Sunday Live Blog – January 31, 2021

Sunday, January 31
Scores Stream
1:00pm ET/10:00am PT – Eastern Michigan @ Kent State LINK FREE
1:00pm ET/10:00am PT – Central Michigan @ Western Michigan LINK FREE
2:00pm ET/11:00am PT – [9] Iowa @ [18] Illinois LINK BTN+
2:00pm ET/11:00am PT – [18] Iowa State @ [5] Denver LINK DU($)
2:00pm ET/11:00am PT – George Washington @ [23] North Carolina    
2:00pm ET/11:00am PT – TWU @ Lindenwood   FREE
3:00pm ET/12:00pm PT – [11] UCLA @ [15] Arizona LINK FREE
3:00pm ET/12:00pm PT – Bowling Green @ Northern Illinois LINK NIU($)
3:00pm ET/12:00pm PT – Illinois State @ Ball State LINK FREE
4:00pm ET/1:00pm PT – NC State, Towson @ Pittsburgh LINK ESPN3
8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT – West Virginia @ [3] Oklahoma LINK ESPNU

I’ll start things off with Iowa and Illinois (while keeping an eye on what’s happening with Denver and Iowa State in the scores department). I’ll probably have to buy the Denver subscription at some point, but that day is not today. Then, I’ll slide into UCLA and Arizona, and return later to see what Oklahoma makes of things again versus WV.

We’re still just in intros and anthems at Illinois, so there’s time.

Looks like Denver is already underway and having some trouble on vault. 9.675 and 9.650 among the first three scores.

Rotation 1

Biondi – VT – Ill – solid work on her Y1/2 – pace forward, small pike, good direction. 9.775

Henderson – UB – Iowa – good first hs – toe on to maloney to bail, a bit short of vertical on bail, close – some leg breaks – good cast hs on high – FTDT dismount excellent, stuck. 9.825

O’Donnell – VT – Ill – hits a yfull, comes onto the table off line, some direction – small hop, chest down. 9.700

Castle – UB – Iowa – short first hs – blind to jaeger, caught, leg form in the air – strong bail, good leg position – DLO, another solid landing. 9.800

Simons – VT – Ill – nice amplitude on her Yfull, improving over the first two, good dynamics – lunge back. 9.800

Greenwald – UB – Iowa – hit tkatchev – toe on to pak, good legs togther there – just a bit shy on 1/2 turn on low bar – hitting he casts – DLO, somewhat whippy, bounce back

Townes – VT – Ill – hits a Y1.5, good work – small slide back, some knees. Should be a big score. 9.850. “First 10.0 start in Illinois history” is quite a comment because they…all used to be

Kenlin – UB – Iowa – maloney to pak, well done, legs together, some extra arch on that pak Nastia style, which some don’t love, I don’t super mind it – giant full to double tuck, slide back.

Mueller – VT – Ill – hits a full – bounce back, knees throughout, fine direction. 9.725

Kaji – Ub – Iowa – hits jaeger well – pak, solid, similar to Kenlin – squat on step up to high bar and has a leg-up balance check standing on the low bar – DLO, good shape, slide back9.725

Takekawa – VT – Ill – controlled landing on her yfull, only a small hop – some check down and piking throughout.

Steffensmeier – Ub – Iowa – blind to piked jaeger, takes it wayyyyyy far and can’t catch. But Iowa does have hits from the first five and will go over 49 on bars. A second fall on resuming. Just does pull around double tuck dismount to avoid third fall.

After 1: Iowa 49,025, Illinois 48.850

Iowa started very strong on bars, lost it a little at the end. Illinois improving on vault. Some competitive fulls there toward the end.

Denver and Iowa State both go sub-49 on their first rotations. Mundell fell on vault, so Denver had to count both 9.6s, but did have a 9.925 from Brown.

Meanwhile, on the scoreboard, it looks like UCLA has submitted the same bars lineup as last week. So grab a rosary or a hemorrhoid donut or something.

Rotation 2

Greenwald – VT – Iowa – lands short on a yfull, chest over and a lunge forward. 9.675

Borden – UB – Ill – jaeger, fingertips into overshoot, loses the legs a bit in overshoot – good hs on high – blind into front 1.5 twist dismount, great stick. Lovely. 9.825

Vance – VT – Iowa – solid height on her full, pretty notable bounce back, small pike in the air. 9.700

Biondi – Ub – Ill – blind to jaeger, high, some feet – solid vertical position on bail – shortish cast hs on high – DLO, hops feet together, strong. 9.850

Guerin – VT – Iowa – another bounce back on her full – solid position in the air, most laid out so far. 9.825

Ooooh, Addy De Jesus went 10.000 on vault for Iowa State. Our third 10 of the season now.

Simons – UB – Ill – goes over on her initial cast handstand – twings to correct but ultimately can’t and hops off. Resumes, hits a Ray into overshoot – DLO, piking with a hop.

Denver went 49.325 on bars. Iowa State 49.175 after the De Jesus 10.

Kenlin – VT – Iowa – good lift on her full – hop – medium pike throughout

O’Donnell – UB – Ill – blind to jaeger, high – bail, has the toe point and vertical position – giant full to double tuck, step back. Clean work. 9.775

Replay going so we did not see Killian’s vault for 9.825.

