Today’s blog brings us back to Denver, where the Pioneers host Oregon State, Ball State, and Texas Woman’s in a quad meet. Denver has faced some early-season struggles, but the team finally put together a complete performance last week, earning a season-high score against BYU. With the advantage of being back at home, the Pioneers will look to build on that momentum. Texas Woman’s, which competed against Denver in Arkansas a few weeks ago, will aim to carry over its success from last weekend. However, with just two days since the Metroplex meet, lineup decisions may be influenced by fatigue and the need for rest.Oregon State, meanwhile, is coming off a home win last Monday but not without challenges. Karlie Chavez went down with a vault injury and didn’t compete in the rest of the meet. Her status is unclear, so the Beavers will likely feature different lineups today. Ball State enters on a high note after posting a season-best score against Central Michigan, and another strong showing here could be key as NQS comes into play soon.
So…currently trying to make the stream work. If I miss a little of the opening because of it, I’m sorry in advance.
Rotation 1: DU vault, OSU bars, BSU beam, TWU floor
Welp, looks like I’ve missed a vault, so that’s fun.
Upton (TWU): coming in mid routine here, switch side straddle full wolf full, maybe lacked a little rotation. Double pike 2nd pass, big bounce out and fell backwards out of bounds. FLO front full to close. 9.075
Mabanta (DU): Yurchenko full, good height and distance, small hop back on the landing. 9.825
Briones (OSU): Maloney to Pak, minimal leg separation. Last handstand looks good, double layout dismount with a stick. 9.875
Ulrich (DU): FHS pike half, cleanest form it’s been all year! Had the landing then took a step out of it, so we’ll see if the judges give her a stick or not. 9.825
Zarlengo (TWU): SUPER high double tuck to open, looked like her foot could’ve gone OOB, but not for sure. Good extension in the leaps, back 1.5 to FLO, definitely got that rise between the skills. 9.650
Reidenbach (DU): Y 1.5, stuck!, Right down the center of the mat, very interesting to see what the judges do with that. 9.975, holy WOW.
McMillian (OSU): Maloney to bail to handstand, right on top of the bar. DLO with a hop back on the landing. 9.800
Casali (DU): Y 1.5, hop forward, little off center on the landing. 9.750
Sumner (BSU): side aerial to BHS series, nicely done. Front aerial was clean, switch leap to split jump looked good. RO 1.5 twist with a small step forward. 9.725
Hargraves (DU): Competitive debut after several exhibitions! Y full, nice block off the table, little off the center of the table, but got a stick on the landing. 9.850
Middleton (BSU): geez the handstand press mount to open. switch leap switch leap, maybe lacked positioning in the back leg. Cat leap to side aerial looked good, tucked front full dismount, small hop backwards. 9.775
Carey ends Oregon State’s bars rotation with a 9.900, TWU trying to drop a fall from Upton.
McMahon (BSU): opens with a wolf turn combination, switch leap switch leap, right to BHS LO LOSO series. This has a lot of difficulty pumped into it and I love it. Standing LOSO, nice unique skills! Gainer full dismount. 9.825
Hernandez (TWU): front through to double pike to open, nice extension in her leaps throughout, back 1.5 to front layout to close. TWU working hard to drop that fall in the No. 1 spot. 9.825
Syzmanski (BSU): full turn to open, BHS LOSO series, tiny balance check at the end. Switch leap, looked like she wanted to connect it, goes for switch half to split jump to beat jump. RO 1.5 to close, small step forward. 9.775
Ghanbari (TWU): she’s competing with her glasses on??? have to stan. RO double pike, nice high chest on the landing. Good toe point in switch side wolf full leaps. Front full to front tuck, was probably supposed to be a front layout. RO double tuck to close, little low on the landing. 9.625
After 1: DU 49.275, OSU 49.275, BSU 48.800, TWU 48.500
Denver and Oregon State are tied after one rotation after Denver matches its vault total from last week. Reidenbach’s 9.975 is a career high for her and the only score for the Pioneers above a 9.900. McMahon’s beam set led the Cardinals with a 9.825 while Texas Woman’s managed to drop Upton’s fall in the first spot, led by Sophie Hernandez’s 9.825.
