Happy Friday! Tonight brings a desert rivalry as No. 32 Arizona State travels to Tucson to face No. 30 Arizona. Arizona will be looking to rebound after last week’s quad meet, where it posted a 195.000, a team total well below its season average. The Sun Devils arrive with momentum after earning a solid 195.950 on the road last week.
Arizona State enters the meet ranked just behind Arizona. The Sun Devils are led by all-arounder Kimberly Smith, who has been remarkably reliable this season with just one miss. Halle Gregoire has shown similar consistency on floor, vault, and bars, also avoiding a counted miss so far. If Arizona State hopes to come away with a road win, it will need a strong bars rotation, currently its lowest-ranked event. Fortunately, Reese Grolla has been a steady presence there and could provide a key score.
Arizona will be looking for a complete beam rotation after previous struggles on the event, which remains its lowest-ranked apparatus. Bars, meanwhile, has been a strength. The Wildcats feature reliable, high-scoring all-arounders in Sophie Derr and Abigayle Martin. Although Derr has less experience competing on all four events, she has stepped up when Arizona has needed her most. Emma Strom will also be one to watch on floor, where she has repeatedly delivered near-flawless routines.
The meet will be streamed on ESPN+, and scores can be found on Virtius.
Rotation 1: Arizona VT, Arizona State UB
LaRusso (UA): Y-full, nice amplitude and starts with a stick! 9.825
Grolla (ASU): Maloney to pak, slight leg separation. Nice HS, blind full to double tuck and takes a step back. 9.725
Derr (UA): Y-full, great open body all the way through and another stick for the Wildcats! 9.850
Gregoire (ASU): Starts with swing change to pike gienger, short HS to bail HS, another short HS, sticks her DLO! 9.775
Strom (UA): Y-full, a slight pike down and a small hop back. 9.825
Kowan (ASU): Maloney to pak with leg sep, nice HS, blind full is slightly over, double tuck, chest down and hop forward on landing. 9.675
Greever (UA): Y-full, slight pike down and medium sized hop back. 9.750
Bromley (ASU): Nice HS, Maloney to pak, slightly over on pirouette, nails her toe on pike half off! 9.825
Martin (UA): Y-full, nice height and body position, hops back. 9.775
Smith (ASU): Starting with blind half to pretty straddle jaeger, Bail to HS is slightly short, final HS is solid, DLO with a stick! 9.875
Janicke (UA): Y-full, good block off table and lands with chest up, steps back. 9.750
Kelly (ASU): Blind half to jaeger to bail, slightly below horizontal. Blind full is a little wonky, double tuck with a hop back. 9.800
Ex. Childs (UA): Y-full, low and under-rotates, steps forward. 9.500
Ex. El Mammann (ASU): They changed the view so I missed her routine.
AFTER ONE: Arizona 49.025, Arizona State 49.025
I knew this was going to be a close one! ASU is JUST behind U of A going into rotation two. Arizona was able to start their lineup with high scores and sticks while ASU had an impressive back end to their lineup. Both teams are moving to their highest ranked events so expect things to stay interesting!
Rotation 2: Arizona State VT, Arizona UB
Delay In meet, problem with the bar cables.
El Mammann (ASU): Y-full, flares her arms out and has a TINY hop back. 9.775
Puleo (UA): Nice HS, blind to piked jaeger, good bail to HS, blind full to a stuck double tuck! Great lead off! 9.850
Kelly (ASU): Y-full, nice height and distance but slight pike down, small hop back. 9.700
Smith (UA): Blind to piked jaeger, close on that catch. Bail to HS is nice, ends with DLO, lands a little sweaty and hops back. 9.750
Purler (ASU): Y-half on pike off, tiny hop forward. 9.850
Mead (UA): Blind to piked jaeger is good, pak down, pirouette, nice HS to full in dismount, tries to hold on but takes an awkward step back. 9.725
Smith (ASU): Y-full, REALLY nice extension in her body and no pike down, just a hop back. 9.825
Martin (UA): Maloney to pak, great leg form. Final HS is a little short, nice and floaty DLO to a stick! 9.850
Gregoire (ASU): Y-1.5, great height but lands a little short, shuffles feet back. 9.850
Derr (UA): Nice HS to start, blind to straddle jaeger, pak down, full twisting double tuck, lands a little staggered but gets the stick! 9.800
Braaflat (ASU): Y-1.5, bent her arms on table and goes right to a fall. 9.125
Krohnfeldt (UA): Maloney to bail HS, a little achy. Nails that final HS, sticks her DLO! 9.900
AFTER TWO: Arizona 98.175, Arizona State 98.000
Arizona proved why bars is it’s highest ranked event! Aubrey Krohnfeldt highlighted this rotation with an impressive 9.900. With no major mistakes and tons of sticks, the Wildcats extend their lead against the Sun Devils. ASU had a solid vault rotation, but were not able to capitalize with those 10.0 vaults at the end of their lineup. Arizona is heading to beam, their weakest event, so let’s see if ASU takes this as an advantage!