Takekawa – UB – Ill – good first hs – blind to piked jaeger very low and can’t get it around, Illinois will count a bars fall now. Goes through cleanly when resuming with strong toe point – has to pike down DLO and lunges forward

Henderson – VT – Iowa – big ol’ Yfull – great position in the air, super tight form – full tenth bounce back. And that was it. 9.850

Another 49.025 for Iowa.

Ewald – UB – Ill – jaeger, hit, a bit of feet – pak, nice legs together position – solid cast hs on high – FTDT, step back. 9.850

48.400 for Illinois. After 2: Iowa 98.050, Illinois 97.250. Meanwhile Denver is at 98.225 and Iowa State at 98.025.

Intros at UCLA and Arizona now

The announcement of Dom’s name was an adventure. The twitter consensus is that his new name is Dom Peng Peng Lee.

Did the Illinois/Iowa stream have a breakdown? Oh, now we’re back. Townes with a strong beam routine. Secure series, some actual choreography, stuck dismount. She’s having a day.

Killian starts for Iowa on floor – secure 3/1 landing, around – some stepping out of middle pass – nice straddle positions – double tuck, nailed landing. Yes.

I think we jinxed Rylie Mundell. She has a miss on beam, so Denver will count Brown’s 9.650 from the leadoff position –

Borden for Illinois being beautiful and non-basic as usual – a break on sheep jump landing, step back to save it – front full dismount, short, bounce back

Castle – FX – Iowa – secure double pike landing – wolf hop full not quite around but the remainder of the dance elements look solid – rudi, also under control – 1.5 to layout, takes it close to the edge but corrects with a sideward step

UCLA/AZ starting

Rotation 1

Horton – VT – AZ – y tucked full, bounce back, clear tuck position. 9.650

Campbell – UB – UCLA – maloney, some legs into bail, fine this week – short cast hs on high – blind into double front, step back. A hit. 9.750

Nosek – VT – AZ – Yfull, medium bounce back – some pike throughout. 9.775

Taubman – UB – UCLA – very close catch on jaeger, loses form, works through it – hits bail, gets to vertical, some legs – nice cast hs on high bar – DLO, stuck landing. Good second half. Trouble on the jaeger will take away the score. 9.725

Herry – VT – AZ – better distance on her full, some direction and has to take a lunge and an additional step to control the landing. 9.700

Very secure landings from Greenwald in the 3rd spot for Iowa on floor.

Kooyman – UB – UCLA – maloney to pak, some legs – not bad 1/2 turn position on low – short on a couple cast hs – DLO is pretty, slide back. 9.825

Bellows – VT – AZ – pretty large bounce back on her Yfull – has the amplitude – some pike. 9.800

Iowa State is tied with Denver going to the last rotation after Denver had to count two 9.6s on beam and Vasquez only got a 9.825, which is like a zero for her.

Esparza – Ub – UCLA – maloney to pak, very smooth – good shapes – hits hs on low – van leeuwen, solid – very short cast hs on high bar – DLO and knees down. Falls. Oof. That was a score they needed. 9.275. “Frida Esperanza” Judge adjusts from 9.200 to 9.400, so now it’s a 9.375.

Hargrove – VT – AZ – also stepping up the amplitude on her Yfull – smaller bounce back. 9.875

Frazier – UB – UCLA – angle in first hs – maloney to pak, good legs on Pak – better cast hs on low – van leeuwen – short cast hs on high – DLO, just the tiniest legs together hop in place. Good routine, still a little rusty on hs, but solid. 9.900

Castles – VT – AZ – competes this week – hit full, hop in place. 9.825

Kaji is anchoring for Iowa on floor – 1.5 through to double tuck, solid, controlled landing

Tratz – UB – UCLA – maloney, legs into bail, some angle, hit it – short cast hs on high – giant full, legs into double tuck, stuck landing. Basically UCLA’s best bars specialist at this point. She got a 9.775.

After 1: Arizona 48.975, UCLA 48.975

Arizona will be pretty pleased with that. A fuller lineup than last week. Nearly got to a 49. UCLA, less pleased. A fall in an important routine so three 9.7s had to count. But again survived a very, very limited bars group. Is this Sara Ulias going in exhibition? High jaeger, good feet – strong cast hs, held forever – toe on to bail, legs apart – solid cast hs on high – toe on, hesitation, to double tuck with a college stick. Uh…lineup? A bit of a nailbiter but cleaner than Tratz.

Scores soft on both rotations for me so far.

Kaji got Iowa up to a 49.150 on floor with her 9.900, though overall not the floor scores Iowa has been receiving.

Rotation 2

Tratz – VT – UCLA – doesn’t have the control this week but the usual excellent distance, larger bounce back. 9.800

Linton – UB – AZ – tkatchev, hit, scraper – toe on to bail, hip angle on catch – good cast hs on high – DLO, step back. 9.725

Poston – VT – UCLA – also has a large bounce back this week compared to the control of last week, but as is often the case, her uncontrolled landings have better chest position and can balance out. 9.825

Hargrove – UB – AZ – giant gull to tkatchev, some better counter there – hs – arch p ulls it back – oooh and also nearly fell ontoe circle step up to high bar, had to go back around and correct. 9.600

Frazier – VT – UCLA – now she had a much stronger vault than last week – better control, small hop – 9.825

Raskin – Ub – AZ – piked jaeger, nice position – short on a cast hs – good toe point through out – attempts a front 1.5 dismount and collapses into a ball.

