Friday Live Blog – January 31, 2020

Friday, January 31
Scores Stream
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT – [2] Florida @ [12] Kentucky LINK SEC+
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT – [14] Arkansas @ [20] Missouri LINK SECN
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT – Rutgers @ Penn State LINK BTN+
FLO
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT – [24] West Virginia, Pittsburgh, William & Mary @ George Washington LINK FREE
7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT – Bridgeport, Ursinus @ Temple LINK FREE
7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT – Illinois State @ SEMO LINK ESPN+
7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT – Gustavus Adolphus, UW-Eau Claire @ UW-La Crosse   FREE
8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT – [16] Iowa State @ [1] Oklahoma LINK FSOK+
8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT – [7] Alabama @ [6] LSU LINK SECN
9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT – [15] BYU @ Boise State LINK FREE
9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT – Utah State @ [23] Southern Utah LINK FREE
10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT – [11] Washington @ [3] UCLA LINK P12N
10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT – UC Davis @ San Jose State LINK FREE
10:00pm ET/7:00pm PT – Sacramento State, Alaska @ Seattle Pacific LINK FREE

All 14 of today’s meets will have a live broadcast of some description. Sure beats those Friday live blogs from 2012 when there were no streams of any meets.

The first SECN meet is Arkansas/Missouri, but Florida and Kentucky is the showcase of the early action, so I’ll focus a little bit more on that one. Then we have Alabama/LSU, followed by UCLA/Washington in the tag-conference tripleheader.

In unrelated news, I have Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” stuck in my head. It’s been all day, and it’s becoming a problem.

I like that the Missouri live scores already have Jessica Yamzon with 9.750 on vault. I know it’s just a test score, but also…you know that’s what she’s scoring because she always does. They’re just like, “This is a given.”

“Undefeatedness.” That sounds like a word I would invent.

Rotation 1

Missouri/Arkansas starting first. Kentucky/Florida still finishing warmups.

Schreiber – VT – Missouri – improving the control on that landing – full, pace back, a little piking, not the most distance.

Yamzon – UB – Arkansas – clear hip, a bit of shape, tkatchev, hit – nice next cast, bail, small leg break – shortish final cast hs – DLO 1/1 dismount step back. Solid.

Kentucky/Florida has started. Step back for Worley on her opening Yfull, good. 9.800

Richards – UB – Florida – maloney with leg break, bail, ends in handstand, a little floppy in the air – strong fincal cast hs – DLO, leg straddle, small slide back. 9.800

Warren – VT – Kentucky – nice height on her full, solid position, another step back, medium size. 9.800

Gowey – UB – Florida – good first hs – Ray, solid – casts look ssmooth – toe on – pak, small leg break but clean line – 1/2 turn on low – hits final cast – nice hs in this one – DLO, small hop back. Good. 9.850

Angeny – VT – Kentucky – a smaller hop back on her full than the steps from the first two. Solid. 9.825

Meanwhile at Arkansas/Missouri, Garner hits her Gienger this week with no trouble, large lunge back on dismount though.

Hundley – UB – Florida – good first hs – maloney to pak, usual little leg break – also solid handstands – hits VL, short final cast hs – FTDT, stuck landing. Another solid showing. 9.875

Nixon – VT – Kentucky – nice distance on her full, small slide back – some knee position –

Skaggs – UB – Florida – good first hs – tkatchev to pak, some feet in tkatchev, otherwise solid – rushes a bit on the cast 1/2 on low and final cast on high – pretty DLO, bounce back. 9.825

(Missouri – Morgan Porter hit Y1.5 – shor with a bounce back)

Patterson – VT – Kentucky – front pike 1/2, starting to control that landing a little bit more, still a lunge back but not that huge bounce.

“Trinity Thompson.” FIRED.

Thomas – UB – maloney to clear hip, solid – pak, very high, nearly gets away from her – van leeuwen, good – strong final cast hs – DLO, beautiful in the air, not quite stuck. 9.925

Korth – Vt – kentucky – her usual strong Y1.5, though this time with a hop forward – 9.875

Schoenherr – UB – Florida – good first hs – toe 1/2 to jaeger, excellent, nearly overbalances her cast on high but holds it – bail – same on final cast, nearly overdoes it, small quiver in the back – double front 1/2 out, stuck. Another good one for her. 9.900

So here’s what we know. Florida goes 49.375 to Kentucky’s 49.175. It’s not the height of the 198 kind of scoring for Florida, but I thought this was pretty realistically evaluated. And also not quite to the level of last week’s bars rotation.

Elsewhere, we have Missouri 49.175 to Arkansas at 48.850. Arkansas was fine on bars, but I saw a lot of short final casts, which hurt a bit.

Also we had a Ytuck full to face in the exhibition spot for Kentucky.

Rotation 2

Chris Brooks is Baywatch running to the vault

Yamzon – VT – Arkansas – full, step back, a bit of chest down, normal, good. 9.675. What? Not my 9.750? What do I do with that?

