Elimination season has now arrived with the ever-maligned play-in meets, where the #8 and #9 teams in each regional battle it out to determine who has the honor of competing in the actual regional. Here’s the deal:

3:00pm ET/12:00pm PT – [33] Towson v [35] North Carolina
4:00pm ET/1:00pm PT – [31] West Virginia v [32] Arizona
4:00pm ET/1:00pm PT – [28] Iowa State v [36] Western Michigan
6:00pm ET/3:00pm PT – [29] Stanford v [34] San Jose State

Full schedule and streaming/scoring links.

For North Carolina/Towson, we have what should be a pretty evenly matched one. Towson has gone over 196 more often and more consistently in recent meets than North Carolina has, but North Carolina has been the stronger-scoring team at road meets throughout the season, going 196.4s and 196.6s to Towson’s 196.0s and 196.1s. At EAGLs, Towson’s hit meet scored five tenths higher than UNC’s fall-counter. The absence of Lali Dekanoidze for North Carolina is deeply significant for their scoring potential, but they have scored 196.4 on two occasions without her.

West Virginia and Arizona have pretty much been trading lower-196s since the end of January, hence their nearly identical NQSs. But, with West Virginia very slightly ahead, that means both teams will end this one on their strongest events, West Virginia on floor and Arizona on beam. If everything stays as close as it seems until that point, you like West Virginia since their floor has been the highest-scoring apparatus for either team, but at this point Arizona should fancy its chances on beam against most. Recall when Arizona led the first session of Pac-12s following beam.

Iowa State against Western Michigan is the largest ranking mismatch here, but it’s also worth noting that even though the score-scape probably isn’t comparable, the teams got almost the same score at conference championships when Western Michigan counted a fall and Iowa State didn’t (but got stuck in high-48 town). Iowa State has done well to survive an “everyone’s injured” season, with Alondra Maldonado the latest victim, but if Western Michigan can escape vault without giving up tooooo much of a deficit, upset watch could be on.

As for Stanford against San Jose State, both teams have made a strong comeback this year after more-or-less not having a season last year. Stanford has the higher ceiling this year with 196.9s on two occasions and should be considered the favorite as long as they hit, but both those scores were at home, and it is San Jose State that has the stronger road-meet record, reinforced at conference championships when SJSU scored about five tenths better than Stanford when Stanford counted a beam fall.

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Rotation 1

Weitz – VT – Towson – oh we’re starting! Hits a yfull, solid amplitude, lunge back. 9.700

We missed Shearer on bars. But she went 9.725. This has been a problem before. They don’t typically do the play-ins in the normal routine-alternating format for dual meets because shrug emoji.

Borkowski – VT – Towson – lands quite short on her yfull with a lunge forward. 9.625

Greene – UB – North Carolina – giant full, a bit late into tkatchev and falls – finishes with solid stick on FTDT. 9.000

Bolen 4th up for Towson – solid stick on her yfull, just piking in the air. She follows a 9.825 from Tisler, who had a bounce up in place. 9.800

Vitoff – VT – Towson – 5th up, hits a Y1.5 pretty well, a little locked on landing, step to the side.

Greenlow – UB – North Carolian – hits gienger, legs apart on catch, connects to overshoot – double arabian dismount, cowboy, hit with step. Just 9.625 and counting.

Davis – VT – Towson – does Yfull (posted number for the full as well), pretty large bounce back. 9.800

Towson on 48.950 on vault, which is a solid result for them.

Knower – UB – UNC – gienger, hit, legs – shortish cast hs – toe on to bail, small leg break, hits vertical – strong final cast hs – FTDT, chest forward and a step. 9.700

Schaefer – UB – UNC – a bit short on first hs – blind is nice into clean jaeger – short cast hs – clear hip to bail, shy of vertical there – hip angle on final cast hs – FTDT, good form, stuck landing. Nice finish. 9.800

Culton – UB – UNC – nice first hs – stalder to tkatchev, hit, keeps toe point throughout, Tkatchev not super high – bail, leg break, a bit short of vertical – solid hs – stalder into double tuck, stuck landing. Clean work. 9.850

Can we discuss how dumb it is not to alternate when it’s just a dual meet? We could have been watching vaults during these bars judging breaks instead of Danna clapping.

After 1: Towson 48.950, North Carolina 48.700

North Carolina hasn’t been sub 49 on bars since February 12th. UNC would have expected a lead after bars, so that’s a big shift after one rotation. Now UNC is really going to need to see some 9.7s for Towson on bars as well because they are typically a 48 team on vault.