Dennis – VT – UCLA – a bit more of a hop back this week – her usual excellent dynamics. 9.875

McCabe – UB – AZ – blind to piked jaeger, hit, slightly close – hs, large arch, pulls it back – bail, can’t toe on out of it and has to hop off. Counting a fall now and the Hargrove score.

Campbell – VT – UCLA – another larger bounce back on her full, but huge, great distance. 9.900 with a big bounce on a full. So that’s something.

Kane – UB – AZ – 1/2 to jaeger, hit, into overshoot, leg separation but hit – solid cast hs – double front, step forward.

I don’t know who this Frida Esperanza character is, but apparently she’s not vaulting.

AZ gets a final hit out of Deets – DLO, nearly holds the stick. Step-salute out of it.

After 2: UCLA 98.200, Arizona 97.050

With 49.225, UCLA actually got a better vault score than last week, even though this time wasn’t as good. More large bounces back. So they’ll take that score any day. Arizona with a bars meltdown, two falls, and a near-fall on a sole circle, for 48.075. So not ideal.

Lynnzee Brown does not compete floor today for Denver and Iowa State pulls off the upset. Iowa State 196.050 to Denver’s 195.850. A disappointing number for Denver in which a LOT of 9.6s had to count.

Rotation 3

Stauffacher – BB – AZ – bhs loso series, small check – beat jump to split jump 3/4, arm wave wobble, check – aerial, check working out of it, no combo if she was intending one – gainer full, stuck. 9.525

Wright – FX – UCLA – replacing Hogan from last week’s lineup – 2.5 landing, quite deep, lunge out, don’t think the knee went down – rudi to double stag, control – split leap full to popa, good – 1.5 to layout, can barely get the layout around but somehow does, quite deep, major deductions. 9.500

Herry – BB – AZ – bhs loso series, secure, knee position – side somi, comfortable – straddle jump to straddle jump 1/2, probable broken connection there – 1.5, hop forward. Gets 9.800

We have a final in Illinois. Iowa 196.325, Illinois 195.600

Andres – FX – UCLA – 2.5 to front tuck, looks like it took her OOB – round off double tuck, short with a step forward – switch switch 1/2 to popa, nice positions hit despite that goiter she has to wear on her ankle. 9.675

Deets – BB – AZ – bhs loso series, looked on line but then a major break, leg-up correction – hitch kick to switch side, hit – cat leap to kickopver, check – switch to gainer full, stuck. 9.800

Tratz – FX – UCLA – full in, secure landing, chest down – switch ring to split leap full – 1.5 to layout, fun thing where we change camera angles in the middle of tumbling passes – double tuck, solid, chest down again, but good landings. 9.875

Barile – BB – AZ – aerial to loso series, Y spin…1.5 attempt? Maybe just a full that got away from her, falls. High switch 1/2 – side aerial to full, stuck.

Frazier – FX – UCLA – whip through to double tuck, keeps front foot down pretty well – good use of feeling her pulse in the middle of the routine – side somi fulfill requirement – doubel pike, slide back – split leap full to popa to popa, good clear landing positions – 9.900

Castles – BB – AZ – hits her loso series – switch through to split leap, solid – aerial to sissone, small correction – wolf turn double, solid – ReAlLy UnIqUe – 1.5, small hop. Good. 9.875

Campbell – FX – UCLA – front 2/1, a minor stumble on landing – split leap full to popa, good positions – the cool kids thing to say is that you ahkshwually prefer Campbell’s routine to Dennis’s this season, and I’m there – double tuck, very secure – front lay to front full, dance out. 9.850

Linton – BB – AZ – wolf double, good – bhs bhs loso series, check, leg up – switch to split jump, some knees, solid – side aerial to full, stuck. 9.850.

Dennis – FX – UCLA – front loso through to double tuck, steppy landing, slide to the side – front full to layout, very strong, good layout position – split leap full to split jump full to straight jump full to knee, good work – rudi to split jump, large travel to control it.

Arizona gets out of beam with a 48.850 despite having to count a 9.525. So that works.

Dennis goes 9.950, which is too high for that routine this time, with the first pass landing and the final pass control.

Much like Arizona, UCLA escapes some low early scores to get a solid rotation total. 49.250 on FX.

After 3: UCLA 147.450, Arizona 145.900

I see Nicki Shapiro warming up beam and would like to see that in the lineup please.

Rotation 4

Frazier – BB – UCLA – switch to straddle, strong – aerial, large check, bend at the hips – has to redo her aerial, checks again but does the back tuck out of it, wobble – cat leap to side aerial to beat, hit – gainer front full dismount, lunge back. A saga.

Horton – FX – AZ – 1.5 to front full, solid enough, a step – front full to front pike, a lunge, not too large – switch to switch ring 1/2, you know, turning rings – rudi, deep landing there, step to the side. 9.775

Going to the wide shot for the pass and then cutting to the corner camera angle for the salto is giving me an embolism.

Judges having a book club called DID SHE HAVE AN ACRO SERIES on beam. I see a 9.700, which means they gave her the series. But 9.600 average, so maybe not?