Tucker – UB – Missouri – blind change with a little leg break into piked jaeger, solid – short on bail handstand position – some hs deductions – giant full to double tuck, step forward. 9.650

Gianfagna – VT – Arkansas – full, a large bounce back, though she had more distance and chest position than Yamzon to balance it out. 9.650.

Skaggs – VT – Florida – lovely full from her to start the lineup – opens up in the air, great form – strong landing. 9.900

We have a fall in the second position from Missouri on bars

Angeny – Ub – kentucky – nice high jaeger into overshoot – a short cast on high – giant full, a bit late to DLO, step back. 9.725

Alexander – VT – Florida – her usual vault pretty much – big height and distance, step back, not too large. “I like both Megan.” …? Me neither. 9.800

Worley – UB – Kentucky – good first hs – clear hip to tkatchev, not the highest but fine – pak, leg separation – rushed 1/2 turn on low bar – gets up to vertical on final cast (a little back position on these) – FTDT, step back. Fine.

Baumann – VT – Florida – hits her Y1.5 a fairly out of control landing with a bounce forward – leg break on the block – semi-Pasekaing.

Nixon – UB – UK – nice legs together position on Maloney into bail – huge FTDT, saves the stuck landing with a single swim.

Schoenherr – VT – Florida – nice and high on her Y1.5 – pretty solid position, just a little soft – small hop forward. Good.

Luksik – UB – Kentucky – short first cast handstand – toe 1/2 to piked jaeger, good – a bit of a fake stick on her DLO with a slide to salute, not quite as crisp in the handstand positions as last week.

Sheremeta has to pull back a handstand for Missouri on a routine that will have to count, good save

Thomas – VT – Florida – a good hit – mostly the Trinity 1.5 – a hop forward, lovely in the air – not one of her huger hops though. 9.900 every vault is a 9.900

Warren – UB – kentucky – slides through blind change position pretty jaeger – clear hip to bail, hits vertical there – short final cast hs – DLO, bounce back

Richards – VT – Florida – most control so far in the lineup – nearly sticks her 1.5 – small hop adjustment – a little more legs than Thomas though. 9.925 again.

Korth – UB – Kentucky – a bit short on first hs – piked jaeger, nice – hit bail – DLO 1/1, small hop forward this time.

Helen Hu having a nightmare on bars, which means Missouri will have to count a fall again.

Florida goes 49.475 on vault to Kentucky’s 49.100 on bars. A good rotation for Florida. I took no issue on the 9.900 for Skaggs, a couple of the Y1.5 scores got a little high for me with those landings, but no one died or had a huge lunge this week. They’ll be pleased with getting 49.475 without Reed, who has been getting the best landings so far this year for them.

A few of those Kentucky routines were a little rushed, not really showing the handstand positions, which were the major deductions there, but they got through with another score over 49.

Trouble at Arkansas/Missouri. Arkansas went 48.800 on vault after a large-bounce-back fest on the Yfulls (and even Shaffer had a large lunge forward today so couldn’t save the score), but Missouri went 48.175 after a two-miss routine from Helen Hu meant they had to count a fall from Christensen earlier in the lineup.

Also Jazzy Foberg went in exhibition on vault for Florida and hit a full, so that’s an important progress point. It’s testament to Florida’s depth that we haven’t really noticed the lack of Foberg this season.

Rotation 3

Worley – BB – Kentucky – large break on her aerial but almost turned it into scale as a cover – hits loso series – kickover to beat, secure – 1.5, holds the stick with a lean. 9.775

Schreiber a hit beam for Missouri to start, lean to the side on loso series

Richards – FX – Florida – big DLO but looks like she stepped back OOB, not a huge step but she was close to the corner – a little under-rotated on her dance series – front tuck through to double tuck, a little over but hops to present cover – 9.775. Looks like they didn’t take the OOB which is cool.

Warren – BB – kentucky – side aerial to bhs series, a lean to the side correction – switch to straddle 1/4, small check – 1.5, deep with a hop forward. 9.725

“Ladderboard.”

We have a fall on beam in the second for Missouri again, no on beam.

Gowey – FX – Florida – rudi to stag jump, pretty rudi, traveling in the stag – switch 1/2 to wolf full, not quite there on the switch – double tuck, secure landing.

Poland – BB – kentucky – bhs bhs loso, solidly done – aerial, secure – switch to straddle 1/4, great height in straddle 1/4, switch with a bit of back leg – gainer tuck full, tries to sell the stick, hop forward. 9.850

Johnson-Scahrf – FX – Florida – hits her double arabian, step forward but not too large – 1.5 to layout, clean layout position, seld dance out – Florida has used the straddle 1/2 shushunova well this season because it’s not getting deducted for landing position and they can all hit a straddle jump – double tuck, good control. Nice one. 9.875

Patterson – BB – kentucky – bhs loso series, hit, some tight hip position – aerial, pretty in the air, leg-up check, no connection if she was intending one – switch switch to split jump – 1.5 dismount, step forward

9.925 for Hambrick on floor for Arkansas.