It was a range of 9.800-9.950 for Culton on bars. I think 9.850 was a reasonable ultimate score for that.

Rotation 2

Greene – VT – UNC – Yfull, solid control, small bounce back, not a lot of distance, some pike. 9.775

Keener – UB – Towson – blind to jaeger, a little low, connected to overshoot – solid cast hs position – giant full, a bit late, into double tuck, stuck. Solid. 9.850

Schaefer – VT – UNC – y tucked full, some direction, hop back. 9.750

Vitoff – UB – Towson – hecht mount – short hs – clear hip to a high gienger, crazy legs – short cast hs on high – FTDT, a bit of legs, step back. 9.700

Summey hits yfull layout for UNC, legs apart, hop back. 9.825

Shinohara – VT – UNC – larger bounce back on her yfull, better distance, some piking. 9.800

Girot – UB – Towson – another gienger, large leg break – clear hip to bail, body angle on catch and a leg break – FTDT, holds landing. 9.750

Knower – VT – UNC – solid yfull, but a fairly large bounce back, less pike but some. 9.800

Weil – VT – UNC – handspring front pike, hop forward, tucks it a bit at the end. 9.700

Hong – UB – Towson – good first hs – blind to piked jaeger, solid – short cast hs – bail is clean, closer to vertical – blind to double front, pretty good leg position, small step. 9.775

UNC went 48.950 on vault, the same as Towson there.

Vaillancourt – UB – Towson – blind to jaeger, solid extension into overshoot, good, small hip angle – looks like she’s getting to vertical on handstands but rushing out of the position- DLO, legs apart, holds the landing with a little lean forward. 9.825

Stewart – UB – Towson – piked jaeger, takes it too far and falls, so that won’t count but Towson already has a 48.900 on bars to retain the lead. Second fall on a high Pak and she’s like SEE YA THIS ISN’T COUNTING.

After 2: Towson 97.850, North Carolina 97.650

No rotations over 49 thus far. That second rotation confirmed bars scoring as tighter than vault scoring here, but now that both teams have done both, Towson is out with a lead. Almost exclusively built on bars handstand positions.

Rotation 3

Bolen – BB – Towson – large break on bhs loso series, lean to the side – another leg up check on punch front – switch to straddle 1/4, large lean forward – bhs gainer full, stuck. Stayed on but will need to drop it. 9.200

Nam finishes FX for North Carolina with a 1.5 to front lay full, little crossover dance out.

What is happening with this floor. They have the white floor and then have to mark it with floor lines that are…not quite consistent with the white floor space? I love when we get to postseason and learn how effed up all these floors are.

Keener – BB – Towson – nice amplitude on loso series, small check – switch to tuck 3/4, around comfortably – cat leap to kickover, very deep, works out of it to save with a check – gainer full, hop back. 9.625 and counting. Oof. Range of 9.500-9.750

St Brice – FX – UNC – 1.5 to front lay, legs apart on lay – wolf jump 1.5, a bit shy of rotation – switch 1/2 to split jump full, under on switch position, hits split – double pike, gets fairly low, jarred back. 9.700

Vaillancourt – BB – Towson – standing front tuck to beat jump, a bit deep on landing but OK for a standing – bhs loso, some feet, secure – switch to switch, shortish back leg – holds full turn – gainer full, small hop back. 9.825

Greenlow – FX – UNC – double pike, chest down but secure – switch 1/2 to wolf full, nice toes – front tuck through to 2.5, lunge forward and OOB – 1.5 to layout, good rise on layout. 9.575

Weitz – BB – Towson – switch to loso, knee position on loso, check with an arm wave – aerial, works through to bhs, another small check – switch to split, solid 180s shown – another hesitation on full turn – side aerial to layout full, holds stick almost into salute. 9.775

Culton – FX – UNC – double tuck, chest up, small bounce back – switch ring to switch side, good lift – front lay to rudi, another somewhat jarred landing, bounce – switch side to popa, lovely split work – 9.850

Hong – BB – Towson – split to straddle 3/4, around well, a little crooked – switch to split jump full, scoots her feet around a tad at the very end but mostly got there, nice toes – punch front full dismount, stuck. Pretty. 9.850

Knower – FX – UNC – double pike, large bounce back and a crossover step OOB – 1.5 to layout is clean though – finishes was a mostly-controlled double tuck, a little present to the side. 9.700

Hurst – BB – Towson – falls on bhs loso series which means a miss will be counting for Towson. Big news.