Poston – BB – UCLA – beat to straddle 3/4, large lean check, keeps the foot down – bhs bhs loso, some knees throughout, hits it – long pause befroe dismount, 1.5, arches back to try to hold the stick but ultimately cannot. 9.725

Nosek – FX – AZ – double pike, under control – front lay to front full, large lunge forward, keeps it in bounds – split leap full to popa – double tuck, slightly short, minor step forward. 9.800

ESPERANZAAAA – Bb – UCLA – bhs loso, hit – switch to straddle 1/4, good positions – aerial, works into beat, avoids a lean from being off line – side aerial to full, stuck landing. Good job ESPERANZAAAAAA. 9.900

Orman – FX – AZ – layout to rudi, good position in her twisting – switch side to popa, gets up there – double pike, lunge back – 9.800

Dennis – BB – UCLA – has to control her full turn – bhs loso series, secure, has some knee form in bhs – switch to switch 1/2, good height – arm wave check – 1.5 dismount, bound forward. 9.800

Deets – FX – AZ – double tuck,a step on landing – split leap full to split full and popa, bounces on landing – double pike, hit, chest down – solid front lay to front full. 9.800

Campbell – BB – UCLA – wolf turn double, good – philosophical question: if you see a wolf turn double three times in a meet, is it still VERY UNIQUE – bhs loso series, solid – switch 1/2, high, small check – switch to split, has the positions – sticks gainer full. Strong work. 9.925. Hello.

Castles – FX – AZ – 2.5 to front tuck, bounce forward – 1.5 through to back 2/1, under control – switch ring to switch 1/2, solid positions, a little out of control – casual choreographic onodi. 9.875

Sakti – BB – UCLA – standing loso loso series is secure – switch to split, good back leg elevation – hits full turn – side somi, leans to hold it – side awrial to full, stuck landing. 9.950.

Scoring realllly went to town in the second half here.

Hargrove – FX – AZ – full in, hits, chest up, slide back – 1/2 to front full, hit – good position on split full. double tuck, another slide back

FINAL: UCLA 196.750, Arizona 195.075

Shapiro did go in beam exhibition and fell on her series. It was an adventure, and it happened. Barile goes full Dutch in her exhibition for AZ, including a double Y spin, but falls on her last pass.

UCLA will be really happy with the score here, a significant improvement over last week, though I’m not sure the actual performance was all that different. A couple more solid and important later beam routines?

A step down for Arizona overall because of having to count that miss on bars and not able to take advantage of the scoring at this meet. We did see more robust performances on vault and floor this week.

OK, back here for OU/WVU in several hours.


Let us resume! Oklahoma lineup news of the day: LaPinta is vaulting.

I think Kathy just recited a poem about Anastasia Webb. She is my inauguration poet laureate.

Rotation 1

Davis – VT – OU – solid Yfull – some legs apart on her block – bounce back – small pike. 9.800

Abarca – UB – WVU – giant full nice finish position to a huge gienger, legs apart on catch – bail, some bent elbows – strong cast hs on high – giant full to double tuck, stuck. Really strong giant fulls. 9.800

Stern – VT – OU – strong Y1.5, has the distance, medium pace forward – 9.900

Combs – UB – WVU – good first hs – maloney to pak, legs apart on both – fairly precise 1/2 turn on low – giant full, also right vertical, slow but a good final position – double tuck, strong. 9.800

LaPinta – VT – OU – perfectly good Yfull – big distance, lands chest somewhat down, small hop forward. But you take it as a vault option. 9.750

Hornung – UB – WVU – lateish grip change into jaeger, good height – bail, some legs apart, some angle – giant 1/2 to front 1/2 to double tuck, good control on landing, slightly stuttering on the front 1/2 – 9.725

Levasseur – VT – OU – can’t get her 1.5 around. Fall. Not a lot of block there, well short, couldn’t save. 9.300

Holmes-Hackerd – UB – WVU – blind to jaeger, falls. It was so pretty in the air but she took it too far – resumes with an overshoot, legs apart – giant full to double tuck, step forward

Webb – VT – OU – solid Y1.5 – good distance and direction, medium hop forward. Good. Pretty layout position. 9.875

Kianna Yancey – UB – WVU – toe on to maloney topak, some leg break but best form so far in the rotation – shorter cast hs though – DLO 1/1, pikes it down, step forward9 9.750

Schoepfer – VT – OU – Y tucked 1.5 – solid work – hop forward, maintains her tuck position well, feet – small leg break on block. 9.900

Lewis – Ub – WVU – hits a ray to overshoot, nice height and position – very short cast hs on high – double tuck, stuck.

After 1: Oklahoma 49.225, West Virginia 48.600

It’s not a bad score for Oklahoma on vault but they won’t be too happy with the showing. The fall could be dropped but it meant a 9.750 had to count, and no sticks in the lineup today. West Virginia survives bars, also able to drop the fall but did have to count a 9.525. The first two routines were certainly the best in the lineup. Those blind full finishing positions were a lot better than most teams are doing.

Bart: “Tell us about how bad that last meet was.”
KJ: *shoots murder out of eyes*

Rotation 2

Kianna Yancey – VT – WVU – hits her full, hop back, more pike compared to the OU vaults. 9.750

Thomas – UB – OU – nice first hs – toe 1/2 to jaeger, comfortable – strong cast hs – legs right together on bail – pulls out that final cast – DLO, stuck landing. Pretty start. 9.875

Waldron – VT – WVU – hits her full, a bounce back, larger bounce than Yancey but also more amplitude and a straighter position in the air. 9.775

Levasseur – UB – OU – shortish first hs – maloney to bail, some legs apart on maloney, great bail, perfect – strong cast hs on high – DLO, stuck landing. Great second half. 9.875

Lewis – VT – WVU – huge full, hop back but not too big – great distance – slightly hollow but like the technique overall. 9.775

