Week four! It’s hard to believe we are already a month into the 2024 season! This Friday night we will see the No.24 Clemson Tigers take on the No.45 University of North Carolina Tar Heels for its Alumni Night meet. As if this wasn’t already going to be a good matchup, now that both teams are in the ACC conference, this win is even more important as we get closer to championship season with every meet week!
Last week Clemson came out strong again in not only their second meet of the season, but the second meet of the program. Clemson put up a good score of 196.2, a little over a tenth lower than their first meet out. The Tigers bars were not as strong as week one with the highest score being a 9.825 and not breaking a 49 on the event. The team did improve its scores on vault, not counting any scores below a 9.8, as well as on floor, highlighted by Brie Clark’s 9.925 and Lauren Rutherford’s 9.9. The Tigers have been almost identical in scores in back to back weeks, but this will be their first time on the road, so it will be interesting to see how they fare in a different arena.
The University of North Carolina gave a much improved performance in its third meet of the year, scoring a season high of a 195.325. North Carolina is so close to putting together that full meet, not having to count any falls this past weekend against N.C. State, but counting scores they would’ve liked to drop. Bars and beam look to be the events that are the most inconsistent in scoring, so North Carolina will be looking to put the right six up on these two events especially this Friday. Julia Knower, Gwen Fink and Lali Dekanoidze have been the team’s most consistent scores thus far, so the Tar Heels will be looking for them to continue to bring in these big scores as they take Clemson on head to head.
This is North Carolina’s third home meet of the season, so they should feel relatively comfortable taking on the No.1 team in the ACC. If you are able to watch, you can follow along here at 7:30 p.m. ET!
Rotation 1: UNC Vault, Clemson Bars
Schaefer (UNC) : Very nice Yurchenko tuck full to start the meet! 9.750.
Wells (CU): Starting off for Clemson, nice handstand, blind to nice Tkachev to shoot over, full in dismount STUCK to end! Very nice handstands and aggressive routine overall! 9.85.
E. King (UNC): NCAA debut! So exciting for her! Starts her career (!!) off with a Yurchenko full, hop back, but good control and nice height! 9.2.
Jackson (CU): Blind, straddle Jaegar to shoot over, nice handstand and a full in dismount, small step forward to finish! Dismount was a little low, but the routine overall was nice! 9.775.
Shinohara (UNC): Lots of waiting for the judges… Ellie King is going again (?) Went before the green flag so she went again, Yurchenko full, small hop back, truly the same vault. That’s HARD to go back to back unexpectedly, good to know her consistency.
Lippeatt (CU): Tkachev to pak to start, very nice and floaty. Perfect handstand!! Blind full to double tuck with the tiniest step back. Very nice control on that routine. 9.825.
Shinohara (UNC): Yurchenko full, pretty big step back, nice distance, just lacking the end control. 9.675.
DeGuzman (CU): Straddle Jaegar to shoot-over, short on last handstand, ends with STUCK double lay! Chest a little low on that fighting for the stick, but a really nice routine! 9.875. (season high!)
Fink (UNC): Yurchenko full, sizable hop back, but good distance and height overall. 9.7.
Rutherford (CU): Starts with a Ray to finger tips but gets it! Nice shoot over down to the low bar, good on the handstands so far! Double layout small hop back to end! 9.825
Knower (UNC): Yurchenko full, controlled hop back, very nice vault for UNC! 9.775
Brown (CU): Shaposh to high bar, leg separation, good shoot over down. Double layout, comes out pretty early and steps forward pretty big with chest down.
Forbes (UNC): Anchoring vault, a HUGE Yurchenko full STUCK! Definitely a great way to cap this rotation. 9.850.
*exhbition Webb (CU) : Starts with a Maloney, straight to Pak, very nice, missed the handstand on the low twice and makes it over the third time on the pirouette, double layout, really squatty, coach has to catch her at the end.
