Wednesday, April 3
2:00pm ET/ 11:00am PT	Michigan Play-In Illinois v Ball State	Scores	ESPN+
3:00pm ET/ 12:00pm PT	Arkansas Play-In Boise State v BYU	Scores	ESPN+

Something to note in both meets today: Illinois and Boise State are the higher ranked overall, but both Ball State and BYU have the higher total of apparatuses NQSs. That can tell you that the lower-ranked teams have higher scoring potential overall but haven’t always put it together in the same meet.

So regionals was starting great.

It’s really been a banner week so far for satisfying streaming experiences.

For a second we were a go, we saw Ruthberg do a toe on on bars, and then we lost it again. BUT WHAT A TOE ON! And then we saw Molina salute and then lost it again. BUT WHAT A SALUTE!

Do we have it for real now?

Mueller vault Illinois, yfull, bounce back, some hip angle and feet. 9.750

Szymanski – UB – Ball State – a bit tshort first hs – giant full to a high gienger, leg separation on catch, connects to overshoot – giant full, a bit past, double tuck, chest forward, step. 9.700

Ward – VT – Illinois – y1.5, lands somewhat short with a bounce back, leg separation at the end and some knees and direction. 9.800

Teter – UB – Ball State – hits first hs – giant full, solid finish into tkatchev, high some form at the end, connects to overshoot – a bit shy on hs on high – blind to double front 1/2 out, small movement. 9.800

After 1:
Illinois 48.875
Ball State 48.800

Scores lower than the teams will have become used to during the season, but Illinois will be happy with the margin here. Ball State often found its best scores on bars this year and would have wanted a lead after 1.

Rotation 2

Martinez – VT – Ball State – pretty big bounce back on yfull, some pike and ankle position. 9.750

Mueller – UB – Illinois – short first hs – blind to jaeger, pretty – bail, some hip angle in the air, gets there – better final cast hs vertical – DLO, legs apart, holds onto stick. 9.800

Teter – VT – Ball State – handspring front pike, huge .2 bound forward . 9.675

Denning – UB – Illinois – toe on to maloney, some leg break, into bail, same, and a bit of angle on catch – hitting cast positions – DLO, step back. 9.750

Middleton – VT – Ball State – yfull, good distance, bounce back and off direction. 9.825

Knight – UB – Illinois – toe on to maloney, some leg break but not as large as Denning, solid legs on bail – hits cast hs on high – DLO, slight control adjustment. 9.850

Pfister – VT – Ball State – handspring pike 1/2, good one, very small movement back. 9.900

Ewald – UB – Illinois – blind to jaeger, gets it – solid feet position – pak, high but leg separation and some form, gets it again – hits cast hs on high – FTDT, step back. 9.750

Ruthberg – VT – Ball State – yfull, fairly small hop to the side but more pike than some of the others, some direction. 9.800

Takekawa – UB – Illinois – blind to piked jaeger, good – hits hs on high – bail, small hip angle – strong cast hs position – DLO, legs together, holds stick with some chest position, good. 9.900

Henry – VT – Ball State – y1.5, hits, pretty large lunge forward and some knee position and direction. 9.825

Saltness – UB – Illinois – hits first hs – Ray, good height, some feet – tight cast hs – pretty pak work – 1/2 turn on low – giant full on high bar is very very late and couldn’t get her timing into the double tuck dismount, falls

Ball State will pick up some ground in this second rotation now, with a 49.100 on vault to Illinois’s 49.050 on bars.

After 2
Illinois 97.925
Ball State 97.900

Shaping up to be a good one. You assume Ball State will have to take a lead on floor now with Illinois on beam if they’re to have a shot at this one.

Rotation 3

Townes – BB – Illinois – switch to straddle 1/4, good position – cat leap to side aerial, secure landing – bhs loso series, small lean correction – full turn, small foot placement hesitation – tuck 1/5 dismount, good stick. 9.800

Ruthberg – FX – Ball State – front tuck to double tuck, big yes to the foot position in that double tuck – double pike, chest down landing with step – switch ring, not a ton of ring position, into switch 1/2, nice – rudi to split jump with a travel back. 9.800

Knight – BB – Illinois – candle mount hit – switch to split leap to beat, nice back leg in switch, small correction on the beat jump landing – side aerial to bhs, hit – side somi, secure – full turn, little overturn – gainer full, holds stick. 9.850