Draper – UB – OU – good frist hs – blind to piked jaeger, solid, some feet – larger leg break on pak – 1/2 turn on low is solid – hits cast on high – double front, large lunge forward. 9.825

Pierson VT – WVU – good height and the best layout shape on of the fulls so far – smaller bounce. 9.775

Smith – UB – OU – Ray, a little close – toe on to pak, best shape so far – slightly late on 1/2 turn on low – good cast hs on high – DLO, a touch short, some piking, hop. 9.875

Linnen VT – WVU – Y1/2, like how late she waits to twist – but comes up short with a lunge back

Webb – UB – OU – pak, sublime as always – good cast hs on low – van leeuwen, legs together – solid hs – toe 1/2 to whaattttttttt, did she just slip off? Didn’t do a dismount, just came back to earth. Everything looked fine on replay, so just a balk? Weirdness.

Holmes-Hackerd finishes WVU vault with a Ylayout

Davis – UB – OU – good hs – higgins to piked jaeger, lovely – excellent pike – not too bad on 1/2 turn position on low – excellent final cast hs – higgins to L grip giant to double front, cowboy, stuck. Very strong. 9.950

So it was a 49.400 on bars for Oklahoma after all. A good number. That Webb routine is still a moment.

Thomas was excellent in addition to Davis. Didn’t get both to go 9.9 for her probably because of first position, but that was stronger than the other 9.875s.

After 2: Oklahoma 98.625, West Virginia 97.375

Rotation 3

Dunn – BB – OU – near hesitation coming out of her straddle split mount – bhs bhs loso series, very secure – split jump to straddle 1/2, large break, bend at hips to save it – full turn, a tad tentative – gainer full, stuck. 9.625

I like that Maggie covered her ears when she thought Dunn was going to fall.

Linnen – FX – WVU – rudi to loso, travels quite far, good extension – switch ring was in a couple different parts, like she waited to initiate – front 2/1, lunge forward. Solid start. 9.850 well now.

Schoepfer – BB – OU – bhs loso, secure, softer knees – side aerial to one leg, does not connect into switch and split combination – aerial, very good – 1.5, I’d say she just did hold the stick. 9.825

Pierson – FX – WVU – double pike, overcooks it, large bounce back and OOB – front lay to front full, lunge forward – switch side to wolf, solid side, somewhat short on wolf – double tuck, secure landing.

LeVasseur – BB – OU – smooth full turn – heavens to betsy – off line on her loso series and falls. OU counting a 9.625 now. And now an additional major break on switch 1/2, large lean forward at the hips – aerial, hit. 9.125

I wear there’s a cutout of Aliya next to a basketball behind beam.

Holmes-Hackerd – FX – WVU – double tuck, some chest position, slide back – split leap full and popa, good extension – hit front lay to front full – double pike, slightly short, step.

Davis – BB – OU – full turn, good – bhs loso, very small check – onodi and falls! Counting a fall on beam for the second straight week. 9.200

So apparently Davis did not salute on bars and wasn’t deducted for it. I didn’t notice. The twitters did.

Combs – FX – WVU – front tuck through to double tuck, very solid – switch side to wolf full to popa, excellent position and amplitude – double tuck, great control. This is quite nice. 9.850

Smith – BB – OU – bhs loso, solid, great amplitude – aerial, and she falls! WHAT IS LIFE. Seemed like she was right on, but then fell working out of it – gainer full, hop forward.

Wellsers.

Kianna Yancey – FX – WVU – double pike, slide back – split leap full to popa, clear finishing position – 1.5 to 1/2 to stag. Double tuck, under control. WVU going through solidly 9.8y here. No major errors counting yet.

Webb – BB – Ou – she’s literally going to stab this beam – full turn, nice – bhs loso series, she has a larger check too but she managed to pull hers back – aerial to beat jump, arm wave correction kept it moving – switch to switch, side aerial to full, stick.

No way that was 9.875 though. She got scored for the fight.

Hornung – FX – WVU – double pike, secure again – 1.5 to front pike with a lunge out – switch ring to some slightly short straddles – 1.5 to punch front, gets caught in the 1.5 but brings around the tuck, deduction but not huge.

47.725 for Oklahoma on beam. That’s…a thing that happened.

After 3: West Virginia 146.375, Oklahoma 146.350

So West Virginia ahead but only just. Oklahoma will still be highly favored to take this after floor. But you guys. That was just a flat-out bad beam rotation.

It has been since the first meet of 2006 that Oklahoma scored that low on beam. That was the last season before KJ came from Iowa State. So yeah last time that happened to Oklahoma, Steve Nunno was the head coach.

Rotation 4

Holmes-Hackerd – BB – WVU – nice attitude turn – cat leap to aerial, check before beat jump, broken combination – cat to aerial again, does it into a beat tuck with arm wave check – cat leap the third – switch, short back leg – into straddle 1/4 – front tuck full, stuck. Going to be some SV issues. 9.250

So WVU no longer has the lead because Smith’s beam got raised to 9.300. Oh and Dunn’s score raised too.

