Oh look, it’s more. Today, Iowa and UCLA travel to Minnesota to vie for the Gymternet Obsessions Cup. While Iowa has already competed twice this season for 195.950 and 196.125, this will mark the debut for both UCLA and Minnesota.

Iowa counted weak bars scores in both of its first two meets so will be looking to get through that event cleanly today to show a more accurate representation of the team’s scoring potential. UCLA and Minnesota are both aiming to make nationals this year so would like to start with at least a mid-196 if not a 197 since that’s the kind of score nationals teams are getting right about now. But it’s also UCLA… so who even knows.

What we do know about UCLA is that Alexis Jeffrey will not be competing because she has transferred, sometime in the last 30 seconds or so, and her social media now says LSU. What we’ve gotten officially on the situation from those involved is nil, but you can read up on the screenshots if this latest debacle has passed you by—but you also definitely want to know what everyone is saying.

No AAers for UCLA today. First years: Chiles on VT/UB. Moors on VT/FX. Padurariu on UB/BB. Malabuyo on VT/BB/FX.

I wish Olivia had just started off with, “OK, here’s what I think about the Alexis Jeffrey situation.”

Rotation 1

Gilchrist – BB – Iowa – side aerial to bhs is hit, just a bit soft in knees – switch to split, shy-ish of 180 – gainer pike, stuck. 9.725

We see Chiles starting in teh background on bars, so….we’re going to need a replay of that. But looks like a hit.

Here we go. Chiles – UB – piked tkatchev to pak, good – shap to gienger as well, just a little back looseness in shap – FTDT, flung out a little, hop back. Solid opener for her. Lots of difficulty. 9.825

Remlinger – VT – MN – short landing on her Yfull, chest down, large lunge forward.

Grotenhuis – VT – MN – does the Yfull, good height and position in the air but a fairly large bounce back

Esparza – UB – UCLA – arches first hs but pulls it back – shap to pak is clean – van leeuwen, legs together – solid cast hs on high bars – DLO, somewhat deep in landing with a slide back. 9.850

Hooten – VT – MN – gets her Y1.5 around but not her best, short with a lunge back, some knees.

Nick – BB – Iowa – bhs loso series, securely landed, knees – cat leap to aerial to beat jump, good presence on her aerial landing because she had half a foot off the beam but continued to get the connection – switch to split, hit – 1.5, stuck. 9.750

Ramler – VT – MN – Y1.5 is good – small hop to the side and some knees.

“Hop to the side won’t give her a perfect 10,” Olivia says. I HAVE SEEN DIFFERENT.

Ulias – UB – UCLA – lovely and high jaeger – solid cast hs – toe on to bail but is crooked on the bail and has to come back the other direction, falls – finishes DLO, hop forward. 9.200

Killian – BB – Iowa – bhs loso series hit, tight hip angle on bhs – front tuck, secure landing – switch to switch, a bit short on switches – 2/1, hop back. 9.800

I feel like Olivia is finding the balance between enthusiasm and identifying deductions well.

Loper – VT – MN – super clean Y1.5 – small shuffle, lovely in the air. Still gets 9.950.

Vance – BB – MN – bhs loso series, securely hit – aerial round-off – split to straddle 3/4, kind of loose in the leg position – side aerial to tuck full, small slide. Good.

Looks like we’ve skipped Padurariu’s bars as we’re now seeing Flatley. Broadcast reports a fall from Padurariu.

Flatley – UB – UCLA – higgins to jaeger, lovely – toe on to bail, perhaps borderline – shortish final cast hs – DLO, strong landing, small rebound in place. 9.900

Kaji – BB – Iowa – bhs loso series, crisp bodyu position – cat leap to side aerial, good – split to split 3/4, hits the position well for a split 3/4 – gainer full, slide back. Good work. 9.925

Quarles – VT – MN – hits her y1.5 – medium bounce forward

Frazier – UB – UCLA – maloney to pak, nice leg position – arches hs on low but pulls it back – good shap 1/2 – hit her feet on her giant swing before dismount – continues with her giants (3 giants now) into DLO, which is pretty but her foot does NOT LOOK FUN right now. 9.525

Kenlin – BB – Iowa – bhs loso series, has toe point, good height – cat leap to aerial to beat, good leg position on aerial – possible small hesitation on landing – switch to split, right up to position – side aerial to full, stuck. Good. 9.900

So…….