Baumann – FX – Florida – double tuck, comfortable – 1.5 to front full, good height, also looked a litlte more extended this week, could be the difference in angle – double pike, right under control. 9.925

Missouri is counting a fall on beam as well now.

Korth – BB – Kentucky – hits her loso series, brings arms down to avoid a check – switch to loso and falls –

Shaffer for Arkansas was bouncy in a few landings, leaps and passes, but such lovely leap positions in the air, just travels around in the landings. 9.875 a bit high

Thomas – FX – Florida – DLO, very strong as always, and controlled landing – front full to layout to sissone, layout to sissone was perfection – split leap full to popa – double pike, pretty, front foot comes up in a small slide back. 9.950

Angeny – BB – kentucky – bhs loso, secure, smooth – aerial with a check, no combination – switch to sheep, hit – side aerial to tuck full, stuck. one significant check, otherwise great. 9.825. Saves the 49 for Kentucky.

Bailey Lovett lovvvvveeely for Arkansas on floor, well controlled DLO and great movement style. Slide on final pass.

Hundley – FX – Florida – whip to double tuck, keeps front foot down – double pike, same – back 1.5 to layout, a bit soft, but also secure. There are some overall deductions like soft knees and amplitude, but she avoided non-built-in deductions here. 9.850

Carter – FX – Arkansas – hits double back, large present backward but kept the front foot down – back 1.5 to front full, solid landing, some knees – switch 1/2 to split jump full, lovely feet working into the series (just call me Kathy) as well as positions in the air – double pike, controlled landing, chest down. 9.875

Florida has a full point lead on Kentucky. 148.300 to 147.300. Florida cruising, Kentucky on track for a fairly solid 196 as long as floor goes well.

Arkansas got a huge 49.400 on floor, which restores 196 pace. Missouri is counting a fall on beam as well as on bars now, so this is already a drop-score, pretend-this-meet-didn’t-happen moment.

Rotation 4

Yamzon – BB – Arkansas – cat to leap switch side 1/4, efficient – bhs loso series, securely done – dances out her full turn a little – kickover to beat, leans on kickover and keeps it working in combination to the beat, but a clear lean correction.

Florida/Kentucky starting final rotation.

Meanwhile Webb just got 9.975 on vault for Oklahoma.

Hundley – BB – Florida – aerial with a lean correction, no combo – bhs loso series, another check – beat to switch side, hit – switch to split, not the highest – 1.5, stuck as usual, though not one of her solid ones. 9.775.

Monfredi – FX – Kentucky – front through to double tuck with a slide back – switch side to popa to wolf full, hitting her positions, a tad out of control – double pike, low chest, secure landing. 9.800

49.600 for Oklahoma on vault with a 9.975 and three 9.925s. Iowa State also with a big number going on bars. Ends up 49.325.

Johnson-Scarf – BB – Florida – punch front, securely done – bhs loso, no trouble – switch 1/2, small check -handstand to bhs to full, stuck. Really nice. I’d say some rhythm and one check to take. Not a lot. 9.900

Patterson – FX – Kentucky – back 1.5 to front tuck, CRAZY high on her back 1.5 and couldn’t punch the front, totally horizontal and tucked and just did get it to her feet – 9.625

Richards – BB – Florida – check on full turn – bhs loso loso, solidly done – switch with a pause before straddle jump, questionable – side aerial to full, small hop. 9.900 is a bit high for me

Poland – FX – Kentucky – front tuck to rudi, a little flat today with a slide back but nothing large – out of control on front 2/1, lunge-bounce to the side

Baumann – BB – Florida – switch to split, small adjustment before split, probably not enough to matter – bhs loso, smoothly done – switch 1/2 with a small check, good save – side aerial, solid – 1.5, short with a small step back. 9.900, again with a couple checks and a step back, I don’t see it.

Carter with a lovely beam for Arkansas. They’re stuck in the 9.7s here before this but hitting.

Worley – FX – Kentucky – full in, secure landing, front foot under control – switch ring to switch side, not bad at all – double pike, secure landing there as well

Derrick is back for Arkansas in the final spot on beam. Check on series

Gowey – BB – Florida – switch to split with an oddly large wobble, leg swings up – three series, small lean adjustment – aerial to sissone – gainer full, stuck.

Warren – FX – Kentucky – front 2/1, basically around, small crossover step, lovely form – switch side to popa, a little indistinct in landing position – rudi to loso, small landing adjustment again – front full front lay, short with a step. 9.900 is kind of high as well.

Arkansas is done with a 196.025. Missouri ends up with 195.025.

Thomas – BB – Florida – switch to split leap, a little rushed through that, not quite as precise as usual – full turn, fine – one-arm bhs to loso, perfect – aerial to beat to loso, hit – side aerial to full, hops heels together. But you know, 9.950.

Korth – FX – Kentucky – full in, chest down, controls the step to the side pretty well – good leap combination – rudi to loso, well done – double pike, also chest down but good control

A casual 197.800 for Florida. Kentucky finishes 196.600.

