Happy last week of the regular season! Can you believe we’re here?
Tonight’s blog brings together two top-10 teams that are looking to put together complete meets as they prepare for the postseason. Both teams are coming off losses last weekend, but had some impactful moments that could play a role here tonight. Arkansas hosted the No. 1 Sooners, and while it did have the loss, it did set a new attendance record for the program and for the SEC, all while getting its second-highest score of the season. Joscelyn Roberson has been as strong as ever in her sophomore season, while senior transfer Morgan Price has been as advertised, making history by scoring the first-ever perfect 10 by a Razorback. Bars will be the key event early on, as it is where Arkansas starts and its lowest-ranking event.
For LSU, the Tigers were bested by Florida in Gainesville but notched a season high on vault, highlighted by three 9.975s from Kailin Chio, Amari Drayton, and Kaliya Lincoln, en route to their fourth score of 198 plus of the season. It is senior night at the PMAC, so emotions will likely be flowing but the scores tend to trend a little higher on nights like these, so look for chaos to start early. Reigning SEC Specialist of the Week Lincoln will be one to watch on vault and potentially floor; head coach Jay Clark had initially said she would be sitting out floor until postseason due to Achilles tenderness, but with LSU in a position to possibly get the No. 1 seed at SECs, he could throw her out again as he did at Florida last weekend.
You can stream tonight’s meet on SEC Network Plus or at the link here. You can also follow along using live scores from Virtius here.
Rotation 1: LSU VT, Arkansas UB
Zeiss (LSU): Y 1.5, slight step forward on the landing. Loose knees in the air, drops her chest which makes her take that step forward. 9.825
Roberson (ARK): Clear hip was good, Maloney to Pak was solid, looked like she fought to save that handstand after the half pirouette, double layout dismount with a step back. 9.800
Blackson (LSU): Y 1.5, lots of height off the table, underrotates and takes a step back on the landing. 9.775
Klein (ARK): Clear hip to Tkatchev to overshoot, little short on the final handstand, small hop forward on the landing. 9.850
Roberts (LSU): FHS pike half, nice straight arms on the block, keeps her chest nice and high and takes a small controlled hop back on the landing. 9.900, career high!
Smith (ARK): Almost overcooks the first handstand but saves it, Maloney to bail to handstand, nice tight position on the low bar. Double layout, lacks a little bit of distance from the high bar, small hop back on the landing.
Lincoln (LSU): Y 1.5, tiny bit of shoulder angle off the table, but has incredible height and distance and gets the stick. 9.950
Cucci (ARK): Pretty toe-hands to open, Pak salto down to low bar, Van Leeuwen back up to high bar, double layout dismount with a stick. 9.850
Drayton (LSU): Y 1.5, some elbow bend on the table, goes hard for the stick by bringing her arms up and has to take a step back. 9.850
King (ARK): pretty first handstand, Tkatchev to Pak salto, has to add an extra kip on the low bar to cover up a mistake, double layout dismount with a stick. Avoids a fall, which is the key right now with LSU hitting on vault. 9.475
Chio (LSU): Y 1.5, a really small amount of shoulder block on the table, gets the distance and the height with…you guessed it, another stick. And guess what? Another 10.
M. Price (ARK): Had some issues on the first handstand and has to come off and remount. King’s 9.475 in the previous spot will count. Maloney to bail to handstand, pretty lines on the low bar. FTDT with a step back. 9.175
Innes (LSU): Not sure why we didn’t get to see this, but she threw the Y 1.5 she’s been training all season. 9.800
Campbell (ARK): Tkatchev to open, Pak salto to low bar, finishes her half pirouette on top on the low bar, goes back to high bar, stalder to double tuck dismount with a hop.
AFTER ONE: LSU 49.525, Arkansas 48.800
It wasn’t the 49.700 from last weekend, but LSU comes out strong on vault to take a substantial lead after rotation one. A career high from Victoria Roberts and another 10 from Kailin Chio were the major highlights of that rotation and the Tigers will want to carry that momentum over to bars. Arkansas was doing good on bars, but mistakes from the final two routines kept it in the 48s and have a massive hole to climb out of heading to vault.
Rotation 2: Arkansas VT, LSU UB
Weaver (ARK): Y full, nice straight arms on the block, small hop backwards on the landing. 9.850
Zeiss (LSU): pretty first handstand, Maloney to Pak, catches the low bar with straight arms, maybe a touch short on the final handstand, FTDT with a hop back on the landing. 9.850
Smith (ARK): Y full, some bent elbows on the table, piked down on the landing and has to take a hop back. 9.825
Cowan (LSU): Catches the Tkachev reallllllly close, but gets it and connects to the overshoot, back up to the high bar, double layout, has to lean forward to keep her feet stuck. 9.825
Cucci (ARK): Y 1.5, good height and distance with a stick. Not much to deduct there honestly. 9.925, career high!