So, it’s going to be 48.275 for Towson on beam, and Weil will finish for North Carolina on floor, still needing a solid hit from her to secure a real lead going into the last rotation – bounce back on double back – 1.5 to layout, controls the step forward – switch side to popa, under on element rotation there – double pike, slide back. 9.775

After 3: North Carolina 146.450, Towson 146.125

So North Carolina takes a lead, but it’s still not impervious despite Towson’s fall because Towson goes to floor now and UNC is on beam.

We’ve started elsewhere, and Iowa State has an opening fall on vault. So not what we expected.

Lewis is 2nd up for West Virginia on vault, way off to the side on her yfull, nearly off the mat. Good amplitude. Following a leadoff 9.675. She goes 9.650

Mueller has an opening fall for Arizona on bars. And it looks like Western Michigan also started with a fall on bars. What a start. 3 of 4 opening routines were falls at these meets.

Kane – UB – AZ – blind to jaeger, a bit close into overshoot – blind to double front, holds the landing.

Solid Yfull from Yancey for WVU – small hop in place. 9.800

McCabe – UB – AZ – pretty close catch on piked jaeger but casts out of it – giant full to bail, a bit of legs but hits positions – cast to DLO, holds stuck landing. 9.825

Iowa State back on track on vault with a 9.850 from Boychuk.

Good lift on Y1.5 from Pierson for WVU, larger lunge forward. 9.775

Deets – Ub – AZ – giant full to tkatchev, smooth – a bit of loose back on cast befor ebail – pretty solid final cast hs – DLO, solid position, bounce back.

Stumble landing on ro full on back tuck for Fletcher on VT for WVU, so that won’t be a counter.

Final rotation starting for UNC and Towson, so off to finish what we started:

Summey – BB – UNC – bhs loso series, small check – hits full turn – beat to straddle 3/4, chest forward to hold it – cat leap, small pause before side aerial to side position – 1.5, a bit deep but holds the landing. 9.700

Bolen opened floor for Towson with 9.800.

Western Michigan is now counting a fall on bars, while Iowa State is through vault with 49.100 after the opening fall.

Shearer – BB – UNC – bhs loso, knee bend in loso, check with a leg up – aerial is hit – switch, small pause before straddle 1/4 – small step on dismount. 9.750

Weitz – FX – Towson – double tuck, controls step, chest down, double pike is similar. 9.850

Towson gaining back what they need to gain back.

Big development: Arizona 49.200 on bars to West Virginia 48.650 on vault. That’s a surprisingly low VT score from WVU and will be tough to come back from without help.

Nam – BB – UNC – bhs loso, holds with small correction – switch to straddle 1/4, good lift – cat leap to side aerial, lower, lean to the side – full turn – stuck 1.5 dismount. 9.825

Tisler – FX – Towson – nice high double tuck – solid amplitude on leap positions – 1.5 to layout, gets low on that layout, has to whip over the layout – rudi to double stag, arm wave to control. 9.825

The hard thing about listening to Christina is that she says exactly what I’m about to type and then it’s like I’m copying…

Culton – BB – UNC – bhs loso, smooth, good extension – cat leap to switch side, good horizontal position – aerial, a bit of knee, into beat jump – side aerial to full, stuck landing, a bit of pike. Good one. 9.925

Hong – FX – Towson – stumbles forward on front 2/1, two steps and OOB – high whip 1/2 into her front full, lovely – rudi, another lack of control on landing with a slide back. 9.625

Advantage shifting back to UNC.

Knower – BB – UNC – bhs loso, great amplitude, extended leg – kickover, chest up well, secure – beat, small pause before switch 1/2, hits it with a wobble – 1.5, stuck landing. Very good again. 9.900

The beamers came through when North Carolina needed it.

Stewart – FX – Towson – front lay to rudi, slide back – split leap full to jump full, shy of split on those elements – double tuck, short with a hop forward. 9.850

Greenlow – BB – UNC – hits full turn – bhs loso, holds it well, little movement – cat leap to side aerial, low but holds onto it without a check – switch to switch, short of position a bit there – 1.5, small hop in place. 9.875

So this one is clinched for North Carolina now. A 195.725 for UNC. 