Martinez – FX – Ball State – double tuck, short landing with a lunge forward – switch side 1/2 – back 1.5 to 1/2 to switch split jump, some pike position but under control – front lay to front full, short landing, crossover step to cover. 9.675

Byrne – BB – Illinois – candle mount, hit – bhs loso, some foot position, check on landing – straddle jump, good – beat to sheep jump, wobble – full turn, hit – 2/1, tries to hold stick but ends up leaning forward and then two small hops, so big landing deduction there. 9.700

Pfister – FX – Ball State – double tuck, chest up well, good control – switch side to popa to wolf full, not fully rotated, hits positions – front full to front pike, hit – double pike, large bounce back and step to meet her back foot. 9.800

Mueller – BB – Illinois – full turn, check – bhs loso, pretty big leg up wobble – switch to switch, check to hold it – beat to kickover, holds onto landing control – 1.5 dismount, stuck. 9.750

Teter – FX – Ball State – front lay to rudi, high layout, shorter rudi, chest down and a step – double tuck, better control – split leap 1.5, tries to pull it around, compromises the split position a little – front full to lay, dance out. 9.750

Ewald – BB – Illinois – one arm bhs to bhs – switch to loso, under control – full turn, check correction – split jump to switch split jump to straddle 1/4, also secure – rudi dismount, hop back

Middleton – FX – Ball State – high double tuck, bounce back – front lay to front full, under control – split leap full, a hair under, into solid split jump full – double pike, chest up, small movement. Best chest position and amplitude in the lineup. 9.800

Judge convo about Ewald’s beam. I assume the convo is like, “Why is a one-arm bhs a C again?”

9.800 for Ewald.

Takekawa – BB – Illinois – side aerial to bhs, way off line and falls – another anchor fall for Illinois that will keep Ball State right in this – switch, high but lower back leg, connects to loso – hits gainer full dismount

Henry – FX – Ball State – front tuck through to double tuck, little movement back – switch side and a little on the way down, into popa – front lay to front full in the middle of the floor – double pike, short landing, lunge forward. 9.750

Boise State and BYU getting underway now. Will keep an eye on the beginning of that one as this one remains close into crunch time.

Both teams go 48.900 in the third rotation, so Illinois will retain they small lead, which they will feel good about since they’re heading to floor.

After 3
Illinois 146.825
Ball State 146.800

This is what we’re looking for from these play-in meets. An exciting non-dud.

Looks like we have a “how does the…scoring system…work?” delay after the first vault in Arkansas. McGovern 2nd for Boise State, yfull, a little flat off the table, good distance, some pike and a small hop back. She’s after 9.750 for Kho.

Popp 3rd on vault for Boise State – handspring pike 1/2, nearly finds the control on landing, a little movement to the side – some legs and feet at the end

Eaquinto 3rd bars for BYU – hits first hs – toe on to maloney to pak, hit, some legs on back swing – 1/2 turn, slight body position, gets to vertical – DLO, hop back

Vulaj – VT – Boise State – ro full on back pike, medium slide back, solid chest position for this vault

Rotation 4 for Illinois/Ball State

Henry – BB – Ball State – switch to straddle jump 3/4, secure – some back knee – bhs loso, hit – full turn, hit, little arm adjustment – gainer kickover, hits it with a wobble – bhs 1.5 dismount, step to the side 9.725

Ward – FX – Illinois – front lay to front full to front pike, secure landing – switch 1/2 to wolf 1.5 attempt, finishes under rotation – double tuck, chest down, step forward. 9.775

Alvarado stuck her DLO 1/1 on bars for BYU, which they needed because they’ve been stuck in the 9.7s on bars.

Middleton – BB – Ball State – press handstand mount – switch to switch, arm circle to split jump – bhs loso, secure landing – cat leap to side aerial, also solid – full turn attempt that she tries to cover into 1.5 turn – front tuck full, stuck. 9.850

Emma Loyim falls in anchor spot for Boise State on vault.

Mueller – FX – Illinois – front tuck through to double tuck, some feet, good control – switch full, gets the full turn around enough – front lay to front full, short, crossover step to cover into dance – switch 1/2 to wolf full, around. 9.800

Boise State still has a lead after the first rotation with 49.000 on vault to BYU’s 48.900 on bars. That’s big for Boise State. BYU will have counted on their bars to be an asset.