Draper – FX – OU – double pike, solid, slide back – front full to front full, bounce forward, keeps it in bounds – switch 1/2 to popa, some soft knees in switch, strong popa – back 1/2 to rudi, hit. 9.825

Pierson – WVU – BB – front tuck to wolf jump, deep in front tuck but pulls it out – bhs back pike series, secure – standing back pike, pauses a bit before straddle jump – front tuck full, hop forward. 9.750

Schoepfer – FX – OU – double tuck, chest up, solid landing – 1.5 to layout, smooth – switch ring to wolf hop full – double pike, small front foot step. Good. 9.900

Hornung – BB – WVU – wolf turn single, hit – cat leap to aerial, small correction before one-arm bhs – switch to split, short positions on both leaps – 1.5, hop forward. 9.725

LaPinta – FX – OU – hits her 3/1, a hair under, hops on landing – front full to front lay, short with a step back, had to arch it some – split leap full to split jump full – double tuck, some chest position but secure. 9.800

Combs – BB – WVU – aerial with a check, leg-up – full turn – cat leap to switch side, good height, check – kickover to beat jump, arm wave correction – will need to have an acro series at some point – fhs to back tuck attempt, falls.

Johnson – FX – OU – front lay to rudi, lunge back and OOB – double tuck, solid landing – switch 1/2 to wolf full, good height, not quite around on wolf – 9.725

Linnen – Bb – WVU – aerial with a lean correction to try to work it into a bhjs – cat leap to aerial, smae thing, a lean wave before the straddle 1/4 – beat to split 3/4, a tad short – front tuck full, doesn’t quite hold the stick long enough. 9.700

Webb – FX – OU – provocative wildness is an excellent expression – front 2/1, keeps back foot down – back 1.5 to front full, controls that as well – split leap 1.5, a little steppy – rudi to straight jump. 9.925

Abarca – BB – WVU – cat leap to side aerial, comfortable – side somi, hit – bhs loso, solid, some knees – switch to switch, attention to back leg – 1.5 dismount, leans to keep the stick. 9.825

Smith – FX – OU – double tuck, great shape of course but a notable slide back – 1.5 to layout, solid – lift in her dance elements – double pike had solid control. 9.925 for her as well, though wasn’t as strong as Webb’s 9.925.

Oklahoma 49.375 on floor.

FINAL: Oklahoma 195.850, West Virginia 194.625

Hi, everything went terribly. Now we have to go back to 2011 to find an Oklahoma score that low. A year when only 2 tens were awarded nationally. It was a different time. I wasn’t even live blogging yet.

West Virginia also won’t be super happy about that ending because the counting fall on beam rendered this an unusable away score.

LOL at roadtonationals struggling to handle the traffic right now. Oklahoma’s average will drop to 196.606 and put them in 5th place nationally. FIFTH!


Discover more from Balance Beam Situation

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

146 thoughts on “Sunday Live Blog – January 31, 2021”

  1. Per gw_gymnastics on twitter, weather canceled this meet:
    2:00pm ET/11:00am PT – George Washington @ [23] North Carolina

    1. What the hell, GW?

      The DC area has known about this storm since Tuesday or Wednesday. That’s when they should have either made a plan to travel Saturday (same-day travel for a 2 pm meet that far away is a dicey proposition even in good weather), or cancelled to give UNC time to find another meet if they wanted. Instead they waited until the literal 11th hour. I’d be so pissed if I were UNC.

      1. As far as not traveling yesterday, I suspect schools are doing everything they can to avoid overnight trips due to COVID19 protocols. Many states have quarantines that kick in if you’re there more than 24-hours & some states won’t do sports-related exemptions. I don’t know about NC’s quarantine rules, but even if the state would have allowed them to stay overnight, arranging hotels for a team is probably both logistically much harder & much more expensive than it normally would be.

  2. I saw Sara Ulias warm up bars and she looks amazing. Please Chris Waller put her in the lineup, much better form than Tratz!!

  3. > it looks like UCLA has submitted the same bars lineup as last week.

    UCLA Bars at AZ: Campbell, Taubman, Kooyman, Esparza, Frazier, Tratz

    Later this season, UCLA’s bars lineup could include Nia Dennis (still rehabbing from shoulder surgery, so no bars for now), Norah Flatley (ankle issue–out for weeks?), and Kalyany Steele (?? did not travel to AZ). Freshman Sara Ulias would be an option too as she received some glowing reviews preseason.

    1. Ulias’s exhibition just now looked pretty nice!! I’d say she is an upgrade over Tratz for sure…not sure about the lineup decision on that one though you don’t expect Esparza to put her knees down in the discount but would be nice to not be counting on Pulla.

      1. I think Ulias would receive an UTL deduction for her dismount? If they can get a full pirouette into it, she would be great in the lineup, although I could do without the squat ons to get to the high bar. But she has a lot to work with there. Hopefully it’s a work in process.

      2. Lol but pulla scores higher than 2
        Other ucla gymnasts who didn’t fall which is wild. Scoring so inconsistent

    1. I live here. Non-essential travel is generally discouraged, but there are extra restrictions if you are traveling to a state that DC deems to be a hotspot. I don’t know whether North Carolina is on the current list of high-risk states, but if they are on the list, the team would have the choice of quarantine or getting tested upon return, and that requirement would apply regardless of the length of the trip. That’s why a lot of people here lost their shit when the mayor took a quick jaunt to Delaware to celebrate Biden’s win.

  4. Not sure why UCLA is going with Tratz in the bar rotation and not Ulias if both Steele and Flatley are out of commission right now. I get that Ulias is an untested freshman I guess but 1) she’s gotta start somewhere and 2) it’s clear that her form on bars is way better than Tratz.