Borkowski finishes for Towson – high double tuck, chest up, controls step back – front lay to front full, hit under control, some knee bending – double pike, chest down, little hop.

FINAL: North Carolina 195.725, Towson 195.250

So, North Carolina advances to tomorrow over Towson. It came down to…Towson counting a 9.200 on beam. Actually surprising that it ended up as close as it was given that Towson basically counted a fall and North Carolina did not. If Towson hits five beam routines, Towson advances. But North Carolina’s beam was the most impressive rotation of the day, and that clinched it.

The update elsewhere is that Western Michigan ended up with three falls on bars for a 47.450 to Iowa State’s 49.100, so basically Iowa State just has to not implode at this point.

Arizona had a .550 lead on West Virginia after the first rotation, but with Arizona going 48.725 on vault in the second, West Virginia has a chance to eat into that significantly on bars finishing out this rotation.

Pierson – UB – WVU – anchoring the lineup – not sure what the delay is about because Abarca’s 9.800 has been in for a while – toe on to shap, strugdles to cast up, short of vertical – toe 1/2, hesitation into yezhova, hits with a leg break – can’t get up to handstand and hops off. Was fighting it throughout.

WVU did have five hits before that but now will have to count a 9.700, which handcuffs their ability to move up on Arizona. This one is still live, though. Arizona leading by .350 after two events.

After 2: Arizona 97.925, West Virginia 97.575

Western Michigan went 48.975 on vault, but Iowa State is only going to extend its lead after the second rotation.

Orrego finishes bars for Iowa State – good first hs – maloney to pak, small legs breaks – pretty solid 1/2 turn on low bar – short final cast hs – pikes some to get it around, slight movement. 9.850

After 2: Iowa State 98.175, Western Michigan 96.425

Rotation 3

Orman – FX – Arizona – rudi, control, some leg crossing – switch side to popa, mostly there, back leg – double pike, short landing, lunge forward. 9.725

Handono – BB – WVU – hits loso series, lots of knee bend -full turn, hit – kickover, deep, holds with with a lean into beat jump – cat leap to switch to split – cat leap to side aerial to tuck full, slide. 9.625

Mueller – FX – Arizona – double pike, good height, little slide – 1.5 to layout, slight leg separation – double tuck, chest down, lunge. 9.850

Pierson – BB – WVU – standing front tuck to bhs, hits it – split to straddle 1/4, good height, a bit short of place – side aerial to tuck full, a bit short, hop forward.  9.750

Hornung – BB – WVU – hits wolf turn – cat leap to aerial, knee, into one arm bhs – finishes 1.5 with lunge forward. 9.800

We had a stream freeze at the beginning of Deets on FX and middle of Hornung on BB, but Deets finishes with a comfortable double tuck. 9.825

Combs – BB – WVU – aerial, solid into back tuck, good rhythm in connection – cat leap to switch side, solid 180 shown, lean correction – kickover, holds it with arm wave into beat jump – front full dismount, soft knees, hop forward. 9.750

Fears – FX – AZ – double tuck, mostly controls lunge back – switch side to popa is around – 2.5, pretty solid, only a small step, a bit of legs, not bad for a 2.5 – 1.5 to front full, gets a tad soft at the end, good control. 9.875

Holmes-Hackerd – BB – WVU – cat leap to aerial to back tuck, kept moving through combination – cat leap to switch, back leg, into back tuck, small adjustment – full turn, hit – gainer full, stuck with stagger. 9.850

Herry – FX – AZ – double tuck, chest up, controlled – switch 1/2 to popa, good height, some short leg in popa – 1.5 to layout, good twisting position, controls step – double pike, chest down, lunge forward. 9.900

Asper – BB – WVU – bhs loso loso, really nice control because she looked so low on that middle loso but got through it without a check – switch to split 1/2, nice style on landing – 1.5 dismount. holds stick, lean. 9.825

Hargrove – FX – AZ – nearly holds the stick on her FTDT, tries for it and ends up with a little step, good pass – back 1/2 to front full, crossover step but nice twisting form – switch ring to split leap full, slightly out of control on landing – double tuck, solid. 9.875

Arizona will extend its lead heading to the final event.

Iowa State does have a fall and a 9.675 through the first four beamers, but they’d need to show another fall to make this one interesting. They’re just doing enough.

Arizona went 49.325 on floor to West Virginia’s 48.975 on beam to extend Arizona’s lead through three.