Minnesota goes 49.175 on vault, getting a couple good Y1.5s in there, particularly from Loper. The rotation started not ideally, but the last few Y1.5s seem on track.

Iowa goes 49.150 on beam, led by the 9.925 from Kaji and the 9.900 from Kenlin, coming after a run of 9.7s. Really pretty final routines there.

And also UCLA participated.

UCLA counts a fall and the Frazier routine for 48.300 on bars, which is the opposite of what they were looking for. Chiles, Esparza, and Flatley had good ones. The big concern will be whether Frazier’s foot hit was a stinger or an injury-injury. Encouraging debut from Chiles. Showed a lot more difficulty than she needs, so opportunity to pare that down as they go once they need a score from her.

Allie Gilchrist’s beam has been raised to 9.825, and Bridget Killian has been raised to 9.850, so now Iowa is at 49.275 on beam suddenly. OK now? What was happening with that scoring to begin with?

Rotation 2

Killian – FX – Iowa – 3/1, somewhat hunched on landing with a step back – 1/2 to front full to front pike, controls the step – switch side to popa, around – double tuck, chest up, bounce back. 9.750

Padurariu – BB – UCLA – everyone falling over themselves to pronounce Padurariu as Canadian as possible – like the style out of the candle mount to try to fix that skill – side aerial to bhs series, good – nice leap height – beat to sheep jump, pause hesitation to hold the landing – side aerial to full, nearly finds the stick but has to step forward. Good one. 9.825

Greenwald – FX – Iowa – full in, great control on landing – switch side to popa – 2.5 to front tuck, a little shuffle stagger on landing, not too significant. 9.825

Remlinger – UB – MN – good first hs – Ray, a little close – toe on to bail, leg separation – solid vertical on high, back a little loose – strong dmt, FTDT and stuck. 9.775

Malabuyo – BB – UCLA – wolf single – bhs loso series, great height, check on landing and an additional squeeze to hold it – aerial, hit – split to split ring jump, ring position works for her – bhs 1.5 dismount is verrrry short, nearly lunge back into the beam itself. 9.675

Leneave – UB – MN – clear hip to tkatchev  – rushes cast hs on high – bail, collapses a little in the back – not quite there on the cast hs positions – FTDT, bounce forward. 9.700

Zivat – FX – Iowa – front tuck through to double tuck, chest up, good – split leap full to split jump full, good 180s, just looses her feet a bit – rudi to loso, has the height, knee positions – 9.875

Willmarth – UB – MN – high Ray, catches with some elbow bent – bail, good vertical, legs go apart a little – giant full to double tuck, stuck, a little late on the full. 9.850

Kenlin – FX – Iowa – front 2/1, overcooks it with a lunge forward – 1.5 to layout, verrry short, nearly sits it down with a very deep squat and has to tuck around the layout. 9.250

Loper – UB – MN – maloney to pak, lovely – 1/2 turn on low, pretty solid position – good cast hs on high – giant full somewhat late into double tuck, little rebound in place. Nice. 9.850

Guerin – FX – Iowa – drops right down into FTDT, excellent – switch side to popa to straddle jump, shows oversplit – front tuck through to double tuck, large step but keeps the front foot down. Good. 9.925

Looks like Poston fell on beam for UCLA, which we didn’t see.

