Both Kentucky and Missouri are coming off impressive performances last week. Missouri’s Helen Hu made history with the first perfect 10 of the season on beam, while Kentucky broke the 197 mark in a dominant win over Alabama. As midseason approaches, both teams will be focused on building on their momentum.
For Missouri, Amari Celestine leads the all-around charge, while Jocelyn Moore’s vault and Helen Hu’s beam are must-see routines. On the Kentucky side, Makenzie Wilson is capable of challenging Moore on vault, and fifth-year Isabella Magnelli continues to shine on beam. If Skylar Killough-Wilhelm and Delaynee Rodriguez can deliver mid-39 scores in the all-around, Kentucky should have the edge in this meet. However, against a talented Missouri team, Kentucky can’t afford any missteps.
Rotation 1: Missouri VT, Kentucky UB
Tanskanen (Miz): Tsuk full, not the most distance and a hop on landing. 9.775
Rivelli (UK): Straddle jaeger to shootover, both hands slip off the bar and her feet hit the ground. Has to muscle through to a double layout with a hop back. 9.35, pressure is on for the rest of the lineup.
Tisler (Miz): Y1.5, off to the side and takes a small hop. 9.85
Noonan (UK): Maloney, clear hip to bail, nice. DLO, stuck. Great reset. for Kentucky! 9.775
Horton (Miz): Y1.5, anticipates the stick too early and underrotates, takes a hop back. 9.725
Davis (UK): Straddle jaeger, misses the connection into the bail and has to take an extra handstand. Nice final handstand. Double layout with a step back. 9.75
Celestine (Miz): Huge Y1.5 with a medium hop-step forward. 9.825
Procasky (UK): Maloney, pak, pretty clean. Double layout with a hop back. 9.825
Moore (Miz): Y1.5, stuck! On replay you can see she hit the table a little far back, which is probably why she didn’t get as much distance as she usually does. 9.9
Rodriguez (UK): Straddle tkatchev, clear hip a little short, bail a little loose. Gorgeous final handstand into a floaty and stuck double layout. 9.875
Griffin (Miz): Yfull, small hop in place. 9.85
Killough-Wilhelm (UK): Piked jaeger, catches with bent elbows, to overshoot. Double layout with a hop forward and significant chest down. 9.8
After 1: Missouri 49.200, Kentucky 49.025
Both teams are capable of much higher scores on these events, but neither team had a complete disaster. Missouri had some high-flying vaults but were a little shy of their best. Kentucky bounced back after a lead-off fall, but will need to dial in for the rest of the meet if they want to put up the high road score they’re no doubt hoping for.
Rotation 2: Missouri UB, Kentucky VT
Rodriguez (UK): Yfull with a small hop back. 9.775
Light (Miz): Maloney to an archy pak. Double layout, stuck! Great leadoff for Missouri! 9.825
Rizo (UK): Yfull with a tiny shuffle step back. 9.8
Moore (Miz): Huge, floaty straddle tkatchev to overshoot. Half in half out with a small step. 9.825
Noonan (UK): Half on tuck half, landed with chest down and a step to the side. 9.775
Horton (Miz): Missed a lot of this rotation due to a glitchy stream. Maloney, gorgeous stuck double layout dismount. 9.85
Wilson (UK): Front pike half, beautiful in the air, big step to the side on landing. 9.825
Kelly (Miz): College debut! Enormous pike ray to overshoot. Slightly arch-y final handstand to a stuck double tuck. 9.825
Magnelli (UK): Front pike half, stuck but doesn’t get much distance. 9.875
Celestine (Miz): Maloney, pak, van Leeuwen, all three very pretty. Her signature “Celestine” dismount, stuck. 9.9
Killough-Wilhelm (UK): Y1.5, lifts up a toe and has to tilt her body quite a bit, but doesn’t take a step or hop. 9.9
Titarsolej (Miz): Maloney, to an absolutely beautiful pak. Slightly short handstand into a great blind full. Double tuck, takes a big step back. 9.825
After 2: Missouri 98.425, Kentucky 98.200
Another good but not great rotation for both teams. Wilson and Titarsolej didn’t hit to the best of their ability, but this was offset on both sides thanks to 9.9s from Celestine and Killough-Wilhelm. Missouri did what it needed to do and extended its lead by half a tenth, with Helen Hu’s beam coming up in the next rotation.
Rotation 3: Missouri BB, Kentucky FX
Lawrence (Miz): Switch leap to spit jump, solid. Full turn, nice and controlled. Side aerial to bhs, off from the start and she falls. Front aerial, much more confident. RO 1.5 twist dismount, stuck. Did a great job minimizing deductions after the fall, but pressure is on for Missouri. 9.2
Rodriguez (UK): Rudi to punch layout to open, really nice. Switch ring to switch full, ring is nice but switch full is short of split. Double tuck, does a good job holding onto the lunge. RO 1.5 to front half to close. 9.85
Wier (Miz): Needs a hit to get Missouri back on track. Cat leap to front aerial to beat jump, keeps her arms moving through the connection. Bhs loso, solid. Quick full turn. Hitch kick, to straddle half, big wobble but stays on the beam. Cartwheel gainer full, stuck. 9.8 feels a tad high.