And now it’s time for Alabama/LSU.

Rotation 1

Rivers – VT – huge full, doesn’t get the stuck landing this week with a bounce back – just a bit of feet, not much else to take. A viable low 9.8 for me. 9.800

Also Degouveia just went 9.975 on bars

Dickson – UB – Alabama – bail, just a small quiver of legs apart – toe on to huge tkatchev, great toes and counter – solid final cast – FTDT, small hop back. 9.825

Nibbs – VT – LSU – in for Edwards, but also no Edney in the lineup today – improved since the last time we saw her – good power – lunge back, but fine. 9.775

Graber – UB – Alabama – her gienger with that bit of leg break at the end – very clean leg position in the bail – close final cast hs, maybe a little short – looks like she holds onto the stick on her FTDT, a good one. 9.875

Rau – VT – LSU – creazyyyyyyy landing on her Y1.5 – giant lunges forward and out of the state. They solved the issue of her short landing, but this will be a lower score because it was so out of control. 9.575

Gaskins – UB – Alabama – maloney, good legs together – swings into pak with a small leg break – short final cast hs – DLO, nearly finds the stick, small slide. 9.825

Harrold – VT – LSU – nooooooo, sits down her 1.5. The highs and lows. Just a bit too short to find the stick this week. 9.225

Givens – UB – Alabama – rushes first hs a little – jaeger, beautifyl toe point – cast on high, nearly too good, small quiver to hold it – bail is clean – cast, rushed a couple of them today – DLO, stuck. Still good. Not as strong as last week. 9.850

Johnson – VT – LSU – nearly found the stick on her DTY, hop back – solid leg form from the side angle especially. 9.950

Mahoney – UB – Alabama – toe on to bail, some hip angle on bail – short final cast hs – great tkatchev – another slightly short cast – FTDT, small step. Still goes 9.875, so watch out.

D’Antonio – VT – LSU – hits a full, but a large bounce back on a vault that will have to count. 9.650.

Doggette – UB – Alabama – tkatchev to pak, gorgeous – 1/2 turn on low and pretty solid position – short final cast hs again – DLO, bounce back. 9.875

Alabama 49.300, LSU 48.750

Woof. It was never going to be an all-time LSU vault rotation because of not having Edwards or Edney in there (and won’t be considered representative for that reason), but I don’t think they thought it would be that rough. Alabama was good on bars, not quite as strong as last week, had some final cast hs issues, but also went 49.300 and leads by a fall.

Also Rutgers just did a top-5 score ever for them with 195.700 in losing to Penn State’s 196.375

Shchennikova is in the original bars lineup. Edney is in on beam it looks like.

Rotation 2

Mahoney – VT – Alabama – very solid full – only small movement on landing – clean position, a bit of direction. 9.850

Johnson – UB – LSU – good first hs – maloney, some legs into bail, loose back catching bail but solid vertical – short cast on high – toe on to DLO, small slide back. Some handstands, some positions, a fine hit. 9.875. I had 9.800

Blanco – VT – Alabama – another clean full in the air – good layout position and has the direction, a large bounce back though. 9.800

Dean – UB – LSU – Ray, a little position in the air but hit – bail, hand adjustment but fine – well short on final cast – DLO, the crazy-form is back, legs apart and bent – bounce back. 9.775

Dickson – VT – Alabama – full, good power, nice to see her in the lineup finally again – not the most distance and a bounce-stagger back. Remember when she had a DTY in elite? 9.725

Rivers – Ub – LSU – toe on to maloney, some legs into a pretty clena bail – small arch on cast – hits tkatchev – short hs afterward – DLO, bounce back. 9.800

Vault scores today have been pretty realistic. Bars scores verrry high.

Burgess – VT – Alabama – drops down into her landing on the full with helps her control the hop, small one – not the distance that others have, so will be a deduction there. 9.825

Durante – UB – LSU – blind to jaeger, nice and high – pak, some legs – a little short on cast 1/2 on low – borderline final cast but closer – FTDT, fake-stick but good. Best of the lineup so far, some things. 9.875

Olsen – VT – Alabama – bounce back on her DTY and then another step back to salute – not quite her strongest so can’t get the difficulty forgiveness because there’s a lot to take on landing.

Shchennikova – Ub – LSU – here we go – maloney with some legs – into tkathev to pak, hit – rushes cast 1/2 on low – has some short hs – DLO, whips it around like crazy but kind of shows the stick. Important for her to get the hit there. Interested to see what the judges do because you can still take this into the 9.700 zone on form. 9.800.

Graber – VT – Alabama – hits her Y1.5 but with a large lunge forward today. 9.825 is high. Vault learning from bars?

They’re talking about how the 10.0 starts haven’t paid off. Because Kiya Johnson doesn’t exist?

