Welcome to regional finals, where the top two teams survive and advance! This afternoon pits No. 1 Oklahoma against No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 Arkansas, and No. 18 but unseeded Ohio State, who upset the home team in the regional semifinal.
The Sooners sailed through the second Round Two session, as expected, as the top overall seed of the postseason. While the pressure was never on, Oklahoma wasn’t perfect, with a few blips, including a Faith Torrez beam fall, that it’ll want to correct ahead of today’s competition. Should the Sooners have an average day, they should be through drama-free here.
Advancing alongside Oklahoma in Friday’s evening session were the Buckeyes, who rallied to take second in a wild session that saw the host Wildcats struggle and the Round One winner, Rutgers, hold the second spot throughout much of the competition. Ohio State wasn’t perfect either, but used a 49.55 vault lineup, highlighted by a perfect 9.95 Yurchenko full from Tory Vetter, to seize momentum in the second half of the meet and snag the second spot.
Winning the first session of Round Two was Arkansas, who upset Missouri for the win after the Tigers topped the Razorbacks just a few weekends ago at SEC Championships. Stars Morgan Price and Joscelyn Roberson led the way, and defeating the higher-seed in the first opportunity helps shift momentum in Arkansas’ favor, with the pair projected to be fighting for the second qualifying spot alongside the Sooners. Tiger Hannah Horton went for a trio of 9.9s to ensure Missouri didn’t struggle to secure a spot in the final, but some beam woes held it back and slid the Tigers into the second spot.
Before we get going, see where things stand in the individual qualification race based on which of today’s regional final teams ultimately advance to Fort Worth.
Follow along with video and live scores!
Rotation 1: Oklahoma Vault, Missouri Bars, Ohio State Beam, Arkansas Floor
Post one-touch warmup lineup change for Oklahoma on vault. Scheible taken out in favor of new anchor Pederson.
Blessey (OU): Front pike half. Clean, good distance, scoot back. 9.875
Green (MIZ): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, good job with no leg separation, half pirouette, easy handstands, double layout with a hop back. 9.775
Guevara (OSU): Full turn, small arm wave, BHS LOSO, cat leap to switch half, handstand press down, lovely choreo and showcase of strength, dismounts RO double full, sticks it. 9.800
Wells (OU): Y1.5. Tight form, good height, big step forward. 9.850
Smith (ARK): Mounts with a front layout to double tuck, no issues, good height in her leap series, double pike, too much power, slides back in the lunge. 9.825
Estep (OU): Y1.5. Dynamic and powerful, sticks it. 9.950
Smith (OSU): Double wolf turn, nice toe point, front toss to BHS and is off, remounts quickly, wobbling now on choreo, straddle jump to straddle 1/4, very high, gainer full is stuck. 9.100
M. Price (ARK): Big double pike to open, well-controlled RO to 2.5 twist, switch half to wolf jump full x2, front layout front full, problem-free. 9.900
Mueller (OU): Y1.5. Lots of distance, stuck. 9.925
Terry (MIZ): Toe on to Geinger to overshoot, caught a tad close on the Geinger, dismounts FTDT, step to the side. 9.850
F. Price (ARK): Opens with a double layout, slides back in the lunge, stays in bounds, switch side to Popa x2, traveled a bit throughout, closes with front full front layout, easy. 9.850
Fatta (OU): Y1.5. Lovely form, another stick! 9.925
Horton (MIZ): Clear hip Maloney to Pak, fluid, half pirouette, no handstand issues, dismounts double layout, stuck. 9.925
Williams (ARK): FTDT to start, switch side to Popa, crisp, RO 1.5 front layout, floaty on the landing. 9.850
Pederson (OU): Y1.5. Great block, lots of height, small step forward. 9.850
Echols (MIZ): Bail, blind to Khorkina, great, good handstands, double layout, great form, hop forward. 9.850
McCann (OSU): RO layout, secure, confident leap series, beat jump, full turn, RO 1.5, step forward. 9.900
Roberson (ARK): Huge double layout, switch side to Popa, bouncy out of it, front layout to double tuck, powerful. 9.950
Totals: Oklahoma 49.525, Missouri 49.300, Ohio State 49.050, Arkansas 49.400
As expected, a close start between the Razorbacks and Tigers! Floor has been a momentum builder for teams in this regional all weekend long, and Arkansas used that to its advantage to start ahead of the cut line. Missouri started well, too, on an average event, and will have plenty of opportunity to make up that tenth throughout, particularly on its best event, floor. The Sooners put on a stick clinic on vault to storm ahead early and make sure they aren’t in any danger. One more rotation like that and Oklahoma should be fine sans disaster. Things got dicey for Ohio State with the early fall, but did a great job at rebounding with hits to stay in contention. Barely breaking 49 makes it an uphill battle, but the beam is already out of the way.