Rotation 2: TWU vault, DU bars, OSU beam, BSU floor
Reid (TWU): Y full, bit of loose knees in the air, pike down on the landing with some movement. 9.650
Casali (DU): Maloney to bail to handstand, good position on the low bar. DLO dismount with a hop back on the landing. 9.875
Esposito (OSU): BHS LOSO series spot on, little overrotated on the full turn, RO double full with a deep knee bend, no movement of the feet. 9.850
Martinez (BSU): FLO to Rudi to open, Wolf jump to straddle, good split position. FLO to front full connection pass looked good, nice routine to open the Cardinals! 9.725
King (TWU): Y full, nice layout position in the air before the twist, hop back on the landing. 9.675
Buckner (OSU): full turn to open, little balance check out of it. BHS LOSO series looked good, split jump to stag jump, nice toe point in the air. Side aerial, nice form. BHS 1.5 dismount with a small step forward. 9.825
Isbell (TWU): Y full, some knee form in the air, small hop backwards on the landing. 9.775
Cooley (DU): Ray release, great height above the bar, bail to handstand to the low bar, final handstand is right on top of the bar, DLO dismount with a stick. Knees were a little bent so judges will likely take that. 9.925
Hoiland (TWU): Y 1.5, some bent knees in the air, but nice height off the table, step forward on the landing, little off to the side. 9.800
Hebinck (DU): Ricna to immediate Pak, the tiniest amount of leg separation, beautiful final handstand, DLO dismount with a stick! Denver feeling good on bars today! 9.900
McMillian (OSU): Ooh fun mount! Front toss to BHS swingdown, really fun combination. Switch leap right at 180, standing switch to stag jump, nice toe point in the air, gainer full dismount with a hop back. 9.850
Simms (BSU): FLO to front full, little bit of looseness in the twist on the front full with a step forward. 1.5 to straddle jump, the height of that jump was INSANE. Ball State quietly cruising on floor. 9.475
Reidenbach follows up her 9.975 on vault with an exhibition on bars.
Gonzales (OSU): Chest down on her front aerial to back tuck series. Full turn looking good. Cat leap to side aerial, slight adjustment after the aerial. Switch leap split jump, lacked a little position on the leaps. Front gainer full dismount. 9.850
Afalla (BSU): Double pike to open, slide back of the front foot on the landing. Switch side straddle full, maintains her toe point throughout. FLO to front full, some form in the air. Double tuck to close, chest low with a step forward. 9.525
Carey (OSU): Front aerial to BHS layout step out, nice movement throughout the combination. Switch leap to split jump, perfect 180 position. Gainer full dismount, I didn’t see any movement, but we’ll see what the judges do. 9.975
(also this is my plea to Denver; i would love to see the double dual format here)
After 2: DU 98.750, OSU 98.625, TWU 97.075, BSU 97.025
TWU moves into third led by Hoiland’s 9.800 on vault. Ball State struggled a bit on floor, not managing above a 9.725 score wise. Denver hits a season high on bars, while Oregon State finishes off a hit beam rotation with yet another 9.975.
Rotation 3: BSU vault, TWU bars, DU beam, OSU floor
Martinez (BSU): Yurchenko full, good position in the air, small hop back on the landing. 9.775
Cooley (DU): BHS LOSO series looked good, switch leap split jump beat jump, good flow between the skills. BHS gainer full dismount, chest was the tiniest bit low on that landing. 9.875
Miller (OSU): After a quick hiccup with the music, we’re ready to go. Double pike, good position in the air with a solid landing. Back 1.5 to FLO combo pass, solid. Nice height on the double tuck to close it out. 9.825
Mercer (BSU): Y full on pike off, good height, lacked a little distance from this angle. Hop back on the landing. 9.750
Hunt took a fall on bars for TWU. Score was a 7.925
DeVries (OSU): 1.5 to front full, little low on the landing on the front full. FHS Rudi second pass, improves on the height. Lacked some toe point on the leap series, but gets her rotation. 2.5 twist to close, nice control on the landing. 9.725
Reid (TWU): blind to straddle Jaeger, beautiful toe point, Pak salto had some form issues in the air, but stays on the bar. Full pirouette to double tuck dismount with a stick. 9.725
Pfister (BSU): FHS pike half, lots of height in the air, small step on the landing. 9.750
Hebinck takes a fall for Denver on the beam. Pressure sets the rest of the way. Score is 9.150
Thompson (DU): Split mount to open, side aerial to BHS series, nice control on the skills. Switch leap to side somi, that combination has given her troubles in the past but not today. Beat jump was pretty, Gainer pike off the end dismount with a stick. 9.875
Ferrari (TWU): blind to piked Jaeger, good form on the catch. Straddle release backwards to low bar looked great, DLO dismount with a hop back on the landing. 9.750
Mundell (DU): BHS LOSO series spot on. Leaps looked good in the air, also her toe point was spot on. Gainer pike off end dismount with a stick. Had to fight for it. 9.800
Garcia (OSU): Back 1.5 to front full, lots of height throughout. Her choreography is a lot of fun on this event! Little off on the last pass, it was supposed to be a double salto of some kind but bails out of it. 8.950
Ulrich (DU): BHS LOSO with a little lean. Having to fight through some wobbles, but is doing well so the team doesn’t have to count a fall. Sticks her dismount. Hebinck’s fall will be dropped. 9.875
Nothing irks me more when everything in gymnastics is called a “trick”. That is all.