Campbell – BB – UCLA – bhs loso, quick arm wave to avoid movement – split leap to switch 1/2, hit – switch, good height, a little hesitation into straddle 1/4, small control adjustments – gainer full, high, slide back. 9.850

Henderson – FX – Iowa – full in, huge, just a bit steppy on landing – switch side to popa to straddle from her as well, hits position, not quite Guerin level but hits it – front tuck through to double tuck, a tad forward, small bounce – 9.900

Ramler – UB – MN – good first hs – maloney to pak, perfect legs together – van leeuwen, great – hits her cast hs – toe on to FTDT, stuck landing, maybe a little stagger. Yes please.

9.950. I see.

It’s 49.275 for Minnesota on bars to take the total to 98.450, and Iowa does the same on floor thanks to Guerin and Henderson to get to 98.550. A close one between them so far. UCLA on 97.225 after a 48.925 on beam that included a counting 9.675 from Malabuyo for that dismount and a 9.725 from Flatley that we did not see.

Rotation 3

Frazier pulled from the floor lineup. Tratz is in now.

Koch – BB – MN – bhs loso, small quiver correction on landing – beat to split 3/4, very short of split position on that one – kickover to scale, held well – 1.5 dismount, stuck. 9.800

Ulias – FX – UCLA – punch rudi, bounce back – switch to split leap 1.5, pulls it around – split leap full to split jump full, filling up on dance elements, which is the highlight for her – 1.5 to layout, maintain straight position well – 9.800

Laplante – VT – Iowa – Yfull, like the late twist – large bounce back. 9.700

Pearl – BB – MN – bhs loso series, secure, some knees in the bhs – aerial, arm wave check – switch to split, solid amplitude – 1.5 dismount, step to the side. Definite option here. 9.575 is tight.

Kenlin – VT – Iowa – solid Yfull – small hop back, some pike position. Still goes 9.850

Loper – BB – MN – bhs loso series, smooth – kickover, small lean – switch to straddle 1/4, somewhat tight oin straddle position – 1.5, lovely, stuck. 9.875

Zivat – VT – Iowa – tsuk full, does well to hold the stick on her landing, leans forward and some leg position

Tratz – FX – UCLA – full in, around, chest a bit forward with a step – split leap full to split jump full – 1.5 to layout, some foot separation in 1.5, good layout – double tuck, bounce back OOB.

Tyson – BB – MN – bhs bhs loso, off line and falls – switch to straddle 1/4, solid – 1.5 dismount, good distance and stick. Will have to count the Pearl 9/.575

Killian – VT – Iowa – good dynamics on her Yfull, bounce back

Moors – FX – UCLA – here we go – opens by stitching your life back together – double front, very good landing, smallest movement – very high loso side element – switch ring to split leap full to wolf full, hits her 180s – front full to 1/2 to double stag, loses control there some. Correct amount of pain of a nation. 9.875

Guerin with a very large bounce back on her Yfull.

Henderson VT – Iowa – great dynamics on yfull of course – medium bounce back

Ramler – BB – MN – bhs loso series, holds it well – aerial to beat, smalll lean – beat to split ring jump, great – side aerial to full, little bounce. 9.950. Beam judges trying to even out bars judges?

Malabuyo – FX – UCLA – double tuck, little bounce – 1.5 to front layout side pass, gets loose in layout – switch ring to switch 1/2, well done – double pike, some chest position. Solid. 9.775

Minnesota went 49.075 – including a 9.875 from Nylin, getting over 49 despite counting that Pearl score.

Iowa 49.100 on vault to continue to pad the lead.

Campbell – FX – UCLA – deep in her full in with a lunge forward – very nice split positions – front lay to front full, controls the step forward – double tuck, good landing, chest up. 9.825

UCLA goes 49.125 on floor, their most real-life rotation so far.

After 3:
Iowa – 147.650
Minnesota – 147.525
UCLA – 146.350

Good battle between Iowa and Minnesota here. Moment of truth for Iowa on bars after those last two meets. Minnesota has had more mistakes but also more Ramler. UCLA all over the place as foretold.

Rotation 4

“UCLA, they’re in striking distance.” They are not.

