her acro series, small wobble on that. Side aerial, walks back out of it. Cat leap, switch 1/4, hop forward on her dismount.
AFTER TWO: NC State 98.800, West Virginia 97.925, Towson 97.250, Ursinus 96.375
Towson’s Isabella Minervini goes 9.925 on bars after an unfortunate fall and a long wait ahead of her routine, a testament to her mental toughness and experience. Meanwhile, NC State threw a party on floor and reached the heights of 49.400, with Thomas and Myers posting a 9.900 each. West Virginia also saw the likes of a 9.900 from Amber Lowe for her nailed routine. Most of the vaults from Ursinus had lower start values, but Erin Roe was a highlight for the Bears with her sky-high 9.825 Yurchenko full.
Rotation 3: NC State VT, Ursinus UB, Towson BB, West Virginia FX
Wright (NC State): Good control on her landing but a “college stick” on her Yurchenko full.
Coleman (Ursinus): Blind to straddle back, sticks her toe on front tuck!
Duerre (Towson): BHS LOSO, small check but good form. RO 1.5 tucked, bounce forward.
Nelson (WVU): Front through to double tuck, lunges out well. Front lay to front full with extra forward momentum.
Fisk (NC State): Yurchenko full, chest is up but a little hop back.
Duffy (Ursinus):
Belanovski (Towson): BHS, low on her switch half leap. Switch leap to gainer full, hop in place.
Tuohy (WVU): FHS Rudi split jump is good, FHS full to layout.
Rardin (NC State): FHS front pike half, goes quite high but low chest on the landing and a small hop back.
Warburton (Ursinus): Straddle jaeger, toe on bail HS, blind full to double, small step forwrd.
Lindgren (Towson): Balance check on her BHS BHS LOSO.
Pederson (WVU): Punch Rudi LOSO, high split out. Punch front double full
Hall (NC State): Yurchenko full, slightly chest down and the smallest hop.
Ruggiero (Ursinus): Dismounts with a font giant to a layout 1.5, another very unique dismount from the Bears.
Minervini (Towson): BHS to side aerial series is good. Split to split 3/4, hits 180. Standing gainer full, I think she sticks.
Lane (WVU): Really nice DLO, lifts her front leg in the lunge. Powerful front through to double tuck, goes to the corner but keeps it in *I think*.
Myers (NC State): Tall Yurchenko full, littlest step.
Sanders (Ursinus): Really hits HS in the bail, couple steps on her double tuck.
Trotter (Towson): BHS LOSO floats, front toss to sit and comes off, BHS gainer full, sticks but low chest.
K. Smith (WVU): RO to full in, now you don’t see that every day. Split full to Popa, precise. Lots of cheers after her last pass, overall a great routine.
Thomas (NC State): Excellent Yurchenko full, itty shuffle on her landing and holds it.
Roe (Ursinus): Good first HS, Gienger, some form on that, clear hip to bail HS, aggressive HS on high, pretty DLO, bounces in place.
Portillo (Towson): Front aerial, solid. BHS LOSO, even more solid. Small check on her turn. Split to split ring, great extension. Gainer full, low chest.
E. Smith (WVU):
Exh- Boivin (Ursinus): Slow blind, comes off. Blind half to bail HS, good if a little loose. DLO mostly keeps a hollow shape, steps back.
Exh- Rice (WVU): FHS double full, little soft knees, pretty front lay to front full, switch 3/4 to Shushunova jump.
Exh- Watson (Ursinus): Great HS, toe on, Maloney, comes off the bar.
AFTER THREE: NC State 147.900, West Virginia 147.225, Towson 146.225, Ursinus 143.425
Taylor Tuohy and Emerson Smith each put up a 9.900 on floor for the Mountaineers, helping them break through for a new season high score on the event (49.300). NC State had some difficulty finding precise landings, but overall strong vaults keep them ahead of the pack, highlighted by a 9.900 from Syniya Thomas’ stellar Yurchenko full. Towson marched on with a lineup of solid beam routines, and Ursinus chugged along on bars. Though not its best event, the Bears demonstrated interesting composition and a couple very unique dismounts.
Rotation 4: West Virginia VT, NC State UB, Ursinus BB, Towson FX
E. Smith (WVU): Yurchenko full, gets her chest up well and the smallest hop.
Myers (NC State): God HS on high, toes cross on her blind full, good double tuck.
Warburton (Ursinus): Small check on her series. Switch leap to wolf jump is nice, big balance check on her side somi.