Ulrich (LSU): Maloney to Pak, nice straight arms on the Pak, doesn’t quite finish the half pirouette on the low bar, double layout dismount with a stick. 9.900
Williams (ARK): Y 1.5, some shoulder angle and loose knees in the air, hops back on the landing. 9.825
Jeffrey (LSU): Maloney to bail, little loose in the handstand position on the bail, short on the final handstand, gets lots of height on the half in half out, hops back on the landing. 9.850
Klein (ARK): Y 1.5, lots of power off the table and takes a massive hop forward on the landing. 9.775
Blackson (LSU): Attacks the first handstand and overcooks it and has to come off. Ugh. Restarts her routine, attacks it again and hits it this time, bail to handstand was tight on the low bar, beautiful height on her Khorkina, double layout dismount with a stick. Good recovery, McClain will need to hit to avoid counting a fall. 9.300
M. Price (ARK): Y 1.5, big pop off the table, leans forward trying to get the stick, no issues with her form in the air. 9.950
McClain (LSU): Needs a hit to not count Blackson’s score. Catches her Church close and does not connect it to the Pak salto, maybe a little bit short on the final handstand, but nails her FTDT dismount. 9.950
Lang (ARK): Y full, good height and distance from the table, small hop backwards on the landing. 9.800
Mustari (LSU): Pretty first handstand, Maloney to Pak, straight arms on the catch, finishes her half pirouette and holds her final handstand, FTDT with a small step back. 9.850
Tatum (LSU): Maloney to Pak, nice and high between bars, has some issues with her half pirouette on the low bar but avoids the fall, steps back on her dismount.
AFTER TWO: LSU 98.900, Arkansas 98.175
The Razorbacks had a much smoother rotation on vault with two scores over 9.900 from Cucci and Price and minor deductions from all the counting scores. It was a momentum builder as they head to their best event next. LSU avoids counting Blackson’s fall with McClain’s 9.950 as it recovers from last week’s rocky start on bars.
Rotation 3: LSU BB, Arkansas FX
Coen (LSU): Front aerial to beat jump, little bit of bent knees in the aerial. BHS LOSO series, larger balance check at the end of the series. Recovers well on her leaps. RO double twist dismount, had the stick but has to take a step back. 9.750
Klein (ARK): Front tuck through to double tuck, bit of a low chest and takes a sizable step backwards out of it. Switch side to straddle half to Shushunova, I like the uniqueness of that series, you don’t see that combination very often. Finished with front layout, front full, lacked a bit of rise after the front layout, but it’s a solid hit routine to open. 9.825
Zeiss (LSU): Side aerial to open, hits. Front aerial to BHS series, keeps her arms moving to get her connection credit. Switch leap split jump, maybe a touch under 180, hits her double wolf turn. Tucked gainer full dismount off the end with a hop back. 9.825
Weaver (ARK): Front tuck through to double tuck, lands short and has to step forward. Switch side straddle jump, nice amplitude on her jumps! Back 1.5 to front layout, much better landing on that pass versus the first one. 9.775
Drayton (LSU): Stumbles out of the switch half but stays on. BHS LOSO, much more composed. Switch leap split jumps right at 180. RO double twist with a tiny hop back. 9.825
Cucci (ARK): Double layout to open, Arkansas’ first E pass of the night, landed with a bit of a low chest. Switch side straddle full, well over 180 on the series. Front tuck through to double tuck final pass, really solid landing. 9.900
Lincoln (LSU): Front aerial to BHS series, solid. Switch half to beat jump, little below 180 on the switch. Pretty full turn. Switch leap split jump, much better extension. BHS 1.5 dismount, leans forward to keep the stick. 9.900
Smith (ARK): Front layout through to double tuck, solid control on the landing out of it. Lacks a little control on the leap series, but gets them around. Double pike to close, front foot slides back ever so slightly on the landing. 9.900
McClain (LSU): Beautiful amplitude and extension on her leap series to open. Front aerial to BHS acro series was spot on. Side aerial, maybe a little lean out of it. Side gainer full with a stick. Really nice routine from McClain! 9.925
Williams (ARK): Tucked full-in to open, nice control on the landing. Switch side straddle full series over 180. Back 1.5 to front full to close, nice rise between skills. Coming off two 9.900s, this should build. Doesn’t build, but stays at a 9.900
Chio (LSU): Her mount gets me every time. BHS LOSO spot on, front aerial to split jump right at 180. I’m glad she got a break on bars and it looks like it didn’t phase her at all. Hits her leap series beautifully. BHS 1.5 dismount with another stick. Stop me if you’ve heard this before…it’s another 10 for Kailin Chio.
Roberson (ARK): Hits her double layout with the PMAC crowd going nuts. Switch side to straddle full, nice amplitude and extension on those leaps. Front layout through to double tuck to close it, definitely one of her best routines of the season! 9.900…I don’t quite get that one.
