Western Michigan has been a definite loser of the pre-regionals discourse. Rather than celebrating that the Broncos qualified to regionals for the first time in almost four decades (really!), we’ve spent most of our time bemoaning the incredible screwedness of its opponent. We weren’t wrong to do so: There’s no comprehensible rationale for forcing the Wolfpack to compete in a play-in regional.
Still, North Carolina State is a heavy favorite in this meet. The Wolfpack’s season high and average scores are almost a full point higher than the Broncos’ while the NQS differential is around half a point. That’s enough to make this an extremely uphill battle for Western Michigan, but the Broncos will undoubtedly have a great time just getting this far. And if there are falls, anything could happen.
Rotation 1: N.C. State VT, Western Michigan UB
There are two scores in the live score already but I’ve been here since 3 and didn’t see routines?? Anyway, there’s also no audio.
Jordan (NCSU): Twisting on and a bit pikey in a FTY, hop. 9.625
Petrousek (WMU): Toe on to Maloney, major leg separation, toe on to bail with minor leg separation on the catch. Not emphatic on the cast handstand positions, blind full double pike stuck-ish. 9.775
Benson (NCSU): Yurchenko half on, tuck off high and pretty with a little hop. I think that’s a 9.9 SV. 9.8
Shepard (NCSU): Solid FTY, baby hop.
Murphy (WMU): Hop change to half to Deltchev, too far and falls. Tishkoff apparently fell in the phantom lead off routine, so the Broncos have problems now. Back on for a Rudi dismount.
Negrete (NCSU): High and pretty FTY with a small scoot back. 9.825
Hunter (NCSU): Yurchenko half with big leg separation and a hop. 9.6
Moravansky (WMU): Blind to Jaeger to overshoot, clean, a substantially more serious routine than we’ve seen thus far. Stuck-ish on her toes, step forward to salute.
Olivier (WMU): Missed first handstand, half turn to Gienger with leg separation, solid bail, missed the cast handstand again, blind full double back and reaches forward to hold.
Harrison (WMU): Jaeger to overshoot, big amplitude but sort of loose body positions, swinging very quickly. FTDLO!! with a hop. 9.875
After 1: NCSU 48.775, WMU 48.400
It’s been awhile since the Broncos put together a clean bars rotation and they continued that form today, counting a fall early on the rotation. N.C. State was nothing special either, but vault is never a strong event for the Pack.
Rotation 2: WMU VT, NCSU UB
Jordan (NCSU): Tkachev, solid Pak, half turn with major back arch. Missed a cast handstand, pretty double layout with a hop. 9.825
Harrison (WMU): Slight pike throughout on FTY but major amplitude, hop back. 9.725
Nelson?(NCSU): Tkachev, a bit of knees going in, toe on to bail to toe hecht. Blind full double back with a small hop.
Thomas (WMU): Piked and feet throughout on her FTY, hop in place.
Moravansky (WMU): FTY with a huge hop back.
I missed a NCSU bars routine 🙁 It’s so hard to track what’s going on with no audio.
Murphy (WMU): FTY with major foot issues.
I’m so sorry Western Michigan, I have absolutely no way to ID your vault people and these might all be wrong.
Robinson (NCSU): Blind to Jaeger, pretty, amazing form on Pak. Half turn, blind full double back. 9.825
Cox (NCSU): Great first handstand, Tkachev, bail to toe hecht. Gorgeous double lay with a step back.
Shepard (NCSU): Blind, great turnover on her Jaeger, fantastic Pak. The form on these Paks is absurd for NCAA. FTDB with a little hop.
After 2: NCSU 98.100, WMU 97.050
The Pack kicked into high gear here with a 49.325 on bars that ranks fourth in program history. Western Michigan was fine on bars but nothing special and the lack of polish is allowing N.C. State to run away with this… as it arguably should.
Rotation 3: NCSU BB, WMU FX
Nelson (NCSU): Switch switch side. There was an acro series somewhere in there, I’m still getting acclimated to the split screen clearly. Side aerial back full stuck-ish. 9.775
Moravansky (WMU): Double pike underrotated, step forward. Good double back. Front lay front full a bit whippy.
Foland (NCSU): Kickover front, swims and falls. Switch split, good positions even from an end-on angle, kickover front BHS BHS tentative but got there. BHS one and a half twist. 8.875
Petrousek (WMU): Double back, great. Good combo pass, major issues on the switch half wolf full, never made the wolf position. 9.8
Harrison (WMU): Double back, shifts the front foot. Front lay front full, pretty twisting with her arms over her head. Switch side Popa, strong positions. Double pike almost goes OOB but she kept her heel up and saved it.
