Happy meet day, gym fans! For the second week in a row I’ll be at home live blogging the LIU Sharks, and today they take on Bowling Green in the Falcons’ second away meet in a streak of road meets until the end of the season.
LIU competed twice last weekend, once at home and once on the road. Its score at home was a whole two points higher than the away score, so we’ll be watching out for another bigger score today in Pratt. The key to that big score will be on bars and floor. The Sharks were able to hit six-for-six on Saturday, but Monday’s meet was back to their typical low-scoring rotation. LIU was forced to count an 8.925, a 9.125, and a 9.425. Those scores will need to be bigger today if LIU wants to get back into the 195 range where it belongs. Additionally, the Sharks need to clean up floor. Nobody went above 9.800 on floor on Monday, and some cleaner landings and leaps could be crucial to getting that score back to where it needs to be.
The visiting Bowling Green Falcons also have quite the task today. Last week the Falcons put up a season-low 191.475, and today needs to be different if they want to stay confident heading into the tail end of the season. Similar to their competitors in the Sharks, the Falcons are struggling on bars. Last week they counted two scores in the 8.000 range, and Isabella Rivelli put up the highest score at only a 9.800. It’s safe to say that bars will be a key event in today’s meet, and it may be the make or break event for both of these teams.
Rotation 1: LIU VT, BGSU UB
Bixler (LIU): Yurchenko layout, a bit archy and just the tiniest shuffle on the landing. Apparently this is her first season vaulting in five years, impressive!
Bingham (BGSU): Mounts on the high bar with a free hip to Tkatchev. Nice shootover down to low. She was short on most of her handstands but really nailed the last one. Finishes with a double layout which was a bit pikey and she took a big step forward.
Danilchenko (LIU): Tucked Yurchenko full, she twists a bit early on the table and she takes a big step forward at the end.
Thornton (BGSU): Starts on the low bar with a nice Maloney to Pak combination, maybe some leg separation but overall very nice. Wobbles on the squat on to the high bar. Really short on the last handstand but does a good full in dismount with a small hop.
Page (LIU): Yurchenko full, a bit pikey towards the end but she sticks it!
Dzialo (BGSU): Mounts on the high bar with a nice handstand. Free hip to Geinger was nice. Short on the handstand going down to the low bar, but nice shootover after. Pretty short on the last handstand as well, a bit over on the blind full but sticks the double tuck.
Morris (LIU): Yurchenko full, very piked down but they stuck it!
Weilbacher (BGSU): Starts on the high bar with a really nice held handstand. Toe on half to a really nice Jaeger. Pak down to low, nice form there. A tiny bit short on the last handstand but she nails the toe on to full in dismount, great stick! That was a nice routine.
Ricketts (LIU): Yurchenko full, much higher than her teammates and she keeps her body a lot straighter throughout. Tiny hop on the landing.
Brown (BGSU): Mounts on the high bar. A bit short on the first handstand. Free hip to Tkatchev, SUPER high but also super close to the bar. Nice shootover. Nice high full in and takes a small hop back. Wow that was a huge Tkatchev.
Miller (LIU): Yurchenko full, also very piked down and she takes a big step forward. Her ankles looked like they got crunched on that landing but she’s walking fine.
Rivelli (BGSU): Mounts on the high bar with a nice handstand. Blind to a nice high Jaeger to bail combination. A bit short on the last handstand. Beautiful double layout and just a step back on the landing.
After 1:
Rotation one is complete, and Bowling Green survived the bars! After some struggles last week, the Falcons were able to put up six hit routines today, including a beautiful routine from Isabella Rivelli. LIU was able to hit all of its vaults, but some of the landings were a bit questionable. The Sharks vault rotation was highlighted by a sky-high vault from Alana Ricketts on her senior day! Now it’s time to see if LIU can survive bars.
Rotation 2: BGSU VT, LIU UB
Bingham (BGSU): Yurchenko full, super piked down but a good landing.
Morris (LIU): Starts off on the high bar with a Cal hop to piked Jaeger, really nice form throughout. Nice Pak down to the low bar. Absolutely nails that last handstand and sticks the double layout! That was a great routine to start the Sharks off on bars!
Bannister (BGSU): Yurchenko full, more distance from the table than Bingham before her, and she’s a bit piked but way less than some of the other vaults we’ve seen today.
Hinson (LIU): Starts on the high bar with a short handstand. Blind to a high Jaeger to bail, a bit loose in the air but not too bad. Pretty short on the last handstand and takes a step forward on the blind full to double tuck.
Thornton (BGSU): Yurchenko full, some flexed feet in the air and takes a big hop back, but that was for sure the best vault of the lineup.
Page (LIU): Starts on the low bar with a Maloney to Pak combination, some leg separation on the Maloney. Tiny bit short on the last handstand, lots of leg separation on the blind full before the double tuck and takes a small step on the landing.