Iowa has a struggle dismount from Tolan first up on bars, double tuck was very low and multiple bounces back. 9.400

Koch – FX – MN – front 2/1 to front tuck, lunge a little sideward and some knees – split full to wolf full, could show a clearer horizontal position – solid side pass, day of side passes – rudi, secure landing, again some ragged knees

UCLA has a 9.725 vault from Malabuyo

Vance – UB – IOwa – blind to jaeger, somewhat close – overcasts the next handstand and has to hop off. Well, Iowa didn’t solve the problem on bars, I guess. resumes with a good bail – hitting casts on high – late giant full into double tuck, holds the landing but also fairly low amplitude on double tuck dismount.

Leneave – FX – MN – double pike, chest forward, hop to present – switch 1/2 and wolf full are short of position. 1.5 to layout is solid. double tuck, has to tucccccck to pull it around, lunge forward. 9.650

We see Moors hit her vault in the foreground. Chest down but hit.

Replay of Malabuyo VT – bounce back on Yfull, some pike, little extra control step.

greenwald – UB – Iowa – hits tkatchev, tight hip position in the air though – toe on to pak, solid – DLO very short, large lunge forward.

Ramler – FX – MN – split ring jump, great position, somwhat out of control on landing – 1.5 through to 2/1, controls – switch ring is perfect – rudi, little bounce – 1.5 to layout, hit, arches it around some. 9.925

39.700 is the national AA lead.

Flatley – VT – UCLA – nice open position on her yfull but also a large bounce. 9.750

Steffensmeier – Iowa – UB – good piked jaeger – pak, hit – casts, can’t get get 1/2 turn and has to do another – cast 1/2 to high – giant full to double tuck, deep, hop forward

Remlinger – FX – MN – nice amplitude on full in – switch side to popa, shows 180s – 1.5 to layout, again showing good height on these elements – double tuck, easy, chest up, small slide. Will get a good number. 9.850

Kaji – UB – Iowa – blind to jaeger, hit -pak very arched but fine, hit – solid cast hs on high – DLO, small hop

Moors VT – UCLA – so we’re finally seeing this vault – handspring pike 1/2, chest well down but brings it up quickly, only small foot movement.

Hooten – FX – MN – full in, very solid – switch side to popa, good rise in popa, the switch side could be a little higher – front full to front pike, easy smooth and stuck – double tuck, chest a little forward, step. 9.900

Ooooh man looks like UCLA had vault misses from both Poston and Chiles. Disaster.

And we’re seeing CHiles. She goes for the DTY and it is crazzzzy out of control with 750 hilarious lunges back.

Poston – VT – UCLA – handspring pike 1/2 right to her elbow face

Loper FX – MN – front lay to rudi, rudi is very nice, arches around that layou some – switch positions look good – 2.5, just a tad short with a slide back – 1.5 to front lay, controls step. 9.850

Good floor rotation overall for Minnesota. Ready.

Kenlin – UB – Iowa – good first hs – maloney to pak, legs together well – toe full, not too bad, somewhat late- double tuck, holds the landing.

Campbell – VT – UCLA – huge Yfull, excellent, just a little hop in place. 9.900

SO.

Minnesota takes the meet with a 196.900, which they should be quite pleased with as an opening mark, especially counting a 9.5 on beam. There are still some ragged questions early in the lineups, but they look strong.

It’s just 195.950 for Iowa after a poor bars rotation that took away what could have been a huge number based on the first three events. Counted a 9.6, 9.5, and 9.4 there to get the same total as UCLA’s rotation.

UCLA ends up on 194.850 after counting misses on both vault and bars and counting a 9.6 and a 9.7 on beam. It was not great. In contrast to Georgia’s opening 194, for UCLA we at least see where all the 9.9s would come from, but they also look far from that point right now. This is the kind of performance that got UCLA its slow start reputation for all those years, where they were like, “We might have choreography ready for the first meet…now, who can vault?”