Rotation 2: Arkansas Vault, Oklahoma Bars, Missouri Beam, Ohio State Floor
Weaver (ARK): Yfull. Good flare at the end, hop in place. 9.825
Pederson (OU): Ray, good amplitude, toe on to Pak, half pirouette, dismounts double layout, sticks it. 9.900
Guevara (OSU): Gets underway with FHS front double full to front tuck, well done, switch side 3/4 to straddle jump, FHS Rudi LOSO, clean. 9.800
Wier (MIZ): Opens with front aerial BHS BHS, slow but that’s her pace, full turn, split jump to straddle half, just shy of 180 in the split, cartwheel gainer full, leans for the stick. 9.850
Cucci (ARK): Y1.5. Sat one in warmups so she overcorrects, big hop forward, good form in the flight. 9.800
Fatta (OU): Church to Pak, good swing, half pirouette, hits it and last handstand, double layout, couldn’t see if it was stuck or not from my angle. 9.850
Klein (ARK): Y1.5. Good distance, step forward, right on the left directional line. 9.850
Kelly (MIZ): Front aerial BHS, kept the connection moving, switch leap to split jump, side aerial, lean, double wolf turn, dismounts RO 1.5, stuck. 9.775
Williams (ARK): Y1.5. Good power, legs glued together, sticks it. 9.950
Grimes (OSU): Begins with a double pike, shuffle into the lunge, RO 1.5 front layout, quick step forward, switch half to wolf jump full, double tuck, chest a tad down but good landing. 9.850
Scheible (OU): Blind to Jaeger, bail, pikey, dismounts FTDT, step back. 9.875
M. Price (ARK): Y.1.5. Beautiful block, goes 100% for the stick and comes in short, sits it. 9.200
Lawrence (MIZ): Beautiful low beam choreo to get going, full turn, side aerial BHS, small lean, split jump to split 3/4, smooth, dismounts RO 1.5, slightest of slides back into the quick salute. 9.875
Coleman (OSU): Mounts full-in, lots of power, bounds back, switch side to Popa, incredible height, side somi in choreo, finishes the rotation with front tuck to double tuck, stuck cold, lunges by choice.
Rotation Totals: Arkansas 49.275, Oklahoma 49.475, Missouri 49.250
Totals: Oklahoma 99.000, Arkansas 98.675, Missouri 98.550
Big win for Missouri there in surviving beam! While the Tigers still trail, they do so barely, and still have their power events to go to bring in the 9.9s they’ve been lacking. The Razorbacks, too, haven’t seen many 9.9s, outside of Williams, and will need to collect a few in the next few rotations to stay in contention, especially finishing on beam. The Sooners continue to cruise, while the Buckeyes are fighting, but will need some help from their fellow competitors with two totals just above 49.
Rotation 3: Ohio State Vault, Arkansas Bars, Oklahoma Beam, Missouri Floor
Grimes (OSU): Yfull. Clean form, nice distance, small hop back. 9.825
Roberson (ARK): Clear hip to Maloney to Pak, leg separation and archy back in the half pirouette, stuck double layout. 9.875
Fatta (OU): BHS LOSO, chest down but covers it well, side aerial, switch side, full turn, switch leap to split jump, BHS gainer full, stuck. 9.900
Pomager (OSU): Yfull. Tight legs, hop back. 9.850
Klein (ARK): Hindorff to overshoot, stuck double layout, small form break in the release combo. 9.875
Tisler (MIZ): FHS front layout Rudi, no issues, switch full to straddle half, RO 1.5 front layout, easy. 9.800
Smith (OSU): Y1.5. So powerful, identical to Friday, stuck. 9.900
Smith (ARK): Toe on to Maloney to bail, wonky on the bail catch, dismounts double layout, hop back. 9.800
Murphy (OU): BHS LOSO, floaty, front aerial, full turn, excellent leg extension all the way through her toes, beat jump to ring jump, tiny adjustment, dismounts BHS gainer full, stuck. 9.950
Acevedo (MIZ): Great double pike, front foot slid in the lunge, RO 1.5 front layout, a bit rushed, closes with a double tuck, confident kick out. 9.850
Campbell (ARK): Tkatchev, toe on to Pak, nice lines, half pirouette, stalder to double tuck, hop forward. 9.800
Vetter (OSU): Yfull. Clean form, could use more height, but drills the stick. 9.900
Tanskanen (MIZ): Mounts with a full-in, controlled but low chest, switch half straddle 1/4, RO 1.5 front layout, good rise. 9.875
Cucci (ARK): Toe on to Pak, Maloney half, leg separation into the twist, dismounts double layout, stuck. 9.900
Coleman (OSU): Yfull. Great height, clean form, pike down and slide back. 9.850
Girffin (MIZ): Huge double pike, front tuck to double tuck, no need for a lunge, tour jete half to Popa x2, good bouncy. 9.950
M. Price (ARK): Toe on to Maloney to bail, slight arm bend on the last catch, dismounts FTDT, sticks it. 9.900
Perfect 10 from Faith Torrez on beam.
