Regionals Live Blog – Day 2

We’ll have a little bit of time today with the Pitt play-in between Towson and Penn State before the semifinals get going. I’ll be watching who ends up with the better bars. Towson has a significant ranking edge there, but Penn State has an equally significant recent-score edge there.

As we move into the first semifinal, Alabama and Kentucky are expected to lead from the start on Illinois and Iowa and only expand their leads with every rotation. So any time that doesn’t happen, put on your monocles and look close. Check to see if anyone has a balance beam situation.

Christina on the call to be like, hey I know what I’m talking about and have watched routines before. A concept!

Rotation 1

Weitz – VT – Towson – good control on yfull landing, pikes down at the end to find the landing. 9.750

Johanson – UB – PSU – good first hs – toe on, slight hesitation into tkatchev, hit, a bit low – pak, nice legs together – 1/2 turn on low, late – a bit shy on final cast hs – DLO, some feet and leg separation but solid landing, small rebound.  9.825

Poblete – VT – Towson – still waiting on our first score to come in – ro full on back tuck, step back, will get hit for low chest position on landing. 9.700

Johnston – UB – PSU – has to recast after missing her initial toe on, very short hs – maloney to bail, good leg positions – solid hs position on high – giant full to double tuck, solid landing. 9.675

Hoffman – VT – Towson – yfull, hit, small hop back, leg separation on the block and some pike down. 9.775

Vihrova – UB – PSU – shortish first hs – blind to jaeger, hit – bail, legs together, just a bit of back position – giant full to double tuck, shuffle back. 9.775

Bolen – VT – Towson – yfull, sticks her landing, very good, best distance so far – small leg break in the air, little pike at the end. 9.825

Gallentine – UB – PSU – good fitst hs – toe on to maloney to pak, small leg break – 1/2 turn on low, a bit late – DLO, out of control on landing with a step and additional step into salute. 9.800

Vitoff – VT – Towson – another strong stick on her yfull, good height, not as much distance, can be a fairly significant deduction. 9.800

Piedrahita – UB – PSU – some hip angle in first hs – toe on to maloney to pak, good pak work – 1/2 turn on low – hits better final cast hs – FTDT, some legs in the air, step back, step has to be a tenth. 9.800

Belanovski – VT – Towson – yfull, small rebound back, best distance of the bunch. 9.850

Rushlow – UB – PSU – good feet on first hs – blind, a little crooked into a good jaeger into overshoot – hits final cast hs – FTDT, nice height, little hop forward. 9.900

49.000 for Towson on vault, good rotation, quite secure landings. Penn State will have to match that landing control to get their 49.

Penn State goes 49.100 on bars to take a slight lead after 1. Neither team quite up to the scores they were hoping but no major counting issues. But also just the one stick from PSU there, which kept the scores down.

Rotation 2

That is…not Rachel Inniss you’re showing right now.

Vihrova – VT – PSU – hs front pike, medium bound forward, good position. 9.750

Keener – UB – Towson – jaeger to overshoot, a bit of feet in jaeger – giant full, just a tad late into double tuck, stuck. 9.775

Johnston – VT – PSU – yfull, comes in deep in her landing and has to slide a little – good amplitude. 9.800

Greene – UB – Towson – some angle in first hs – strong front stalder to piked jaeger to overshoot, some leg separation in both – stalder, nice rhythm into double tuck, feet, step forward. 9.775

Rushlow – VT – PSU – yfull, pretty solid control, small hop back, not as high as Johnston’s, some pike. 9.775

Hong – UB – Towson – blind to piked jaeger, legs together, some feet – bail, hits vertical – rushes final cast hs – vlind, rolls through handstand, into double tuck, step back. 9.850

Salcedo – VT – PSU – Omelianchik, got very little distance, honestly barely cleared the vault, ended up with a large lunge forward. 9.675 – range from 9.600 to 9.800.

Vitoff – UB – Towson – short frist hs – clear hip to high gienger, legs apart on catch, into overshoot – quite short on final cast hs – FTDT, just small movement

Johanson – VT – PSU – hits yfull, solid form in the air, small hop back, some direction. 9.775

Vaillancourt – UB – Towson – blind to jaeger to overshoot, good height – a little hesitant in final cast hs – DLO, small hop in place. 9.850

Piedrahita – VT – PSU – Omel, really strong stick, good distance, bit of direction deduction, slight tuck at the end. 9.850, thought that would be higher.