After 3: Arizona 147.250, West Virginia 146.550

Floor is West Virginia’s best event and floor scoring was really loose in that last rotation, so there’s room to gain some ground here, but they would need 7 tenths, which means they’re going to need help from Arizona as well.

Looks like we have an injury for Western Michigan from Ludwig in the final spot on floor, which will also be another counting fall in that rotation.

Iowa State didn’t have a great beam rotation there for 48.725, but it doesn’t matter at this point.

Rotation 4 – WVU v Arizona

Fears – BB – Arizona – bhs loso series, hit securely – side aerial into sissone, good – 1.5, little hop after a lean. 9.850

Hornung – FX – WVU – double pike, small bounce – 1.5 to front layout, legs together – 1.5 to front pike, controls the step. 9.800

Herry – BB – Arizona – bhs loso, good lift into loso, small hesitation – side somi, lean back, brings it back – straddle jump to straddle 1/2, large break, lean forward and leg up to horizontal – bhs 1.5 dismount, hop back

Lewis – FX – WVU – rudi to loso, pretty position – finishes double tuck, good chest up. 9.875

Holmes-Hackerd – FX – WVU – well something insane just happened – landed her rudi wayyy short like onto her shins or something and then tried to spring out of it for a second and then decided to stop. She is walking off relatively ably though.

We are FALLING APART.

So Herry ended up with a 9.650, that Arizona will want to drop, but WVU also has to drop Holmes-Hackerd’s stopped routine.

Castles – BB – Arizona – bhs loso, secure landing – switch to split leap, not bad on split leap 180 – aerial, connects into sissone, good split position, slightly soft leg – 1.5, a little short, tries to hold the stick, ends up stepping. 9.850

Pierson – FX – WVU – DLO is well controlled – front lay to front full, hit – double tuck, slide back. 9.875

Hargrove – BB – Arizona – bhs loso, good height – cat leap side aerial, holds it – slight hesitation full turn – 1.5 dismount, short, slide back. 9.850

Yancey – FX – WVU – double pike, solid, small rebound – switch ring to split full, good height and comfort – 1.5 to layout to stag jump – double tuck, chest a bit forward, hops to present – this should be another strong number, but Arizona hasn’t given them enough of an opening. 9.900

Mueller – BB – Arizona – side aerial to loso, strong – switch to split – finishes 1.5, small hop. That will clinch for Arizona. 9.875

Combs – FX – WVU – front tuck through to double pike, lunge back – switch side to wolf full to popa, a little short on wolf position but nice amplitude overall – double tuck, solid.

Combs 9.900 gets West Virginia to 49.350 on floor and a 195.925 final.

Linton – BB – Arizona – double wolf, small hesitation on finish – bhs bhs loso, check, arm wave and foot up – switch to split, good switch – side aerial to layout full, stuck. 9.850

While West Virginia did get the higher score on floor, it was by only a bit and not enough to overcome Arizona’s superiority on bars and beam.

FINAL: Arizona 196.525, West Virginia 195.925

Iowa State is not exactly rolling in scores on floor here in the final rotation but doing more than enough.

And they’re getting picked up at the end, Maddie Diab with a 9.925 now to absolutely, mathematically, absolutely clinch the win.

Murphy will finish the meet for Western Michigan on beam – kickover front with an arm wave, pause before split jump – full turn, a couple wobble steps forward – bhs loso is hit – beat to split ring jump, large break but keeps it on, wobble and then another lean – side aerial to full, out of control hop back, looks like she’s fighting it with that ankle/foot. 

So, Iowa State is done on 195.750. Western Michigan puts up its weakest meet of the season with 193.575 to be eliminated.

So West Virginia still has the second best score of the day in being eliminated.

Also, an update that the start of Stanford and San Jose State is delayed by about an hour because of equipment malfunction. Love that for us.

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Update: Intros are starting.

National anthem. Shot of eagle in flight. Statue of Liberty. Repeat.

Now there’s a video package about sewing I think. I think I got the point.

Alisa lets us know that the vault runway was set up on top of carpet, which was the equipment malfunction. They had to cut out the carpet. Is this even a real sport?