    1. What’s wrong with Steele? I saw her and Norah live-streaming on Instagram but I couldn’t hear what they were saying as to why Kaly wasn’t there…need her or somebody like Dennis in this lineup BADLY. Of course Norah will help too but at least we know what’s wrong w her.

  5. UCLA needs kooyman out of the lineup. Same interior routine for 4 years and has never cleaned up her execution

      1. Totally. Just seems like she was constantly favored over Steele last year even though Steele consistently out scored her

    1. Well right now they have to worry first about getting Campbell and Tratz out of the lineup who will never hit 9.850 before thinking about Kooyman. Flatley and Steele coming back should fix that. Best case scenario right now would probably also to get Ulias and Dennis in to replace Taubman and Kooyman.

      Flatley + Esparza + Frazier + Dennis + Steele + Ulias would be quite the lineup but as long as Dennis’ shoulder is still in rehab I can’t see it happening

  6. Ucla bars line up is getting leotard scored. The scores are so high yes I mean even scores in the 9.7’s for the lack of quality in the routines. I love ucla but it’s unfair on other teams. Marz looked so short on 2 handstands and still gets a 9.9 and there’s no way kooman should be getting over 9.8 with that routine.

  7. Wow, UCLA Freshman Sara Ulias’ handstands in bars exhibition! Not sure about using those basic transitions from low to high though, or are those OK to use?

  8. Was that Elias in the exh? That routine is very 9.9able, just a couple of minor issues with losing tension. I hope she makes the lineup next meet.

  9. Ucla highly overscored on bars for the lack of quality in there routines. Margzetta should not be getting 9.9 for that routine the way it was performed. Kooyman should not be getting in 9.8’s and there’s no way that tratz should be getting a higher score than Taubman her routine was not good. Yes scores are low for typical ucla but for lack of quality they are too high.

    1. As others have mentioned, I think Ulias has start value issues currently. Those can be overcome though. Eg Ona Loper of MN took about a year to get to a 10 SV on bars.

      1. Yeah, this lineup definitely isn’t making it out of Regionals, but outside vault, I think they have at least two routines on every event that are either not recovered from their layoff or injured, and nearly everyone in the lineups is better than they’re showing. UCLA should look very different in six weeks.

        I don’t think nationals qualification is completely out of the question, but it definitely requires every single thing to go right from here on out, starting with Norah’s ankle.

    1. No, they aren’t, but they knew going in with key injuries and lack of training it was going to be a very slow beginning. And they have a lot of miles on the road that might catch up with them, since they’re mostly driving these days.

    2. I see them as 10 at best. Florida, Utah, Oklahoma, LSU, Denver, Michigan, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Alabama are definitely better this year. UCLA is in the group after there with Georgia, Kentucky, Iowa, etc if they can get Flatley and a few other important routines back in there

  10. Overscoring continues for ucla and leotard bias – 9.9 for chae is criminal even the 9.875 for nia too high.

      1. This. None of the Arizona vaults had nearly the amplitude or distance of UCLA and had pretty comparable landings. The judging is somewhat cracky for both teams

    1. Many prefer UCLA’s leotard bias. The UCLA leotard bias places the pattern at an angle on the fabric. At this angle, the warp and weft give the fabric more of an elastic stretch. Bravo UCLA leotard bias!

  11. First time following along with Spencer here on the BBS and it’s giving me fucking life. Thank god this exists. This Pac-12 stream of this UCLA/AZ meet is literally painful. Seriously people? Thank you BBS 🤘🏼

  12. Vault scores way high for UCLA. Campbell hopped all the way back to LA and gets 9.9. UCLA is welcoming “Carol” back to the meet. Watched Utah last night and Isa got 9.775 for a mere scoot. Stanhope hammered for a step on a 10 start. Judges definitely trying to boost UCLA back to former glory. Really disappointing

    1. Yes if u compare this meet to Utah last night it’s bizarre and even sec scoring it’s way too high.

  13. Denver was a bit … disconnected … today. Get it?! lolz
    Love that team. Lynnzee and Amoree are my queenz.

  14. Ok this may be creepy but Sirena Linton’s (likely) girlfriend cheering from the corner of the arena while she was on the beam made me happy

  15. (Behind on the stream oops) Where is Sekai Wright in the VT lineup? She’s in floor so why isn’t she vaulting when she’s got a 10.0 SV, even if it isn’t the best 1.5TY out there. How many more meets are UCLA going to be scratching Esparza?

    1. Waller said Sekai isn’t fully ready for vault so they didn’t put her this week, but he said she should be there next week

  16. Nia getting a 9.950 for that floor routine is straight up ignoring deductions. Judging the name instead of the routine. So frustrating.

    1. Hmmm… lost Glenn and Ross, and Flatley’s out with an injury. Not sure about Shapiro’s status either. She’s got a different set of cards to last season

    2. Hmmm… lost Glenn and Ross and Flatley’s injured. Three routines lost there. Different set of cards this season

    3. Is it jus me or are Nia’, Marx’, and Chae’s routines interchangeable. I would love to see a routine including controlled dance go viral and get a bump. I realize the entertainment value but everything else seems to be overlooked I.e. slides hops and dead time just standing and “hopping”. The routines are good but don’t deserve 9.0 and above every meet. You want dance then watch Dancing with the Stars.

      1. I don’t find them interchangeable at all. Marz’s has a clear disco theme and completely different choreography than the other two. Chae’s and Nia’s are more similar, yes, but honestly every routine does not need to be ballet to be artistic- I get tired of the constant dance/electronic routines that some other schools fill their lineups with so I like the variety of UCLA. The movements go well with the music in all three routines and both Chae and Nia sell the routines very well and have no built in deductions to their dance so they score well with controlled landings.