Coburn (BGSU): Pretty much identical Yurchenko full to Thornton’s, some flexed feet and a decent sized hop backwards.
Sanchez (LIU): Mounts on the high bar and starts with a Cal hop to Jaeger and she comes off. Gets back up on the high bar and does her Pak, very loose and lots of leg separation. Finishes with a double layout and sticks it.
Akpan (BGSU): Yurchenko full, not lots of height and is pretty piked throughout. Hops on the landing.
Miller (LIU): Starts on the low bar with a free hip to Maloney. Free hip on the high bar to a shootover that’s a little short of handstand. Finishes with a pretty double layout and shuffles on the landing. The team is pretty excited for her!
Weilbacher (BGSU): Yurchenko full, nice height on that one, just slightly piked down and has a small hop back on the landing.
Carraro (LIU): Mounts on the low bar. Gorgeous Maloney to a super high Pak combination. Wow, that pirouette was right on top of the bar. Same with her blind full, and she takes a small hop back on the double tuck. I wish she would’ve stuck that landing, that was such a beautiful routine!
After 2: LIU 97.675, Bowling Green 97.625
The Sharks survived bars! LIU had a fall from Kira Sanchez, but her teammates had her back and her score won’t have to count. Brisa Carraro capped off the rotation with an absolutely stunning routine for a 9.950, and I’m so excited to see what amazing things she does in her gymnastics career. Bowling Green had a solid vault rotation, it just needs to work on the amplitude so the landings can get cleaned up.
Rotation 3: LIU BB, BGSU FX
Bixler (LIU): Gorgeous flic flic lay to start the routine, maybe the tiniest wobble but her form was beautiful throughout. Beat jump to split three quarter, nice straight legs on that as well. Roundoff 1.5 dismount and she sticks it! What a great routine to start it off, and she’s super excited! Career high 9.975! That seems a bit high to me but that’s great for her senior day!
Decious (BGSU): Nice switch full to start the routine. First pass is a front layout front full, great control on that landing. Switch half to split full was nice, good flexibility. Standing back tuck, I assume that’s going to be her backwards element. Next is a Rudi to split jump, looks like she mispunched because the split jump was a bit low.
Bills-McCoy (LIU): Really pretty full turn, she kicks out of it nicely. Flic flic lay and she falls. Split jump to double stag, big leg up wobble and she falls again. Finishes with a tucked front full and looks like she put her hand down. That’s a shame, hopefully the rest of the lineup can deliver.
Bannister (BGSU): Starts off with a front layout front full, some slightly bent knees throughout. Switch side to Popa, slightly short of 180 throughout. Next is a double tuck, she kind of cowboys it around, but her landing was very nice.
Doten (LIU): Gorgeous split jump to ring jump, beautiful flexibility and no wobbles at all. Nice flic lay, she was slow to get to that lunge but she did it. Cat leap to side aerial, slight wobble but she stays on. Wobble on the full turn. Finishes with a front full dismount and takes a small step back. Very emotional moment after she dismounts on her senior day, that was a great way to wrap up her career!
Coburn (BGSU): First pass is a front tuck through to double tuck, really nice landing there, very controlled. Switch side Popa Popa, short of 180 on the Popas. Next is a double pike, some flexed feet throughout but her landing was nice and controlled.
Carraro (LIU): Mounts with a roundoff layout, really big wobble but she manages to stay on. Switch leap split jump, had a wobble in between the two. Front aerial to back handspring series, wobble there as well. Nice double wolf turn, much more solid there. Dismounts with a roundoff 1.5 and she takes a step back. That was a tough routine but she did a great job fighting for every skill.
Akpan (BGSU): Starts her routine with a double pike, her chest was a bit low on the landing and she has to hop forward. Nice double tuck next, much better landing on that pass. Switch half Popa Popa, some slight form breaks but great flexibility. Finishes up with a front layout front full, a bit unsure on the landing but good overall.
Ricketts (LIU): Gorgeous front aerial to beat jump, such great form. Beautiful flic lay, amazing form and a great landing. Nice switch leap switch leap, slight wobble at the end. Finishes with a back handspring to tucked 1.5 and hops forward. I just cannot stress enough how beautiful her form is. Underrated beam worker for sure!
Thornton (BGSU): Starts off with a front tuck through to double tuck, her teammates were blocking the camera but I believe her landing was good. Really nice switch half Popa Popa, good flexibility especially on those Popas. Next is a double pike, slightly off on her lunge but ultimately her control is good.
Morris (LIU): Amazing switch leap to pike jump, I am always in awe of that pike jump and today is no different. Flic lay series, has a slight wobble at the end. Nice side sumi, maybe a slight wobble there as well. Beautiful pike half. Dismounts with a roundoff double twist and takes a step back.