After 1: UNC 48.750, Clemson 49.150
Clemson is in the lead after the first rotation in their first away meet ever! This was a good bars rotation for the Tigers, but was still lacking a little bit more of the sticks and aggression we saw in week one from them. This has been they way they have been performing for the past three meets, so, its good to know this is a consistent lineup, but moving forward, they will want to get some of these extra tenths back! As for UNC, that was a good vault rotation overall, but, as a team with the exception of Knower and Forbes, they lacked a little control on their landings. On the flip side, its so good to have that power this early in the season! I am not too sure what happened with Ellie King; she must have gotten a deduction for going before the green flag was raised (?) for her score to come out as a 9.2 after not one, but two, back to back good vaults ! ( I feel like having to go twice should give you a bonus point or two). For UNC moving onto the next three, they will have to reign it in a bit more and focus on these details to stay with Clemson. On to two!
Rotation 2: Clemson Vault, UNC Bars
*Dekanoidze not competing tonight due to a minor injury at N.C. State last weekend.
Wells (CU): Starting off her second event for the Tigers, Wells does a nice Yurchenko full, with a really tiny hop back. Really nice lead-off for them! 9.725.
Shearer (UNC): Her first appearance tonight! Starts with a nice handstand, blind to Straddle Jaeger, huge! Shoot over, BIG split in her legs, falls off on the opposite side. Remounts and ends with double layout small step forward. That was a nice routine all things considered, it looked a little too aggressive on that overshoot, she held onto the high bar a bit too long and just couldn’t save it. 9.150.
Jackson (CU): Nice Yurchenko full, flaired out with a small hop on the landing, Pretty close to the left side of the tape, but stays in the lines. 9.725.
Naranjo (UNC): A little bit more pressure on the rest of this lineup now. Starts with a huge Tkachev, just makes it. Pak salto, really far from the low bar and has to tap her feet and start again. Finishes with a full-in, small step back. 9.025.
Arnold (CU): Yurchenko 1.5, the first 10.0 start for Clemson tonight, small shuffle back, but a good vault! 9.775.
Knower (UNC): A little more pressure for Knower unfortunately after two falls, so hopefully Knower can get them back on track. Starts with a great handstand, loose Geinger, toe handstand to overshoot, holds that handstand. Huge full in to end, steps forward to a college finish to end. The biggest deduction here would be the Geinger, but that was a great routine to get them back on track! 9.700.
Rutherford (CU): Yurchenko 1.5 STUCK! That was huge! A little wobble on the landing, but WOW! That was so great! Love that for her! 9.925 (career high for her!)
Fink (UNC): Opens with a blind to Straddle Jaegar, hits her heels and is way too close to the bar. Extra swing but stays on the bar. Overshoot, really nice, ends with a huge double layout with a big hop back. 9.275.
Minner (CU): Yurchenko tuck 1.5, little shuffle on the landing, but a really nice vault! 9.775.
Schaefer (UNC): Starts with blind Straddle Jaeger, a little loose on the catch. Nice shoot over, good handstands throughout, and a full in to end STUCK! That was hard to come back from, but UNC needed that routine and she definitely delivered with that. 9.925.
Brown (CU): Anchoring her second event, Yurchenko full, great distance with a small hop back, is also really close to the lines, but stays in. 9.75.
Forbers (UNC): Also anchoring her second event tonight, opens with a nice Maloney, a little loose, shoot over, short on the handstand. Dismounts with a full in, chest down and steps forward on that landing. A good way to end that rotation. 9.625.
*exhibition Bryant (CU): Front handspring on, front pike half, hop back, but that was a great vault! She definitely looks ready for the lineup.
*exhibition Wozniak (UNC): starts with blind to Jaegar, a little loose. Good shoot over down and dismounts with. blind full double tuck, a little squatty with a hop back.
After 2: Clemson 98.100, UNC 96.425
Unfortunately that was definitely not the rotation UNC was looking for. With the absence of Dekanoidze, this bars lineup was struggling a bit. The highlight of this rotation was Schaefer’s HUGE 9.925 that really picked it back up for the Tar Heels. Matching that score on vault, Rutherford had a STUCK Yurchenko 1.5 for a career high 9.925. This was the best Clemson has done on vault so far, and they confident and aggressive going into this rotation. Moving forward, UNC needs to act as though this second half is a new meet and let the past two rotations go and let themselves do what they are capable of on beam and floor. Clemson needs to just keep this pace and keep focusing on the details as they move through these next two rotations.