Procasky (UK): Kentucky has an opportunity to make up some ground here. Front lay to front full, a bit of a bouncy lunge out of it. Very similar leaps to Rodriguez, including the short split. Double tuck, jumps into the lunge. 9.825
Kelly (Miz): Front aerial to bhs, connection shouldn’t be credited but it probably will be. Switch leap, split jump, lots of height on both. Side aerial is solid. Double wolf turn, so difficult and no problems. RO 1.5 twist, stuck! What a beam debut for Kelly! 9.9
Magnelli (UK): Rudi to punch loso, so pretty! Beautiful oversplit on her leaps. Double pike, lands with her chest a little low but hides it with the lunge. 9.875
Mueller (Miz): Quick full turn. BHS loso, off but gets away with just a foot wiggle. Beat jump to straddle 3/4, very short of split. Beat jump to front toss, great. RO 1.5 twist with a hop forward. 9.875
Rizo (UK): Sky high double tuck with a great landing. Back 1.5 to punch layout, nice and controlled. I feel like this dance is begging for ever so slightly faster music. Double lay, lands with her chest down and has to take a big step back into the lunge to hide it. 9.85
Jackson (Miz): Front aerial, breaks the connection and goes back to repeat the skill. Second connection is a bit jerky and a hip check on the bhs. Side aerial is much more comfortable. Split jump to switch half, no wobbles. Full turn is nice and calm. RO 1.5, has to lean forward but holds the stick. 9.8
Killough-Wilhelm (UK): Front double full, dances out of the lunge. Switch leap to switch ring half, really good ring position. Back 1.5 to punch layout to close. 9.875
Hu (Miz): Moonwalk across the beam, iconic. Y turn, lovely. Front aerial, front aerial, just beautiful. No problems on that leap series. Scale is so controlled. Gainer pike, stuck. Could it be another 10? Alas, it is a 9.975
Davis (UK): Has to start her routine amid massive roars for Hu’s score. Opens with a huge double pike. Rudi to front full, great form on both. Double tuck, perfectly controlled lunge. 9.9
After 3: Missouri 147.775, Kentucky 147.550
Missouri showed a flicker of weakness with a leadoff fall, then shut that down with a 49.350 rotation capped off with a 9.975 from Helen Hu. Kentucky matched that score on floor, but will likely need some help from Missouri in the last rotation in order to win this meet.
Rotation 4: Missouri FX, Kentucky BB
Rodriguez (UK): Switch leap, split jump, solid. Bhs loso bhs, slight lean to the side but keeps it together. The Missouri swim team in the background is being remarkably respectful throughout this routine. Full turn is good. Side somi, great. RO 1.5 twist, stuck! 9.875
Light (Miz): Back 1.5 to front lay to open. Switch half to wolf full, lots of height and just about gets both leaps all the way around. Double pike, great landing. 9.85
Brose (UK): Standing punch front, so aggressive and confident. Front toss to bhs, no issues. Slight connection break between the switch leap and beat jump. Repeats the connection, no problem there. Full turn, a little too much juice and a small hip check. RO 1.5 twist, stuck. 9.8
Tisler (Miz): Front lay to rudi to open. Switch half to Popa, lots of height on both. Very expressive in her dance. Back 1.5 to front lay. 9.875
Lee (UK): Bhs bhs loso, just a small lean. Switch leap, straddle quarter, great height and oversplit. Kicks out of the full turn. RO 1.5, lands short and deep in the knees, and has to take a really big step back. 9.725
Horton (Miz): Huge full in to open. Having a lot of fun with her Michael Jackson music and showing so much personality throughout her dance! Punch front to double tuck with a bit of a slide on the lunge. 9.85
Procasky (UK): Front toss with a big wobble. Repeats the skill, no issues this time, and connects into a bhs. Cat leap to straddle quarter, good. Switch leap, split jump with a low back leg. Full turn is good. Front gainer pike, stuck. 9.775
Celestine (Miz): Full in, sky-high, keeps it in bounds this week. Huge leap series, goes right back into her dance. Punch front to double tuck, holds her front foot in place on the landing. 9.925
Killough-Wilhelm (UK): Front aerial, slow connection to bhs loso, no wobbles. Calm full turn. Switch leap, beat jump, solid. Side aerial to a 1.5 twist dismount, stuck! 9.9
Griffin (Miz): Big double pike, bounces a bit in the lunge. Punch front to double tuck, has to step forward into the lunge. She’s having so much fun with this routine! 9.85
Magnelli (UK): Bhs loso loso, rock solid. Switch leap, straddle quarter, gorgeous extension. Front aerial with a small adjustment. Kicks out of the full turn and a small hip check. Front gainer pike, stuck. 9.9
Moore (Miz): Double layout, I think she just kept it in bounds. Switch half to Popa, super precise with so much height. Punch front to double tuck, great landing. 9.925
FINAL: Missouri 197.200, Kentucky 196.800
Missouri went lights-out on floor to post a 197+ score for the first time this season. Kentucky couldn’t quite replicate last week’s performance, but still put together a solid meet. The battle for the fourth spot in the evening session of SECs is going to be intense for the rest of the season!
VT: Killough-Wilhelm (Kentucky), Moore (Missouri) – 9.900
UB: Celestine (Missouri) – 9.900
BB: Hu (Missouri) – 9.975
FX: Celestine (Missouri), Moore (Missouri) – 9.925
AA: Killough-Wilhelm (Kentucky) – 39.475
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Live blog by Naomi Stephenson