Harrold – UB – LSU – Zuchold, small loose back – toe 1/2 to jaeger, very good – hop change to double front, small step. Not as clean as her 9.975, step on landing, handstands. 9.900

LSU goes 49.250 on bars to get back to exactly on 196 pace. Alabama 49.025 on vault, which is OK but the landings weren’t there on the important vaults.

After 2: Alabama 98.325, LSU 98.000

Looks like Maggie fell on beam. A rare sight. Oklahoma still had five hits, but they’ll go a lowly peasant 49.325 in that beam rotation.

Desiderio – LSU – BB – literally mummified for this routine? – bhs loso series, solid – full turn, check – switch to switch 1/2 to beat, struggles to get up there on the switch 1/2, not surprising with that wrap – aerial to sissone – cat leap to gainer full, held the stick. Well she did the thing despite being a mummy. 9.825 is pretty high though. Mummy forgiveness is new to the code.

Mahoney – FX – Alabama – double tuck, nicely done, drops right into it – back 1/5 to front lay, some legs, arches around the lay – double pike, kind of crazy on the landing, a lunge and another control side step that also almost took her OOB. 9.750

Dean – BB – LSU – full turn, small hesitation – side aerial to bhs, small step, the usual knees – switch to straddle jump 1/4 with a check – aerial to split, more secure – side aerial to full, stuck. 9.825

James – FX – Alabama – full-in is big, but she took it right to the edge so her lunge back went well OOB – switch 1/2 to wolf jump full, good rise into wolf jump but the switch is short – lay to punch rudi is strong. 9.700

Durante – BB – LSU – aerial to split, nicely done, pretty split position – bhs loso series, good extension, secure landing – switch to straddle 1/4, little arm wave adjustment – side aerial to full, small hop in place. 9.850. Not enough separation with the Dean score. 9.850 seems accurate here for this in a vacuum though.

Olsen – FX – Alabama – double double, nailed the landing today, very good. (Why is Olsen in particular more suited than the others for performing in front of a crowd? Alabama meets get bigger crowds than Canadian domestic competitions and worlds is basically equivalent) front tuck through to double tuck, got it around, small adjustment, hit her leaps, one of her better floor routines. 9.850

Edney – BB – LSU – she’s in on beam – aerial, a bit of an arm wave pause before sissone – bhs loso series, hit – switch to straddle 1/4, back leg on switch – kickover front, small lean correction – 1.5, small adjustment on salute. Not her very strongest, but came in for a score they needed. 9.875. I had 9.800.

Desch – FX – Alabama – double pike, good control, front foot kept down – high 1.5 to 1/2 to split jump to front tuck, pops out intentionally but it always looks like a lack of control – a little out of control in leap landing – double tuck, solid, smallest movement, nearly imperceptible. 9.875

Johnson – BB – LSU – full turn, good – bhs loso with a lean correction, bend at the hips – switch to switch 1/2, super high, so high she kind of shuddered landing it – aerial is clean – 2/1, short landing with a step forward. Fine. OK. Not her strongest with two possible full-tenth issues, the check and the dismount. 9.800

Doggette – FX – Alabama – split jump, high, good position – pike full in, small hop back, legs slightly apart but not too bad as far as piked full ins go – switch 1/2 to popa, a little bouncy on landing – front tuck through to double back, very good landing, small movement. I actually agree with Bridget about these landings, they could be deduction-free with lunges, but they’re doing these little hops back. 9.950 is wayyyy high for those landings.

Campbell – BB – LSU – bhs loso, smoothly done – check on full turn – aerial with a pause into sissone, that should be a broken connection, no way you give that credit – good back leg on switch to switch 1/2 as always – 2/1, good control on landing. 9.875

Graber – FX – Alabama – huge full-in, slide back on landing again – switch side through to wolf jump 1.5 as her passage, really nice positions – front tuck through to double pike, chest down with a bit of a hop to control it. 9.900

After 3: Alabama 147.650, LSU 147.250

LSU fine on beam, a little checkier than they’d like, but this is already not going to be a 197, which basically means it’s a throwaway score. Alabama got 49.325 on floor, there were some good moments, though I also thought it was fairly softly scored. Will be interesting to watch once LSU gets there.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma has been a bit in 9.8 town on floor as well, so it doesn’t look like this will be a 198 after all. Iowa State counting a miss on beam to take away what would have been a big number for them.

Question: Why is the Sarah Finnegan bobblehead obviously a dude?

Rotation 4

Gaskins – BB – Alabama – very quickly through handstand position on candle mount, not quite the size of the issue from Isa last week but mostly there – side aerial to beat, solid – full turn, a bit tentative but OK – struggles on a split jump 1/4 attempt, not to positions – loso series, hit, knees deductions – switch to split to straddle, nice positions on those split elements – aginer full, struggles again with a lunge forward. 9.750

Harrold – FX – LSU – front 2/1, keeps that lunge forward out of it in bounds – double pike, a lunge – nice switch 1/2 position – back 1.5 to a very clean layout. 9.850 –

Klopfer – BB – Alabama – hits her wolf turn, a little tentative – aerial to bhs, hit – balance check on jumo – cast leap to side aerial, smoothly done – back 1.5, lunge forward. 9.800

Webb misses on floor in the final spot for Oklahoma and no Nichols on floor today, so Oklahoma goes 197.600 after that huge start in the first two rotations.