Rotation 3: Arizona BB, Arizona State FX
Lenczner (UA): Starting with full wolf turn, nice. BHS LOSO, floaty and solid. Split jump to double stag, back leg looks a little low. Side aerial, no problems there. Ends with a RO 1.5 and perfectly sticks that landing! 9.850
Lee (ASU): First pass is a front layout double twist, good control. Leap look a little low. RO 1.5 to front layout, second flip raises. Fun Squid Games music! Ending routine with FHS to rudi, good landing! 9.775
Krohnfeldt (UA): BHS LOSO, slight lean but covers well. Split to double stag looks good. Front toss, controlled. Full turn, tiny check. BHS to 1.5 off, sticks it! 9.825
Purler (ASU): Beginning with rudi to double stag, nice control in that jump. Going for a double pike, chest slightly low and adjusts to lunge. Final pass is a front layout to front full, mistimes an sits it down. 8.950
Janicke (UA): BHS LOSO, such pretty leg form in that. Full turn. Front toss, no issues. Split to straddle half, nice extension. Switch leap to side gainer full, another stick! 9.800
Braaflat (ASU): Pressure on the rest of the lineup. Front tuck through to double tuck, lots of power and hops back to lunge. Ending with front layout to front full, lots of power again but better control there. 9.725
Derr (UA): BHS LOSO, solid. Switch leap to straddle quarter is pretty. Running front tuck, small wobbles. Piked gainer off end, going 4 for 4 on these sticks! 9.825
Gregoire (ASU): Judges are talking about Braaflat’s score. First pass is front tuck through to double tuck, slides front foot a little. Intense music! Switch half to wolf full (?). Ending with a rudi to LOSO, nicely lands this one. 9.800
Wise (UA): BHS BHS LOSO, so clean. Beat jump to straddle half looks good. Pretty full turn. RO 1.5 to end it, ANOTHER stick for the Wildcats! 9.875
Kelly (ASU): Front double twist to front tuck, high and controlled! High energy in this one! Ends with a BEAUTIFUL 2.5 back twist, perfectly controlled! 9.850
Martin (UA): She can have fun up there with 5 amazing scores before her. Switch to double stag ring, good. BHS LOSO is pretty. Front aerial, little step out. Singing Purple Rain while doing all this. Full turn. BHS to side gainer full, FIGHTS for that stick and gets it! Not a single step in that lineup! 9.775
Smith (ASU): Double pike, great landing! Second pass is front full to front layout, dances out. Ending with a double tuck, lands with a high chest! ASU needed a hit and got it! 9.850
AFTER THREE: Arizona 147.350, Arizona State 147.000
ASU gets its third 49.000 in a row and avoids counting a fall, can’t complain about that! UA was able to put together an amazing beam rotation, avoiding falls and and steps on the landings! Arizona has slowly been increasing the lead in each rotation, but not enough to make them comfortable in the final rotation. This is still any team’s meet, both will be putting everything they have out there!
Rotation 4: Arizona State BB, Arizona FX
Grolla (ASU): HS to BHS LOSO, so beautiful and solid. Double wolf turn, smooth. Switch leap to leap. Cat leap to side aerial, leans. Cartwheel to a side gainer full, nails that landing! 9.850
Wise (UA): Starting with a punch rudi, nice landing. Switch ring to switch half, nice extension. Double wolf turn is clean. Ending with a front 1.5 to front full, wonky on that landing. 9.775
Bromley (ASU): Full turn is clean. Beat to sheep jump, slight check. BHS BHS LOSO, another check but keeps it on. Front aerial is solid. BHS 1.5, hops forward. 9.750
Carman (UA): HIGH double pike with perfect landing! Switch full to jump combo is nice. Ending routine with RO 1.5 to front layout, a little flat. 9.800
El Mammann (ASU): Over turns the full turn. Aerial to LOSO, so hard but solid. Split jump to straddle quarter is nice. Ending with RO 1.5 to a stick! 9.775
LaRusso (UA): Front double twist, good control. Really nice leap combination. Fun dance! Ends with a back 1.5 to front tuck, meant to do a layout so mistake there. 9.700
Lichtman (ASU): Starts with a BHS LOSO, solid. Check on full turn. Switch leap to straddle quarter is nice. Front aerial to beat jump, might not get that connection. RO 1.5 with a step forward to finish. 9.700
Derr (UA): Fun Hamilton music! Starts with a controlled front double twist. Switch full to jump combo, high. Round off LOSO in dance. Front layout to front full, mistimes and sits it down. 9.150
Lee (ASU): Looks confident so far. Full turn is good. BHS BHS LOSO, lean but saves it. Beat jump to sheep jump. Ending with RO 1.5, holds on and gets the stick! 9.850
Martin (UA): HiGH double pike to start off, shuffles forward on landing. Switch ring to switch full is nice. Front layout front full, flat but keeps it on her feet. Ending with a double tuck, finds that landing and keeps front foot down!
Smith (ASU): Need her to go big. Pretty full turn. BHS LOSO, nails that. Standing LOSO to split jump, slight check. Switch leap to straddle side. RO to back 1.5, hop forward. 9.775
Strom (UA): Need a hit from her! Oldies music, love it! Rudi to BIG LOSO, beautiful! Switch leap to switch half ring. Ending with a back 1.5 to front full, dances out and saves her team! 9.950
FINAL: Arizona 196.400, Arizona State 196.000
That final rotation had me on the edge of my seat! With a big score from Strom, the Wildcats come out of this meet with a victory! That was an exciting competition from start to end and both teams put on amazing performances!
VT: Sophie Derr (UA), Halle Gregoire (ASU), Lilia Purler (ASU) 9.850
UB: Aubrey Krohnfeldt (UA) 9.900
BB: Tirzah Wise (UA) 9.875
FX: Emma Strom (UA) 9.950
AA: Kimberly Smith (ASU) 39.325
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Live blog by Jenna Garcia