  17. In ‘normal’ seasons, UCLA would have flown by plane to the Arizona meet, but this year UCLA took a 10 hour bus ride from LA to Az. Any impact?

  18. Sigh. I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but some of these UCLA scores are impossible. Tratz 9.775 on ub was… a non-profit charity event.

    1. Yep.

      It’s so inconsistent too. Now it’s my turn to preach to the choir here, but how was Tratz’s routine better than Campbell’s?

  19. Ok this Pitt floor routine that’s a compilation of every popular song from the 90s is…a lot.

  20. If the cool kid thing is to prefer Campbell to Dennis, am I a super hipster if I say I’m tired of the whole “UCLA trying to go viral” genre? It seems so manufactured at this point, and every year it seems like the number of trying to go viral routines is higher. I miss last year’s variety.

    1. Exactly…why do routines have to go viral? There are a lot of other nice routines in NCAA but they don’t have the UCLA marketing machine behind it so they’re not viral….and not getting their deductions ignored afterwards. Dennis’ routine is nice but it’s not always 9.9 worthy just because a million people have seen it.

      1. I don’t mind them trying to go viral except that they talk about it. That part is stupid and embarrassing (who says “viral” outside the marketing world anymore???). But having a social media presence, paying attention to videography, and posting routines is not just fine but appreciated. Those of us who are old enough to remember listening to internet radio broadcasts of meets, or paying every school for a crap web stream that would frequently not work or be replaced with basketball love that the content is so accessible.

    2. Yikes. I would not describe those routines as interchangeable in any way whatsoever. Nia and Marz especially have unique and instantly recognizable styles.

      1. I think Campbell, Frazier and Dennis have VERY different routines and music. How are they interchangeable?

      2. I didn’t say they were interchangeable (although a different person did in response to another comment.) I still think the approach has gotten stale. I feel the same way about Oklahoma’s floor, and I don’t think they’re interchangeable, either.

  21. Sec scoring is bonkers every year but
    …ucla is ALWAYS worse. Remember the ucla/Utah meet last year? At this point it’s really beating a dead horse because clearly The judges aren’t willing to change. Frustrating to compare yesterday’s Utah meet or today’s Iowa meet to ucla today or the sec on Friday

  22. UCLA is a mess on UB and FX on roster spots #5 and #6. Well most of its UB slots are a mess.

  23. OU really needs Trautman back on vault. I know it’s early, but I just don’t see how this team is going to challenge Florida or even Michigan or Utah for a championship this season.

    1. Prayers for OU!!! Some how some way they manage to put a W in the column, we shall see. It’s anyone’s game…just when we think it’s certain teams, some team comes from behind or out of the woodwork… exciting season so far…let’s all pray the season goes to entirety!

    1. Is anyone else getting the commercial break canned cheering over the meet broadcast? I’ve quit the ESPN app multiple times and it’s still there.

    1. Damn skippy right, and judges owe her one first or second meet. Takes a keen eye to be a judge! GO SOONERS

    2. Davis needs to add a 1/2 turn to her double front dismount, more points for difficulty. She can land it but Kindler slowly building Davis up to it because apparently Davis is gung-ho to do it.

    3. It’s a pretty dramatic cowboy, so I’m glad they went with the 9.5, but otherwise I would have been fine with it

    4. She was a little late on the 1/2 turn on low bar and did not land in handstand. I don’t think they are deducting at all on the cowboy on the double front as they typically don’t for the starfish-y double layouts due to their angle on the side.

  24. Oklahoma seriously struggling on beam this year! Counting a fall and a 9.6 this week…this will not win championship, possibly won’t even make championships this year if they don’t get it together!

  25. Are you kidding me Oklahoma…counting 2 falls on beam and a 9.6…

    Are they really missing Maggie’s leadership that much on this team? I never thought one gymnast could make such a difference but now I am realizing they can!

    1. They are also missing Olivia Trautman, who is their leadoff, and Carly Woodard, who typically gets a 9.9 every week, from the lineup as well.

      Put those two back in and i makes a huge difference.

    2. Definitely, Maggie’s graduation is what is derailing consistency. Nothing else going on!

  26. Shoutout to the WVU team for really holding their own, but I find it weird how their vault and floor scores have no separation when it’s clear some have higher quality than others. Enjoying watching WVU quite a bit!

  27. Ok but the 9.875 for Webb on beam was a pure pity score. Her bend in the hips on the flight series should be0.3 alone. And that deep wide squat is def a deduction. I thought they’d gift her a 9.8, but this score is just impossible.
    Go WV!!!! I’d be so excited for them to get the win here.

  28. The majority of bars scores were gifts for OU. Look at Poulson, LeBlanc, and O’Keefe just 24 hours before. Listening to Alicia S. Scores really low. oU getting major gifts Same comments from them for Randall on beam.

    1. Ehh after watching those WVU first bar routines get 9.8s with lots of form errors I think most OU bars scores are fairly accurate, but Ragan was overscored!

    2. Bars scores? Dont you mean beam?

      If anything, Karrie Thomas and Kat LeVassur could have got 9.9s on bars.

    1. So do the high-clout coaches work the judges more because they’re more savvy, or because they’re the only ones who can get away with it?

Comments are closed.