Gunter – FX – LSU – big save on her double arabian because she was short and easily could have slipped, still a slippy correction step but not a fall – switch side to popa, not there in the popa position – double tuck, short landing, chest forward, hop. 9.800 is pretty high for that.

Burgess – BB – Alabama – slow but fine – one-arm bhs to loso, large leg-up wobble – cat to switch side, another leg-up wobble – switch – side aerial to full, step back. 9.800, also way high for those two mistakes, these scores are just made up now.

Dean – FX – LSU – double pike, efficient position, slide back – back tuck 1.5 to layout, if the 1.5 was intended layout it wasn’t, lunge forward – pulls around her splits – double tuck, deep landing in the knees, step forward. She’s a backup routine, but she got through it. But I’m crediting the middle pass as tucked. Oh Bridget, you know they’re trying to get layout credit. 9.725 also very high. That’s just implied at this point.

Doggette – BB – Alabama – bhs loso series, very secure – switch to switch 1/2, huggge break, has to grab the beam, kind of a miravle she didn’t come off – side aerial to back full, bounce back, a little messy. 9.475

No Bridget, grabbing the beam is 0.3.

Campbell – FX – LSU – hits back 2.5 to 1.5 to layout, both fine passes, some knees but not bad, a little low – switch 1/2 to popa, very high and strong – doubel pike, deep landing, chest down, lunge forward. 9.825

Blanco – BB – Alabama – aerial, lovely, obviously – bhs loso, small arm wave adjustment, great toe point – switch to switch 1/2, toeeeesssss – L turn, drops a little early for me – hits her 2/1 dismount, small slide. 9.900

Johnson – FX – LSU – full in, excellent in the air as always but a large bounce back this time – her vault is basically the only time today we’ve seen an LSU athlete fully hit to potential – middle pass is perfect – great layout – solid leap positions – double pike, great stuck landing. After the first pass it was excellent, but that should be a tenth on the first pass (and won’t be).

9.975 KILL ME.

Graber – BB – Alabama – full turn, good – bhs to back lay-ish, secure landing – switch to straddle jump 3/4, very solid – cat leap to kickover front, small arm wave movement – gainer full, hit. 9.875 for her.

Edney – FX – LSU – struggles on the double arabian, two large lunges forward and OOB. So do I hear 9.950? back 1.5 to layout was strong – double tuck, very solid landing. 9.725

FINAL: Alabama 196.775, LSU 196.450

Alabama snatches the upset, which was always going to be the opportunity if they went through with hits after that initial LSU vault score. Alabama made it too close for comfort for a while though. Alabama will be thrilled because of the win, though neither team really DELIVERED and needed crack scores to get as high as they did. It’s another meet to forget from LSU, but they’re nearly exceeding their allotment on those.

And it’s not done yet.

Washington and UCLA is starting now.

Rotation 1

Tratz – VT – UCLA – OK on her full, just a bit short this week with a hop, some feet. 9.750

Nelson – Ub – Washington – hits her jaeger to overshoot, good height, a bit soft here and there – giant full to double tuck, a bit deep, slide back. 9.750

Kramer – VT – UCLA – just does pull out her 1.5 – quite short with a lunge back, knee form in the air. 9.775. Very high. Remember that Sierra Brooks 9.775?

Washington – UB – Washington – clear hip to gienger to overshoot, nice legs together throughout the igenger – good cast on high – that basically open FTDT that makes it look like a layout mistake, leg separation at the end, step back. 9.775

Poston – VT – UCLA – handspring pike 1/2 – OK – solid position in the air, chest position fine on landing, bounce back. 9.825

Brooks – UB – Washington – shap to bail with some legs throughout – giant full to double tuck, stuck landing, legs apart. 9.800. Scores rising to reflect lineup order, but…

Dennis – VT – UCLA – huge full as always – small slide back today. Great. 9.900

Thomspon – UB – Washington – jaeger, close and a bit tight in psoition – hip angle on bail – solid final cast – FTDT, stuck landing – she….did three giants before her dismount. 9.825. Clearly no one cared.

Hano – VT – UCLA – probably her best this season – small amount of knees – small hop forward. 9.875

Roberson – UB – Washington – piked jaeger to overshoot, very solid – good cast on high – DLO, great form on it, hop back. 9.750. I feel like all these scores are attributed to the wrong routines?

Ross – VT – UCLA – also some better control from her on her 1.5 – small hop forward – beautiful – we’ll see what they do with the quick step-salute after the hop. 9.900

Copiak – UB – Washington – piked jaeger to overshoot – good – hits cast hs on high – DLO, bend forward to hold the stick. Good. 9.825

OK?