Lindgren (Towson): High double full to open, great landing. Switch leap back leg is low. RO 1.5 to controlled layout.
K. Smith (WVU): Yurchenko full, small hop back.
Fisk (NC State): Misses her Maloney . Maloney Pak, on top of the bar in her pirouettes, double tuck.
Duffy (Ursinus): Gainer full
Belanovski (Towson): FHS double full, dance RO LOSO is really pretty, front through to Rudi, nice twisting.
Nelson (WVU): Yurchenko full, I love that she waits to twist. Another small hop.
Reid (NC State):
Sanders (Ursinus): Front toss to back tuck, a little low. Switch leap to switch 3/4, legs are low on the second skill.
Calafati (Towson): Front twisting first pass. FHS Rudi to straddle jump.
Tuohy (WVU): STICKS her Yurchenko full. Good height. The Mountaineers have been flirting with a stick and this was the one!
Volk (NC State): I missed her release, bail is muscled, sticks the DLO.
Schreiber (Ursinus): Hits her series. Straddle 3/4, RO tucked 1.5
DeCroo (Towson): Very high double tuck , final pass ends with a pretty front layout.
DiCello (WVU): Yurchenko full, great distance, a little hop but the Mountaineers are very happy.
Hadrick (NC State): Doesn’t get too much swing out of her straddle jaeger, FTDT, pulls in a bit.
Ellis (Ursinus): Judges conference and a long wait. RO back tuck series, comes off. Switch leap, short of 180 on her switch half, RO 2/1 dismount, lands well.
Minervini (Towson): Front lay to Rudi, good lunge out, RO 1.5 to front lay right into the corner and she knows it, stays in. She knows how to play off the crowd’s energy!
Rice (WVU): Tsuk full, really forward on the table. Lands well though her chest is a little low.
Harper (NC State): Big Gienger, bail to HS, DLO has a hop.
Roe (Ursinus): Aggressive full turn, check. Switch leap to switch leap done well. BHS BHS LOSO, lifts her front foot but holds on. Split 3/4, good. Punch front tuck full dismount, a little scoot. A strong finish for the Bears!
Hoffman (Towson): A big FTDT to open. Swtich side to Popa, front through to double tuck, controlled lunge out. The Tigers are happy!
Exh- Lowe (WVU): Yurchenko full, good form but a large hop back.
Exh- Adomaites (NC State): Blind to a big straddle Jaeger immediately to bail, blind double front dismount, hops.
Exh- Burton (Ursinus): No way they’re playing Gangnam Style during her routine. BHS kind of crunches on her hands. BHS LOSO is low, stumbles forward and off. Switch to split 3/4 is good. Solid on the side aerial to beat jump, sticks her gainer pike.
Exh- Coleman (Ursinus): BHS LOSO, tentative but lands well. Comes off on her cat leap to side aerial. Switch to pike, short on both. Good full turn. Gainer tuck dismount, a step back.
FINAL: NC State 197.150, West Virginia 196.350, Towson 195.675, Ursinus 191.875
VT: Syniya Thomas (NC State) – 9.900
UB: Isabella Minervini (Towson) – 9.925
BB: Maddie Hall (NC State), Autumn Rardin (NC State), Amber Lowe (West Virginia) – 9.900
FX: [Seven-way tie] Syniya Thomas (NCSU), Ava Myers (NCSU), Emerson Smith (WVU), Taylor Tuohy (WVU), Isabella Minervini (Towson), Isabella DeCroo (Towson), Carmella Calafati (Towson) – 9.900
AA: Isabella Minervini (Towson) – 39.400
Maybe the real friends we made along the way was the seven-way tie for floor… I think they all deserved it, but wow! !! That’s a lot.
Either way, there was so much energy in the SECU Arena today! The hosting Tigers managed to post their second-highest all time floor score at 49.450, which matched NC State’s floor from today. Counting a fall on bars held them back from a bigger overall score, but that shouldn’t be difficult once the Tigers can put all the pieces together. N.C. State started strong with a new season high on beam, and didn’t look back. The Wolfpack went over 49 on each event to tally a welcome road 197 to add to their results. West Virginia also surpassed its desired threshold and nabbed its first 196 of the season. An especially brilliant performance on floor, and — I sense a theme — a new season-high event score catapulted the Mountaineers to their grand total. Ursinus didn’t go down without a fight either, finishing just two tenths under their season record and boasting new season highs on vault and beam.
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Live blog by Frances Leadman