Innes (LSU): Front aerial to BHS series, nicely done. Cat leap to side aerial, spot on. Switch leap straddle quarter, super poised throughout that routine. RO 1.5 with a tiny hop forward.
F. Price (ARK): Gorgeous double layout to open, really playing to the PMAC crowd here. Switch side straddle full straddle full, super high off the floor. Front full to front layout, controlled step out of it. 9.850
Ulrich (LSU): BHS LOSO, solid. Hitch kick to switch side, nice and high above the beam. Front aerial to beat jump, nicely done. BHS 1.5, has the stick but has to step backwards out of it.
AFTER THREE: LSU 148.375, Arkansas 147.600
What can’t Kailin Chio at this point? Her second perfect 10 of the night ends a hit beam rotation for the Tigers heading to the final rotation. I feel like Arkansas should’ve had a little more separation on their floor routines, but four straight 9.900s to end the rotation is nothing to complain about. The Razorbacks will need to finish strong on beam to end their night on a solid note.
Rotation 4: Arkansas BB, LSU FX
Park (ARK): BHS LOSO, little bit of loose knees and a tiny balance correction on the landing. Switch leap switch leap, right at 180. Side aerial to one and a half, loose knees with a lean forward on the landing. 9.875
Innes (LSU): FHS front double full, more controlled than it has been in past meets on the step out of it. Back 1.5 to front layout, nice rise on the layout. Lacked some extension on the leap series, Rudi to stag jump to close, really controls the stag. 9.850
Gustitus (ARK): BHS LOSO, solid. Had some balance issues on the third element of her leap series, but relatively clean otherwise. Gainer pike off the end with a step back. 9.850
Ballou (LSU): Double layout to open, sticks it then takes a controlled step back. Switch side wolf full, nice positions on that series. Front layout to front Rudi, nails that landing as well. Really nice job from the freshman! 9.900
Klein (ARK): Standing layout layout series, some bent knees in the air. Switch leap straddle quarter, lacked some split on the switch leap. RO 1.5 with a tiny foot adjustment on the landing. Arkansas quietly cruising on beam. 9.900
Coen (LSU): FHS front double full, controlled step out of it. Round off layout step out to get her backwards tumbling element. Front layout front full, nicely done. Rotated her leap series around better today than it has been in the past. Tigers feeling it on floor halfway through. 9.925
Weaver (ARK): BHS LOSO, nice straight legs in the air. Side aerial, has to make a tiny correction but not super noticeable. Straddle jump stag jump, nice control on the full turn. RO 1.5 dismount with a stick. One of her best routines to date. 9.900
Drayton (LSU): Nice high double layout, has to step forward out of it with a low chest position. Switch ring to switch half, leaps right at 180. Front tuck through to double tuck, better control on that landing. 9.900
Cucci (ARK): BHS LOSO, little bit of knee bend in the air. Front aerial was good. Switch leap to straddle half, nice extension in the leap series. RO 1.5 with a small hop forward. 9.850
Chio (LSU): Tucked full-in, sticks it COLD. Nice height and extension in her leap series. 2.5 twist to punch front with her second stick. What CAN’T she do? And in insane fashion…gets her THIRD perfect 10 of the night. A perfect 30, just like her coach Haleigh Bryant. InSANE.
Roberson (ARK): Really nice routine going for her so far. Side aerial layout step out series, spot on. Punch front full dismount with a stick. Arkansas had a really solid rotation on balance beam and ended it nicely there with Roberson. 9.975
Lincoln (LSU): All counting scores are 9.900 or higher heading into this routine. STICKS her double layout. What ankle issues? Really pretty extension and amplitude on the leap series. Front layout front full with another stick on that pass. Your reigning SEC specialist of the week. 9.975, one judge went 10 and the crowd was not thrilled with that one.
Swaney (ARK): Cat leap to front aerial, some bent knees and a leg lift on the landing. BHS BHS LOSO, solid control throughout. Switch leap split jump, solid. RO 1.5 dismount with a stick.
Weilbacher (LSU): Double pike to open, nicely done. Lacked some control on her leap series, but it was really nicely rotated. Front tuck through to double tuck, some leg separations throughout but a really fun routine for the senior.
FINAL: LSU 198.075, Arkansas 197.100
VT: Chio (LSU) – 10.000
UB: McClain (LSU) – 9.950
BB: Chio (LSU) – 10.000
FX: Chio (LSU) – 10.000
AA: Cucci (ARK) – 39.525
Chio gets a perfect 30 on her three events and LSU gets its second highest floor score of the season and its third consecutive and fifth overall 198. Arkansas finishes the night with not only a season high on beam, but the third highest score on that event in program history. Not a bad way to finish out the regular season. On to the postseason!
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