After 1: UCLA 49.275, Washington 48.975

Those Washington scores were strange. Some were too high and some were too low, but they were all wrong. UCLA was OK on vault, Dennis solid and Hano and Ross are making progress in controlling those landings, but they also got away with a little bit in that rotation.

Amanda has to fill a little bit in this interview with Ralph. “What does this team need to improve on vault?” “We’re going to go to vault and rock it.” K…

OMG this meet feels soooo slow after the SEC meets.

Rotation 2

Hoffa – VT – holds the stick on her full with just a little absorption, the legs well apart, not the most distance, good one. 9.875 is enthusiastic

Hano – UB – UCLA – Ray is huge, connected to overshoot with a notable leg break – giant full with some legs, double tuck, slide back. 9.775. Raise to 9.825 later.

Copiak – VT – Washington – solid height and open on her full, bounce back – loses her legs a bit at the end. 9.800

Kooyman – UB – UCLA – short first hs – maloney with some legs into pak, also some legs – cast 1/2 on low, late – short final cast hs – DLO, floaty but ends up short, hop. 9.825 high.

Cunningham – VT – Washington – niccce stick on her full – a little bit of feet, a little bit of chest position, great distance, better than Hoffa’s, they didn’t leave themselves much room to score this one. 9.875.

Flatley – Ub – UCLA – higgins to gorgeous jaeger – strong cast hs – toe on, a little loose – bail, OK – borderline final cast – DLO, quite short with a bounce forward. 9.850. This has been kind of an eh rotation so far, they’re getting bailed out by the judges.

Smith – VT – Washington – lock-legged landing on her tuck Y1.5, lunge back. 9.750

Kocian – UB – UCLA – good first hs – stalder shap to pak, small leg break – better cast 1/2 on low – near balance check standing on the low bar because of course – FTDT, a borderline fake-college-stick. 9.900

Roberson – VT – Washington – struggles on her full today, she thought she was going to have the stick but she was too far forward, a bend over at the hips and then a crossover step and it got a little crazy on landing there. 9.725

Frazier – UB – UCLA – Maloney, good legs position into pak, super clean – nice hs on low – VL, legs right together – solid cast on high as well – DLO, small hop forward. Best of the rotation so far. 9.925

Thompson – VT – Washington – she also nearly had a disaster trying to hold onto her stick – huge vault and held the stick but she bent at the hips and was below knee height as she tried to save it. Is a larger deduction than a small step. 9.825

Ross – UB – UCLA – pre-routine standing ovation becasue Kyla – short first hs for me – maloney to bail to toe shoot, perfect – DLO, stuck landing. great routine. I don’t think the handstands were there today for a 10, but the scores have been rising for them this rotation. 9.925 for her.

Wow, that score is pretty realistic. I’m impressed. (Though it was better than Frazier’s routine and then ended up with the same score, so.) Bars scoring was all over the place, and then they were like, we’re going to do this one for real.

After 2: UCLA 98.700, Washington 98.100

UCLA will tiptoe out the back door after getting away with 49.425 for that bars rotation because most of them did not have their best routines. Washington was nearing a big vault score (and it was still 49.125, which like last week is comparatively huge for Washington), but the last few vaults got weird after great ones from Hoffa and Cunningham.

Dennis, Shapiro, and Poston are all going on beam.

Rotation 3

G Glenn – BB – UCLA – bhs loso series, lovely – aerial to split jump, right on – switch to split, excellent – full turn, good – bhs gainer full, hop back.

9.825? Quite low. It was perfect until the dismount.

See? I can complain that UCLA scores were too low too. That was too low.

Brooks – FX – Washington – double front, comes up a bit short with a step back – 1.5 to layout, nice height on layout – switch ring to wolf hop full, a little ragged – front lay to front full, under control. 9.825

Poston – BB – UCLA – beat to straddle jump 3/4, arm wave and lean correction – bhs bhs loso series and can’t save it, fall – finishes back 1.5, step back. 9.100

Ruttan – FX – Washington – we literally have no idea what happened on that pass because there was someone in the way, great – back 1.5 to half to…something? – attempts the split leap 1.5, well short of split position – double pike, small slide back. 9.775

Ross – BB – UCLA – here to save the day – bhs loso series, perfect – switch ring and moves quickly into beat to avoid a real check – shoulder drop on a full turn, small check – aerial to beat, good – side aerial to full, stuck. 9.950

“They just grade her tougher”….is not it.

Cunningham – FX – Washington – front tuck through to double tuck, out of control with a bounce back, just did stay in – switch 1/2 to wolves, good height and positions, may have come up a little short on the last one – double pike,keeps that front foot down. 9.825

Flatley – BB – UCLA – aerial to immediate back pike, good speed in combination – side aerial, strong – L turn to split jump to beat jump, holds the position on the L turn to show us all that she did it – bhs 1.5, holds the landing with her toes – lovely routine. Very strong. 9.950

Washington – FX – Washington – double tuck, keeps the front foot down – front lay to front full, well extended in the layout – double pike, minor chest position but secure landing, strong routine. 9.925

Shapiro – BB – UCLA – switch to split 1/4, short of split position on the second element – bhs bhs loso attempt, splits the beam, grabs onto the underside and steps off. So UCLA is counting a fall, but at least that fall had Nicki Shapiro style.