Rotation 3: UNC Beam, Clemson Floor
Naranjo (UNC): Front aerial BHS to start, beautiful , Switch half to split jump, gets to 180, very nice. She looks really confident in this lead-off spot, ends with a BHS 1.5, small hop forward. Definitely wanted that routine to get this started off strong! 9.75.
Hollman (CU): Opens with a HUGE front double full. Switch side to straddle full, gets them around. Ends with a front rudi to back 1.5, really nice lead-off routine! 9.825.
Rueda (UNC): BHS LOSO to start, solid. Switch leap to split jump, very nice. Punch front, solid (this is something fun we don’t see too much so super exciting to see it done so well!) Round-off double full, hops in place, but a nice routine! 9.675
Wells (CU): FUN routine!! Huge full in to start! Super controlled. Front tuck down the middle for the front requirement. Very nice leaps, great height. Second pass, round off 1.5 step out to double full to end. Great routine with lots of energy for the Tigers. 9.775.
Thompson (UNC): Starts with straddle 1/4, solid. Down to the beam with a straddle split, back up with a round off 1.5, ( I think the camera came in a bit late because they missed a lot of that routine) but overall, this was a good routine to keep them on track! 9.75.
Arnold (CU): Starts with a really nice full in, slides her front full, but really nice. Switch 1/2 to wolf full, gets both around nicely. Ends with a really nice 2.5, punch front. That’s such a hard pass to end with and she did it great! Really nice routine for her. 9.875. (season high!)
Fink (UNC): Opens with a switch leap switch leap, nice. BHS LOSO LOSO, goes off the right side. Remounts and finishes her routine with a BHS 1.5, small hop back. Uncharacteristic fall for Fink, and puts a little more pressure on the back half of this lineup, but she ended this routine well. 9.075.
Rutherford (CU): Starts with a 2.5 punch front REALLY close to out of bounds, but keeps it in. Nice leaps and fun dance! Ends with a really nice double tuck, slides her front foot a little on the end, but another great routine for Clemson. 9.850.
Knower (UNC): Trying to get the Tar Heels back on track, starts with a BHS LOSO, really nice and floaty. Switch leap, split jump, gets to 180, really nice. Solid piked front toss to beat jump. Round off 1.5 STUCK to end! That was a great routine to get them back on track! 9.725.
Clark (CU): Coming off a big number last week, she will definitely be looking for a repeat this week! Starts with a HUGE double lay, pretty big slide back, but really nice. FUN routine! Really nice torjete 1/2 to straddle full. So much energy in this, I love. Ends with a front lay, front full, front tuck. That was a great routine for her and for the Tigers overall! 9.925
Schulze (UNC): Straddle 1/1 to start, cheats it around a little. BHS LOSO, very solid. Switch leap to wolf jump, a little balance check. Ends with a side aerial, back 1.5 STUCK to end! 9.700.
Jackson (CU): Opens with a full in, has to put her hands down on that unfortunately. Second pass, front through to double tuck, under rotated, has to step forward. Luckily Clemson has five really solid scores, so they will be able to drop this score. 8.5.
Brown (CU) *exhibition: Starts with a cowboyed double tuck, but sticks it! Really nice amplitude on her leaps. Ends with a really nice double pike. Can see this routine going into this Clemson lineup to give them an extra score they could potentially count moving forward.
After 3: Clemson 147.300, UNC 145.025
That was a MUCH better rotation for UNC, and looks like the UNC we all know. They looked sharp and confident on this event, and were able to pick it back up after the uncharacteristic fall from Fink. UNC was focused on these details and sticks and it showed! For Clemson, this was a strong rotation, and another above 49 score for them for the third week in a row! Clemson looks confident with each passing week, and this lineup will continue to get stronger as the season goes on. Now, for the last rotation!