Horton (MIZ): Insane double layout, was going to be short but held onto the stick, wolf jump full to switch side half, front pike to double tuck. 9.925
Rotation Totals: Ohio State 49.400, Arkansas 49.350, Oklahoma 49.750, Missouri 49.450
Totals: Oklahoma 148.750, Arkansas 148.025, Missouri 148.00, Ohio State 147.525
Everybody was on fire that rotation! Look at the difference between second and third to advance! That insane 49.750 on beam from Oklahoma was a clinic, and now it is so far ahead it could count a fall. However, Missouri did what it needed to on floor to close the gap, as it is essentially tied with Arkansas heading into the last rotation. Arkansas is a good beam team, so there is still plenty to be decided. Ohio State replicated its stick streak from Friday to pop off in that rotation, but still sits quite a bit behind the pack to be able to claw into the qualification conversation.
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Rotation 4: Missouri Vault, Ohio State Bars, Arkansas Beam, Oklahoma Floor
Griffin (MIZ): Yfull. Good height, flares, hop in place. 9.850
Pomager (OSU): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, some leg separation early, and on the half pirouette, giant full to double tuck, stuck. 9.800
Park (ARK): Back dive mount, solid, full turn, BHS LOSO, no issues, switch leap x2, dismounts side aerial 1.5, step back. 9.850
Acevedo (MIZ): Yfull. Legs glued together, big step back. 9.800
Klein (ARK): Standing LOSO LOSO, great, switch leap to split 1/4, full turn, dismounts RO 1.5, lean for the stick. 9.825
Jackson (MIZ): Y1.5. Clean form, step back, needed more distance. 9.825
Vetter (OSU): Tkatchev, flexed feet, clear hip to bail, dismounts FTDT and sticks it. 9.850
Weaver (ARK): BHS LOSO, so low, stays on somehow but a big check, side aerial, small check, double stag jump, full turn, RO 1.5 dismount, sticks it. 9.800
Horton (MIZ): Y1.5. Excellent shape and form in flight, hop forward. 9.850
Cucci (ARK): Full turn, BHS LOSO, secure, front aerial, switch leap to split half, dismounts RO 1.5, stuck. 9.900
Echols (MIZ): Yfull. Great block, tons of height, tiny hop back. 9.850
Coleman (OSU): Blind to piked Jaeger to overshoot, flexed feet, dismounts FTDT, steps. 9.800
M. Price (ARK): Full turn, BHS LOSO, leg up check, cat leap to front aerial, switch leap to split jump, confident, RO double full, hold for the stick. 9.900
Tisler (MIZ): Y1.5. Leg separation off the table, lots of distance, hop forward. 9.850
Roberson (ARK): Pike jump, lovely, straddle half, doesn’t connect into the back tuck, switch leap to back tuck, good improv, full turn, side aerial LOSO, no issue, dismounts front full, sticks it. 9.950
Rotation Totals: Missouri 49.225, Ohio State 49.175, Arkansas 49.400, Oklahoma 49.600
Final: Oklahoma 198.350, Arkansas 197.450, Missouri 197.225, Ohio State 196.700
What a meet! The battle for the second qualifying spot brought all the drama we wanted, with the Razorbacks getting a few more landings to finish their season in Fort Worth. Also, what an outing by the Sooners! That’s exactly the type of performance they needed to build momentum ahead of trying to defend their title. Congrats to the Buckeyes as well, finishing off a strong weekend, and will earn a nice final ranking as a reward!
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Live blog by Brandis Heffner