Szymanski – BB – Ball State – hits full turn – bhs loso series, secure, some knee – cartwheel – switch, hesitates after – switch 1/2 to split jump, little lean through it but connects – 1.5 dismount, hop. 9.725

Morgan – FX – Illinois – double tuck, under control, chest down – split leap 1.5 to wolf full ish, didn’t rotate all the way and some short leap positions – front lay to front full, gets a little horizontal but controls her step forward – 9.775

Teter – BB – Ball State – front tuck mount, bobble forward but keeps it on the beam – full turn – bhs loso, hit, knee position in bhs – beat to straddle 3/4, check, under position some – front lay full, very small landing movement. 9.700

Byrne – FX – Illinois – 2.5 to front pike, under control – switch side, overturns, into popa, around – straddle jump – double pike, chest down, step forward. 9.800

Enough passes in the Illinois floor lineup that are keeping Ball State with a flicker of hope here.

Ruthberg – BB – Ball State – bhs loso loso, good save, she was totally off on the middle element with some form but stayed on the beam, wobbles after landing with a leg up, pretends it was a scale – full turn, a little over – switch to switch to split, secure – gainer full, stuck. 9.775 is surprisingly high for me, keeps Ball State alive.

Fitzgibbon – FX – Illinois – front lay to rudi, hip angle, chest forward, hop to the side – switch side into split jump full, bonus points from me for not doing a popa – double pike, chest down, lunge forward – 9.725

Sumner – BB – Ball State – side aerial to bhs, hit – aerial, keeps moving to beat jump – switch to split – full turn – stuck 1.5 dismount with a lean. Some knee and split things but a secure one. Should force Townes to hit in the anchor for Illinois. 9.850

Townes – FX – Illinois – needs better than 9.750 – rudi to straddle jump, good control – back 1.5 to front full, under control with some knee position – wolf jump 1.5, under rotation – split leap full to popa, around. That will be enough. 9.850

Illinois takes this one by a tenth to advance.

FINAL:
Illinois 195.825
Ball State 195.725

Illinois just a little deeper there. Fewer routines with fewer built in deductions, ones that you’re fine counting even when the anchor gymnast falls. But boy those anchor falls on bars and beam kept it close.

Ooooh and Ball State just got Szymanski’s beam raised to 9.775. Doesn’t change the result but means Illinois won by only .050 instead of a tenth, 195.825 to 195.775.

Over at Boise State v BYU. Eaquinto will anchor for BYU on vault with nice distance on a yfull, little hop back.9.850

Lopez anchors bars for Boise State, hits piked jaeger, solid legs together position on bail – DLO, small movement back. 9.800

BYU gets the lead after the second event, also going 49.000 on vault, but Boise State goes 48.775 on bars.

After 2
BYU 97.900
Boise State 97.775

Rotation 3

Vulaj – BB – Boise State – bhs loso, holds onto it, some feet – switch to gainer loso, secure – kickover, small lean – 1.5 dismount, little hop. 9.750

Millar-Crossman – FX – BYU – double tuck, bounce back – cat leap to switch side 1/2 to popa, good foot positions – front lay to front full, controls the step. 9.800

Kho – BB – Boise State – candle mount, hit – bhs back pike, secure – full turn – sissone to switch 1/2, also under control – 1.5 dismount, off to the side, holds onto the stick with a lean squeeze onto toes. 9.775

Matern – FX – BYU – front 2/1, controls step, some leg separation – back 1.5 to front lay, good position on lay – switch ring, good height, into wolf hop full – rudi, rebound back like a warmup. 9.800

Loyim – BB – Boise State – bhs loso loso, right on – full turn, smooth – side aerial, secure – switch to switch, little hesitation before gainer full, stuck, good one. 9.900

Dudley – FX – BYU – DLO, super deep landing, knee only barely above the ground if at all, with a lunge forward – nice straddle positions – front full to front lay, under control – double tuck, under control. 9.500. With a range of 9.200 to 9.650, presumably the 9.2 judge saying that was a fall and the others not, but should have been at least .3 for that landing alone.