Rotation 4 : Clemson Beam, UNC Floor
Wells (CU): Looks confident mounting the beam, once again in the first spot for Clemson. Switch leap to Torjete 3/4, a little check, but really difficult and a nice landing. BHS LOSO, solid. Ends with a double full STUCK! Super nice lead-off for this final rotation. 9.875.
Wozniak (UNC): Starts with a nice whip, double tuck, really controlled. Really nice presentation in her routine, ends with a double pike, chest is pretty low, but keeps it up. 9.725.
Hollman (CU) : BHS LOSO, was really crooked and is off the beam. Switch leap, a little under 180, tuck 3/4 solid. Side aerial, nice. Ends with a round off 1.5, small hop forward. 9.1.
Schulze (UNC): First time on floor for her at UNC! Starts with a front lay to front rudi, really nice, great power. Fun routine! Split 1.5, doesn’t get it fully around. Ends with a back 1.5 to front lay, another great landing. Cat leap, Torjete 1/2 to sissone. A great home floor debut for Schulze! 9.775.
Jackson (CU): A little more pressure on this routine, hoping Clemson can keep their streak of not having to count a fall. Solid BHS LOSO LOSO. Switch leap, cat leap half, lacked a bit of amplitude. Wobbles on the turn, tries to cover it up with dance. Round off 1.5 with a small hop to end. Definitely the routine they needed to get them back on track. 9.725.
Rueda (UNC) : Opens with a nice full in, pretty high, but comes out a little early and has to hop forward. Round off 1.5 to front lay, much better landing. The first three pass routine of the night, ending with a really nice tucked double back. 9.725.
Kuhl (CU): Opens with BHS BHS LOSO, solid. Switch leap to nice beat jump. Front toss, a little squatty on the landing, but is moving nice through the routine. Round off 1.5 stuck to end! 9.8. (career high!)
Fink (UNC) : Really nice double pike to start! Second pass, 2.5, pretty big step forward, but keeps it in. Switch ring, Torjete 1/2 to wolf full. Ends with a back 1.5 to punch layout. Good ending to the night for her! 9.875.
McCright (CU): Starts with BHS LOSO, perfect, really aggressive. Tuck full to a beat jump, a little wobble. Side aerial, split jump. Ends with Gainer full, stuck! She is going to be a great beam working for Clemson throughout her years. 9.9.
Forbes (UNC): Opens with a STUCK full in. Wow. That was great. Front layout to front full, great landing. Doesn’t fully get those leaps all the way around. Ends with a really good double tuck! That’s going to be a HUGE score for UNC! 9.825. (really the only deduction for me personally was the jumps.)
Clark (CU) : Cameras started a little late, BHS LOSO solid. Straddle jump, straddle 1/4 really nice, great amplitude. Punch layout 1/1 STUCK! That’s six for six sticks on beam! 9.9.
Knower (UNC): Anchors with a HUGE, like HUGE, double pike stuck nonetheless. Wow. Front lay, front full, really nice landing. Torjete, straddle full, really nice. Ends with a double tuck, really good. This is going to be another really big score for the Tar Heels. 9.9.
Final: Clemson 196.550, UNC 194.200
Another win for Clemson in the books! Clemson looked strong this meet, honing in more on their details and landings than last week. Clemson stuck 6/6 beam dismounts in this last rotation, which is extremely impressive, on top of not having to count a fall in their second spot. AND, on top of that, this is the first 49 for Clemson on beam! This is a season and program high for Clemson with a 196.550 and they looked strong throughout. As for UNC, this floor rotation UNC was the ending they wanted after kind of a rocky start on vault and bars. Hopefully, with the return of Dekanoidze next week on bars, there will be another big score in this bars lineup. The Tar Heels just need to keep building their confidence to put an entire meet together, because their potential is huge! There were definitely highs and lows in this competition, but both teams showed strength in different areas than before and just need to work on the details, and not focusing on these uncharacteristic mistakes, moving forward.
Event Winners:
VT: Rutherford 9.925 (Clemson)
UB: Schaefer 9.925 (UNC)
BB: McCright, Clark 9.9 (Clemson)
FX: Clark 9.925 (Clemson)
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Live blog by Julianna Roland
Thank you for the recount!