Rotation 1

Lopes starts on bars for SJSU – clean bail position midway through – giant full, late into double tuck, hop back. 9.750

Chrobok – VT – Stanford – bounce back on yfull, piking throughout. 9.725

Navarro – VT – Stanford – looks like she’s replacing Zeng in the lineup who got a 9.5 at Pac12s – this will be better than that – pretty solid layout position on yfull – slide back. 9.800

Weyhmiller – UB – SJSU – solid jaeger – pak, small separation – cast hs slightly short – DLO, smooth, stuck landing. 9.850

Gutierrez – VT – Stanford – Y1.5, lands it, medium hop forward, knees. 9.850

Macpherson – UB – SJSU – good height on tkatchev, gets a little close on catch – toe on to bail, solid vertical position – short cast hs on high – giant full, not too bad on finish position – into FTDT, chest well down, lunge on landing. 9.725

Neault has several steps back on her ro full on back pike vault. 9.650

Brunette – VT – Stanford – Yfull fairly large bounce back, good distance, only a bit of pike. 9.850

Milne – UB – SJSU – we join at her pak, which is solid – toe 1/2 on low bar, a little late – finishes DLO, chest down, nearly sells control but steps forward. 9.800

Bryant – VT – Stanford – excellent Yfull – good stick, just pikes it down a bit at the end to find the stick. 9.900

Mazury – UB – SJSU – blind to piked jaeger, comfortable – hits cast hs – pak, legs together well – hits cast hs on high – clean handstands, not the most amplitude on her releases but not much to take here – DLO, little hop in place. Nice one. 9.900

Solomon – UB – SJSU – toe on to church, high, just some legs – connects to overshoot, solid height – DLO, chest forward, step. 9.850

Really enjoying the inevitable disaster of live scoring.

Stanford on 49.125, which is a good vault number for them, but SJSU will have the lead.

After 1: San Jose State 49.150, Stanford 49.125

Big deal for San Jose St to have the lead after the first rotation since bars is a good event for them and vault not so much for Stanford. But the lead is minimal. Now, San Jose State would lovvvve to go over 49 on vault, which Stanford will expect to do on bars.

Rotation 2

Mazury starts with a ro 1/1 on back pike on vault, mostly controls landing with a step but will get hit for chest down. 9.650

Macpherson – VT – SJSU – pretty clean position on yfull but a large lunge back. 9.775

We cut back to Lawson to see her hop off the bars after her toe on. Following a leadoff 9.800 from Waguespack.

Gentry – VT – SJSU – struggles on her yfull, not much distance and low with a step forward. 9.600

Brunette – UB – Stanford – small arch in first hs – 1/2 turn to deltchev , hits with some leg form connects to a clean overshoot – DLO, bounces a bit, step back. 9.775

Kirsch – VT – SJSU – good height on y tucked 1.5 – medium bounce forward. 9.850 and they needed it.

Lopes – VT – SJSU – sticks her yfull very well – just a bit of pike at the end and not the highest we see. 9.850

Neault – UB – Stanford – short first hs – maloney to pak, solid legs on pak – 1/2 turn on low is nicely finished – short sh on high – toe full, solid vertical into double tuck, bounce back. 9.800

Kelperis – VT – SJSU – Tsuk lay full – step, some legs apart and soft feet throughout. 9.775

SJSU goes 48.900 on vault, which is not quittte what they wanted but definitely usable.

Bryant – UB – Stanford – good first hs – toe on to tkatchev, low but fine – small arch in cast – pak, lovely – 1/2 turn, rushed slightly but ok – DLO, a bit short, hop in place. 9.850

Gutierrez – UB – Stanford – shortish first hs – toe on to jaeger, good toe point – hits cast – bail, piked position on the catch, double front 1/2 out dismount, lunge forward. Countable but things. Meet will stay close after two.

It’s just 9.725 for Gutierrez to put Stanford on 48.950 on bars, definitely not what they wanted.

After 2: Stanford 98.075, San Jose State 98.050

So this one is delivering so far. Stanford’s floor should be the best score of the remaining apparatuses for either team, so will be imperative for SJSU to have the lead after three because you’d expect them to give up ground in four.

Rotation 3

Stephenson – BB – Stanford – aerial, good knee position, but a small pause into beat jump – bhs loso, nice height but a huge break and falls. Uh oh.