Lopez – BB – Boise State – bhs loso, secure, good leg position – full turn – split jump 1/4 to straddle 3/4, nice straddle, secure landing – kickover, hit – gainer full, small movement. 9.850

Schooley – FX – BYU – switch side 1/2 – back 1.5 to front lay, under control, hits lay position – switch ring to switch side, hit – double tuck, chest up, good control. 9.775

Popp – BB – Boise State – aerial, good, full turn – bhs bhs lay 2 feet, wobble, leg up, keeps it on – cat leap to switch 1/2, good attention to amplitude on cat leap – gainer full, small adjustment. 9.825

Benson – FX – BYU – double tuck, chest up, shows control – switch 1/2 to popa, a little tight in position but around – front lay to front full, comes up a little under, crossover correction dance step – double pike, control again, chest down lower. 9.825

Ferguson – BB – Boise State – bhs loso, nearly controls, step back moving out of it – full turn – switch to split jump 3/4, under split – split jump 1/2 from side, also a bit under with a check – side aerial, chest down and a leg up wobble – gainer full, holds onto landing, chest forward

Eaquinto – FX – BYU – high double pike, good landing control – rudi, rebound back – switch ring to switch 1/2 to wolf full, around – 1.5 and cannot connect out of it, tries to straddle tuck around but is way short and falls. That means 9.5 is going to count for BYU.

After 3
Boise State 146.875
BYU 146.600

Big deal for Boise State to take over a lead on beam while BYU was on floor.

Rotation 4

Mason – BB – BYU – full turn, hit – bhs loso, small check – cat leap to side aerial, holds it – switch to split, comfortable – 2/1 dismount, short with step forward, leg crossing

Vulaj – FX – Boise State – back 1.5 to front full, under control, some knee – switch to some split leap 1.5 attempt, but I would say that should be no credit for split, even though it won’t – leg up hop full – double tuck, bounce. 9.725, with 9.650 to 9.850 split. One judge did go 9.900 start

Raesly-Patton – BB – BYU – aerial, wobble, leannnns through it into split jump but a clear wobble – switch to split, solid back leg position – bhs loso, check lean – full turn, hit – 1.5 dismount, hop back. Judges talking about this one. And they settle on 9.500 with a 9.800 start, so didn’t give that combo. Surprised but not mad. Kept moving but probably had something like enough of a foot pivot in wobble, one of the other things that can break a combo.

Pascal – FX – Boise State – double tuck, little bounce – switch ring to split leap full, some under 180 positions there – 1.5 to front lay, secure landing – rudi to split jump, under control, leg crossing. 9.825

Margraf – BB – BYU – aerial to back tuck, knee on aerial, secure – cat leap to kickover, lean to the side – full turn – switch to split jump, little lean – front full, tries to hold stick with another lean. 9.750

Loyim – FX – Boise State – whip double tuck, chest up, bounce back – switch side and a little into popas, good leap positions, somewhat indistinct on landing position – front tuck – double pike, chest down, bounce forward. 9.725

Millar-Crossman – BB – BYU – bhs loso, holds it – cat leap to switch 1/2, also under control – cartwheel with a little lean – hits straddle jump 1/2 – front full dismount with hop. 9.850

McGovern – FX – Boise State – rudi into loso, hit, legs in rudi and some direction – switch 1/2 into popa – double tuck, chest down but controls the landing. 9.800

Rollins – BB – BYU – switch, small wobble before straddle 1/4 – aerial, through it into bhs loso, small lean on landing – full turn – gainer full stuck. 9.875

Ferguson – FX – Boise State – double pike, huge struggle, multiple lunges back OOB – front lay to front full is under control – double tuck, pretty large step back, just kept front foot down. Well, keeping it interesting for us here. 9.500

Andersen – BB – BYU – bhs loso, solid landing, good leg position, chest a bit down – beat to straddle jump 1/2, nice – full turn – cat leap to side aerial, well done – gainer full, stuck. 9.900

Lucas – FX – Boise State – Needs better than 9.800 now – double pike, solid control – switch side to popa, hit – back 1.5 to front lay, pretty low amplitude, gets it to her feet under control – double tuck is low, chest down, step forward. OK here we go…….

Of course it is exactly 9.800 to tie. BYU will take the tiebreak because of better 6th scores.

Mannnn, now that fall-that-wasn’t counting score on floor for BYU with the knee on the DLO looms very large. I get it, I thought it was just a super low knee at first too, but on replay it was a knee down.

It shouldn’t take this long to figure out that BYU wins the tiebreak, but we also have to see if there are SV inquiries (BYU could inquire Raesly-Patton’s beam, but it wouldn’t change the result if it goes up)

We wait until the scores are official. Which always takes a bit after the meet, but we don’t typically have to wait for it or care. You have 192 judge routine scores for this meet.

Now BYU is announced as the winner.

Good work on the first day of regionals. It wasn’t boring!