So UCLA counting a fall on beam and also with two 9.950s. Sounds about right.

Roberson – FX – Washington – front 2/1 to front tuck and quickly presents, good control on that pass today – rudi and can’t do the loso but turns it into a back tuck…and it was a pretty back tuck? 9.825

Dennis – BB – UCLA – side aerial, solid, no connection – does a side aerial again, leg up break, connection gone – switch to split to back tuck to beat, well it was a lovely combination, but it’s still not an acro series – side aerial to side somi attempt to add an acro series and falls. How did this get even a 9.100?

Three-fall beam rotation for UCLA.

47.925 for UCLA on beam. OUCHIES.

Hoffa – FX – Washington – full in, good control on landing – front lay to front full, dances out – great positions on split leap full and wolf jump full – double tuck, solid landing,a bit of chest position. 9.950. They have permission now I guess?

After 3: Washington 147.450, UCLA 146.625

UCLA…this balance beam situation. Three glorious routines, three disasters. Now Washington has to do it, though, while UCLA gets home floor.

Jim thinks Florida’s 197.800 is the high score of the season. I…learn a book, Jim.

Rotation 4

Brooks – BB – Washington – kickover to bhs series, moves through it quickly enough – switch to split, good – aerial, pretty smooth into beat jump – gainer full, stuck, legs way apart. 9.825

Flatley – FX – UCLA – front lay to rudi, a littel bounce in place, good form – front 2/1 second pass, controls the bag leg – switch ring to switch 1/2 – back 1.5 to layout,a bit of knees in the 1.5, but a good one.

9.950. It begins.

Washington – BB – Washington – bhs loso series, arm wave correction – side aerial with a pause before stretch jump – switch side into straddle jump, nice and high on switch side – side aerial to tuck full, stuck, legs apart. 9.825

Kocian – FX – UCLA – back 1.5 to rudi, hits it, the form on the back 1.5 goes a little crazy – switch 1/2 to popa, lovely popa – double tuck, small movement of the feet but controls the landing, some chest position. 9.875

I know Amanda didn’t say “She has a nice white personality.” I’m just saying it sounded like it.

Ruttan – BB – Washington – side aerial to loso series, hits it pretty securely – some knee position deduction in both elements – beat jump, a little lean – switch to split jump, back leg on both – 1.5 dismount, bounce forward. 9.800. Not enough separation as that had some more errors.

Dennis – FX – UCLA – front loso through to double tuck, good control – better distinct landing position on those leaps this week as well – front full to layout, stuck landing – rudi to split jump, crazy flying split jump but lands it. 9.950.

Vandenkolk – BB – Washington – kickover front to bhs, a little slow in combination but OK, small small lean – switch to split jump 1/4- arm wave on turn – aerial, works it through to scale with a little hesitation – gainer full, arm wave to try to control the landing. 9.850

Kramer – FX – UCLA – front 2/1 to front pike, solid – 1.5 to front to straddle shushuh, a little low on the shush this week – leap combo looks solid – rudi to stretch jump, good one. Already crying because she saw what already went 9.950 in this rotation and knows this is getting a 10.

10.000

Jim is getting some…not accurate math.

Copiak – BB – Washington – bhs loso series, hit, some tight position int he air, arm wave to acheck – switch to switch 1/2 with a check before beat jump, so a broken connection there – side aerial to tuck full, good stick. Solid enough. 9.850

Hano – FX – UCLA – DLO, small bounce back, chest position – front full to half to stag, solid – double pike, large bounce back, just does stay in. 9.875

Roberson – BB – Washington – switch to switch split jump, good – standing loso loso combo, a lean to the side and some knee form to take – gainer full, stuck. Good.

GOD. Jim and Amanda think Washington can’t win. They’ve already won.

Ross – FX – UCLA – very strong double tuck landing – back 1.5 to layout, another solid landing, perhaps a little arched over on the layout – good leaps – double pike, short with a step forward. So probably an 11 or something.

Kyla goes 9.900, so UCLA is at 49.675 on floor. That was like a nice 49.350 rotation.

FINAL: Washington 196.700, UCLA 196.250

Washington went through cleanly and got that big UCLA road score they were looking for. UCLA…well UCLA really wants Sakti and Kocian to be able to come back into that beam rotation. That’s all there is to say.

121 thoughts on “Friday Live Blog – January 31, 2020”

  1. Can I just say that I am really happy for Alyona Shchennikova (LSU). She had a really tough start to her collegiate career and came back. I couldn’t stop smiling when she landed her dismount. Even thought it was one event (bars), she proved she belonged there.

    1. Sorry, I hit the enter button before I could finish. There were a few people who felt like she (Alyona) didn’t belong there, so to say, and where not nice in their wording about her on social media. I saw a few posts about people blasting her, but they have since been deleted.

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