Carey (OSU): Double double to open, slight movement of the front foot, but overall clean. Front layout front full to split jump, BEAUTIFUL extension on that leap. Her toe point throughout this routine is just….wow. Double tuck to close, very nicely controlled. Beavers will drop Garcia’s score and should keep them in contention with Denver for the top spot. 9.925
After 3: DU 148.025, OSU 147.825, TWU 145.925, BSU 145.850
Denver hits another beam rotation, which hopefully means it has put its beam woes from earlier this season behind them. A couple hiccups along the way for the other teams have given Denver a 0.200 lead heading into the final rotation, but each team is ending on an event that has been a struggle in the past. Truly, anything could happen.
Rotation 4: OSU vault, BSU bars, TWU beam, DU floor
Briones (OSU): Y full, some bent elbows off the table, good height and distance, hop in place on the landing. 9.800
Molina (BSU): Maloney to Pak salto, good form and position in the air. Good handstands throughout. DLO dismount with a step back. 9.700
Upton (TWU): BHS LOSO, having to fight through, but keeps it on the beam. Side aerial to two feet, nicely done. Front full with a stick. 9.525
Rorich (DU): Front tuck through to double tuck to open, little low and had to take a step forward on the landing. Double pike to close, some movement of the front foot on the landing. 9.650
Esposito (OSU): Y full, off center off of the table, but got the stick! 9.775
Cooley (DU): FLO Rudi to open, nice rise on the Rudi. Switch ring half to split jump, nice position on the ring in the air. BEAUTIFUL FLO at the end of her final pass. 9.800
Garcia (OSU): Y 1.5, lot of distance, small step forward on the blind landing. Good but not her best. 9.850
Hernandez (TWU): BHS LOSO, confident throughout and nails it. Switch half beat jump, lacked some split in the air on the switch. 1.5 twist with a step forward. 9.550
Thompson (OSU): Y full, some form in the air, step back on the landing. Oregon State not finding the landings they need to possibly take the lead. 9.775
Mabanta (DU): Very nice first pass! Good tight legs in the twist. Switch ring half to split jump, kept her toe point throughout. Back 1.5 to front layout, looked a little wild out of it, but got the landing. 9.875
Carey (OSU): Y 1.5, best height and distance of the lineup, smallest step forward on the landing. 9.925
Oregon State ends with a 196.950. As long as Denver keeps hitting floor, it should take the win here.
Bellan (BSU): Maloney to bail to handstand, nice handstand position on the low bar. DLO dismount with a sizable hop backwards on the landing. 9.775
Brusch (DU): Double pike to open, very nice control on the landing. The height and extension on her leaps has definitely improved over previous years. Front tuck through to double tuck, overrotated but kept it on on her feet. 9.750
Isbell (TWU): Goes for the triple series, has to put down hands down on the beam. Likely drop score coming, RO 1.5 dismount, nice comeback. 9.450
Szymanski (BSU): beautiful first handstand, blind change to Geinger to overshoot, very nicely done. Overcooks the last handstand, full pirouette to double tuck dismount with a step back. 9.875
Brkljacic (TWU): full turn to open, nice control. BHS LOSO, lifts her front foot ever so slightly, but stays on. Switch leap switch leap, WOW, I usually hate that combination, but she might just make me like it again. Front toss to beat jump, little rushed but makes her connection. BHS gainer full, nice high chest with a stick. 9.850
Ulrich (DU): Goes for the double layout, bit of a low chest on that landing. switch side straddle full leaps looked good (the angles weren’t my friend there), back 1.5 to front layout, lots of control. Double pike to close, should secure the win for DU. 9.875
Hoiland (TWU): okkkkkk flexibility queen. Front aerial to BHS series, nicely done. cat leap side aerial, bit of a balance check after the aerial. Another balance check on the switch side, gainer full dismount. 9.650
FINAL: DU 197.125, OSU 196.950, BSU 194.950, TWU 194.200
Ball State finishes in third after Texas Woman’s struggles a bit on beam. Denver was able to drop a 9.650 from Rorich to give them the 197 and the win at home. Even with Chavez, Oregon State was able to make a run and get a nice road score to help it with its NQS. That was fun, now it’s time to ice my hands. Quads are hard, y’all.
VT: Reidenbach (DU) – 9.975
UB: Cooley (DU) – 9.925
BB: Carey (OSU) – 9.975
FX: Carey (OSU) – 9.925
AA: Carey (OSU) – 39.725
READ THIS NEXT: Judge’s Inquiry: Good vs. Great vs. Excellent Front Handspring Pike Half Vaults
Live blog by Savanna Wellman