Shepard (NCSU): Got iced while the judges (probably) tried to figure out whether to credit Foland’s acro series. L turn, switch straddle quarter is so lovely. It’s the little things, you know. BHS LOSO emphatic. Side aerial. Beat split 1/2. Side aerial back full. Stone cold. 9.85
Binstock (WMU): Rudi back full WOW. Solid rotation on leaps, double pike with chest low and big step forward. 9.825
Cox (NCSU): BHS LOSO, tentative but gets the back foot onto the beam. Switch tuck 3/4. Another leap I missed, gainer full off the side stuck. 9.7
Murphy (WMU): Round off direct to double back, bit bouncy. Rudi to straddle is lovely. Her performance quality is a tangible upgrade over the last ones. I don’t know how she rotated that double pike but we did. 9.9 well deserved.
Ludwig (WMU): Front through double back, fantastic control. switch half split full wolf full with major split issues. Double pike. 9.85
Negrete (NCSU): Front aerial BHS, nice and easy. Switch switch half. Using her arms aggressively to control. Double full stuck. Fantastic. 9.85
Webb (NCSU): BHS LOSO, very secure, front aerial tentative, popped a hip to keep it in line, double full dismount stuck. Fall = dropped, Wolfpack = in business.
After 3: N.C. State 147.125, Western Michigan 146.225
The Broncos made up some ground after a great floor rotation while N.C. State was just okay on beam, but this is still firmly in the Pack’s hands with a good event to go.
Rotation 4: WMU BB, NCSU FX
Binstock (WMU): BHS LOSO, grabs the beam and falls. Major check on the full turn. Switch half. One and a half twist with soft knees.
Jordan (NCSU): Overpowered front double full, one and a half front lay. Tour jete half split full. Super dramatic music and I’m a huge sucker for that sort of thing. L turn, Rudi with a bit of extra bounce. 9.85
Petrousek (WMU): Wolf turn, awkward, BHS LOSO with a lean and mediocre extension. Hitch kick side aerial beat. Sissone to tuck jump full, side aerial back full stuck. Good recovery. Conference on her score, not sure what’s up.
Cox (NCSU): Rudi, just about keeps the front foot down. Tour jete half Popa, iffy position on the wolf 3/2 jump, front lay front full front pike pretty. 9.775
Thomas (WMU): Kickover front, split split half. I think that was a side aerial back full dismount? Could be wrong. 9.85
Benson (NCSU): Round off double pike. This meet is not big on BHS, is it. Huge switch side Popa with flexed feet. One and a half front pike. Popa wolf full underrotated and awkward. Double back. 9.8
Nelson (NCSU): Two and a half twist! Double pike, chest slightly low. One and a half front pike.
Moravansky (WMU): BHS LOSO, touch of knees but landed very well. Side somi, check. I think that was a standing LOSO to pike jump? BHS one and a half twist chaotic and way out to one side, cross step.
Tishkoff (WMU): BHS and the beam stream cut to black! It’s going great, kids. Side aerial, side aerial back full. Lotta sideways travel in the Western Michigan beam dismounts.
Shepard (NCSU): Great double pike, tour jete half split full. Bigger step on the front lay front full but great control. Fantastic double back. 9.9 is good for a 39.500 in the AA, good for her!
Murphy (WMU): Pike kickover front, gorgeous, full turn. BHS LOSO solid.
Negrete (NCSU): Again with the high drama music. Double pike, great rotation on the leaps, front full front lay, switch half split full. Lots of double leap series for the Pack. Baby hop back on the double back, she tried to stick it.
FINAL: N.C. State 196.425, Western Michigan 195.075
Wow. Bittersweet for the Pack: This is a phenomenal score and one that could absolutely put Illinois in danger tomorrow… if it’s repeatable on consecutive days. But that’s a big, big ask and if N.C. State ends up peaking here and then fatigue holds it back tomorrow, it would be a disappointing way to end the season. Today was really incredible, though.
VT: Emily Shepard (NCSU) 9.850
UB: Katelyn Cox, Emily Shepard (NCSU) 9.900
BB: idk the scores won’t update
FX: Chloe Negrete (NCSU) 9.925
AA: Emily Shepard (NCSU) 39.500
Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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