Weilbacher (BGSU): First pass is a front tuck through to a double tuck, she cowboys it around but her landing was great, she didn’t even lunge out of it. Really pretty tour jete half Popa Popa, she gets great height and shows off some great flexibility. Next is a nice double pike, good control on the landing. That was a great routine to anchor the Falcons lineup!
After 3: Bowling Green 146.750, LIU 146.650
Rotation three had some huge scores from both teams! Cael Bixler led the Sharks off on beam with a career-high 9.975, and Kathryn Weilbacher anchored Bowling Green’s floor lineup with a 9.925. Other than Bixler’s huge leadoff score, the Sharks were shaky on beam. Kady Bills-McCoy struggled on beam and had three falls, and while nobody else fell following her routine, you could tell that the Sharks were nervous throughout the rest of the rotation. In the final rotation, we’ll see if Bowling Green can survive the beam, and if LIU can show out on floor and bring home a win on senior day. It’s a close one going into the last rotation, every routine is going to matter!
Rotation 4: BGSU BB, LIU FX
Castiglia (BGSU): Nice front toss to beat jump. They started showing her routine when it was already almost over unfortunately. Beat jump to straddle three quarter, she went way over 180 on that jump, that was gorgeous. Dismounts with a front full with a small hop on the landing.
Page (LIU): Starts with a front layout front full, nice form and landing. Switch side to Popa, a bit short of 180. Next is a double tuck, she cowboys it around and was a bit quick to her lunge. Switch side to Shushunova was good. Good leadoff!
Akpan (BGSU): Beat jump to switch leap to straddle quarter. Very short of 180 on the straddle quarter. Flic lay, her knees are bent throughout and takes a step back. Really nice Barani, her landing was super solid. Finishes with a roundoff 1.5 and she sticks it.
Sanchez (LIU): First pass is a front tuck through to double tuck, very controlled landing but she was a bit too far back so she stepped out. Switch ring to switch full to split full, some flexed feet towards the end. Next is a double pike, good form and a great controlled landing.
Parente (BGSU): Nice flic lay, very solid landing. Cat leap to switch half, she was very short of 180 there, I wouldn’t be shocked if she didn’t get credit for it. Side aerial, small wobble there. Dismounts with a roundoff 1.5 and takes a small hop forward.
Miller (LIU): Really nice double pike to start the routine, she was quick to her lunge but ultimately kept it in control. Next pass is a front full front layout, she had a bigger lunge forward on that one. Nice switch half to Popa. She finishes up with a nice high double tuck to her cleanest landing of the routine!
Brzoska (BGSU): Flic lay lay series to start off, she looked off but she saved it. Beat jump to switch leap to straddle quarter, again she’s very short of 180 on that straddle quarter. Dismounts with a roundoff 1.5 and has a small shuffle on the landing.
Ricketts (LIU): Starts with a whip double back handspring to double tuck with a very nice landing. Nice switch half wolf 1.5, maybe a bit short of 180. Front tuck to a nice straddle jump as a side pass. Really nice double tuck to finish it off, her front foot does slide back but nothing too crazy.
Bingham (BGSU): Nice flic lay, some bent knees throughout but a very solid landing. Cat leap to a nice side aerial, very nice pointed toes there. Beat jump to split three quarter, good form. Finishes with a roundoff 1.5 with a tiny hop forward.
Barrington (LIU): Beautiful double turn to wolf full, I love seeing that unique dance. First pass is a super high double tuck, she slides into the lunge though. Nice 2.5 next, great form but her lunge is a little big. Switch ring to switch half, nice split positions on that. Finishes with a back 1.5 to front layout, nice landing there.
Weilbacher (BGSU): Flic lay, she looked a bit crooked on that back handspring and took a step back at the end. Switch leap to straddle quarter was nice, she has some great flexibility. Really pretty front toss to beat jump, she got a lot of height on that front toss. Finishes with a gainer full dismount and her landing is super solid!
Morris (LIU): First pass is a really nice high double tuck with a super controlled landing. Sissone to tour jete half to wolf full was very nice. Next pass is a front layout front full, another good landing there, and great form throughout the pass. They finish up with a double pike, they were a little bouncy into the lunge but ultimately that was a great routine and a great meet for the Sharks!
Final: Bowling Green 195.925, LIU 195.875
Today was a great meet for both teams! LIU had some mistakes here and there, but the Sharks were able to rally and put up their season-high on their senior day! Bowling Green showed off some dynamic routines, and its freshmen are sure to keep doing great things for the Falcons in the next four years.
The score page hasn’t been updating all day, so I don’t know the event winners unfortunately!
READ THIS NEXT: Making Black History in NCAA Gymnastics
Live Blog by Emily Lockard