Marquez is on FX for SJSU – switch to wolf jump full to wolf jump full – double tuck, under control, crunched down on landing. 9.750

We see Stephenson finish with a stuck gainer full. 9.150

Lopes – FX – SJSU – double pike, controls step, chest down – switch side to split jump full, looks like she pulled it around – 1.5 to front lay, solid, a bit of leg position in 1.5 – double tuck, bounce back. 9.800

Replay of Gutierrez bhs loso, small check – switch to switch 1/2, good switch, 1/2 a bit short – 1.5 with a hop. 9.800

Kelperis – FX – SJSU – 1.5 to front full, solid work, just a bit soft in the knees – cat leap full and I don’t hate it – split leap 1.5, looks like she pulled it around enough at the end, nice toes and general presentation posture – double tuck, controls step. 9.850

Navarro finishes beam for Stanford with 1.5, a bit locked on landing with a step back. 9.775

Macpherson – FX – SJSU – double pike, well controlled – switch ring to switch side, fine, a little tight – 1.5 to layout, bounce forward, good twisting position – double tuck, chest down some. 9.850

Neault on beam hits switch ring to beat jump, 1.5 dismount stuck. 9.825

Mazury – FX – SJSU – front lay to rudi, slide back – split leap 1.5 attempt (?) to split jump full, indistinct in those landing positions – double pike, a bit low but fine, small slide again. 9.900, we’re getting a bit high here.

Bryant – BB – Stanford – full turn, good – bhs loso, wobble with leg up, holds it – beat to switch split, again with a wobble working out of it, another leg up moment – front tuck, small hop forward – bhs bhs double tuck, step back. They can count it but won’t be a huge number. 9.800 is friendly. I had three flat .100 deductions in there at minimum.

Orcutt – FX – SJSU – double pike, chest down, keeps the step back in bounds – switch ring to switch 1/2, not quite high enough on the back leg on the ring attempt – front full to front full, controls it, knees. 9.825

Widner – BB – Stanford – switch to split, excellent leap positions – bhs loso, good extended legs, clean – aerial, nice into split jump – side aerial to full, stuck. Wonderful. 9.900

After 3: San Jose St 147.275, Stanford 147.175

Stanford avoids disaster. San Jose State gets the lead back after three, which was imperative, but is that one tenth margin going to be enough with Stanford heading to floor? Stanford will expect to go a couple tenths better than San Jose in the final rotation.

Rotation 4

Weyhmiller – BB – SJSU – switch to switch 1/2 to beat jump, small pause in between the switches, switch 1/2 a little short but normal – bhs loso series and falls – finishes side aerial to full, stuck. 9.275

Neault finishes FX with a rudi, somewhat ragged and chest down – 1.5 to layout, hit. 9.825

Mazury – BB – SJSU – hitch kick to side aerial and immediately falls – well this one was exciting for three rotations at least – bhs loso series is secure – beat to straddle 1/2 is nice, good position and toe point – 1.5 dismount stuck. 9.150

Gutierrez finishes floor with a double pike, slide back. 9.850

Lopes – BB – SJSU – bhs bhs loso and she falls as well. San Jose suddenly having a Western Michigan over here – finishes side aerial to tuck full. 9.000

Brunette does wolf hop full to split full, nice variation on the wolf jump full combination, double tuck, chest up, little rebound. 9.850

Macpherson – BB – SJSU – switch to split, nicely done – bhs bhs loso, well extended, leg-up check – standing loso, secure – 1.5, step back. 9.800

Apparently Hoang went OOB on her DLO on floor. Front lay to front full is solid, double pike under control. 9.650

Milne – BB – SJSU – side aerial to loso, good height and extended leg position – split jump to korbut, pretty – wolf jump to sheep jump, pretty solid closure positions, step – hop back on dismount. 9.850

Lawson 1.5 through to double tuck on floor, under control – struggles on split leap full with leg extension but pulls it around – doubel pike, small bounce. 9.900

Kirsch – BB – SJSU – good candle mount – bhs onodi, hits it, gets a little back leggy on the bhs but love the series – switch to split 1/4 – bhs to tuck 1.5, hop back. 9.800

Stonecipher – FX – Stanford – she’ll come in for Bryant, who will have to compete for her individual qualification hopes tomorrow – whip 1/2 to rudi, jarred landing, some form – switch 1/2 to wolf full is good – double tuck is solid – 9.825

FINAL: Stanford 196.425, San Jose State 195.150

So. Three of the four meets today decided by counting falls, with Western Michigan and San Jose State falling out of their meets with disaster rotations and Towson counting a beam fall as well. West Virginia was the lone team to be eliminated today without counting a miss.

So, ready for tomorrow? It starts at 1 ET with the LSU/Missouri/Iowa/NC State semifinal.