Minervini – UB – Towson – good feet on tkatchev into pak, hit – 1/2 turn on low – nice vertical on high bar – DLO, stuck landing. Good. 9.925

Penn State will go 48.950 on vault to Towson’s 49.000, and Towson will go 49.175 on bars to Penn State’s 49.100 there. So small margins, but margins on each.

After 2:
Towson 98.175
Penn State 98.050

Would have really preferred this one to have an obvious result after two rotations with the first semifinal starting soon. Come on, people, cooperate.

Rotation 3

Bolen – BB – Towson – bhs loso, small check – cat leap to kickover, deep and is off – FALL ALERT – finishes with bhs gainer full, stuck. 9.050

Johnston – FX – Penn St – double pike, secure landing – switch ring to some wild camera work – rudi, hop to present – back 1.5 to lay, some leg separation, lower on the layout – 9.775

Stuart – BB – Towson – full turn, hit – bhs loso, saves it with a wobble, turn to the side – kickover, check, pauses before beat jump, I’d say no connection – beat to straddle 1/4, split looked under, but we’re in the ceiling – cat leap to switch side, check – 1.5 dismount, keeps the landing with a lean to the side. A stay on that they’ll have to count, but a lot to take there. 9.650. Range of 9.500 to 9.700.

Piedrahita – FX – Penn St – double pike, slide back – back 1.5 to layout, good twist form – switch 1/2 to wolf full, nice – double tuck, secure landing, chest down. 9.850

Hong – BB – Towson – side aerial to side aerial connection like she’s ready for the dutch team, some deep position in first landing – split to straddle 3/4, nice positions – beat to split 3/4, also well done – full turn – front lay full dismount, stuck. Nice. 9.850

Johanson – FX – Penn St – double pike, chest down, bounce back – back 1.5 to 1/2 to straight jump, maintains layout position well – switch side to popa, overturns switch side landing – double tuck, covers landing control pretty well, chest down. 9.850

Vaillancourt – BB – Towson – standing fron tuck, works it into beat jump for connection – bhs loso series, way off and falls – counting fall alert for Towson’s beam now – resumes with a good switch switch combination – gainer full, good height, stuck. 9.250

Towson now counting a 9.250 and a 9.650 on beam. Penn State will just have to hit through now to qualify.

Vihrova – FX – Penn St – FTDT, nice control on landing, some leg separation – switch rign to split leap full to wolf full, pulls them around – front lay to front full, a bit low, lunge forward. 9.825

Weitz – BB – Towson – switch to loso to beat jump, great rhythm there – aerial to split jump, secure – bhs loso series, large break, bend over at the hips past horizontal – gainer full, holds stick. And it’s 9.625, also coutning.

Salcedo – FX – Penn St – switch – punch double front, hits it with lunge forward, some cowboy – switch side 1/2 to shushunova – front lay to front full to front pike, good amplitude, well done. 9.850

Keener – BB – Towson – bhs loso series, great amplitude, secure landing – switch, small pause before tuck jump 3/4 – cat to kickover to beat, hit – gainer full, hop back.

Herring – FX – Penn St – hits her double arabian, just a little short, step back –

OK we’re getting started at the first semifinal in Oklahoma now.

Just a 48.175 for Towson on beam, so Penn State with an advantage of nearly a point now.

Rotation 1

And we have an opening vault fall for Iowa. Well welcome to regionals I guess.

Burgess – BB – Alabama – one arm bhs to loso is hit – nice side aerial, comfortable – switch to beat, good switch position – cat leap to switch side, secure – gainer pike, small slide. Good opening. 9.900

Scores delay on all the events to start us out. Wheeeee!

Rybicki – BB – Alabama – secure loso series – switch 1/2 is secure but under split – beat to straddle 3/4 is good. 9.800

Wilson – FX – Kentucky – following Procasky 9.850 leadoff – wolf jump 1.5 is under – front tuck through to double tuck, good control – switch side, little overturned to wolf full – back 1.5 to front lay, hit, a little lower on the lay position – 9.850

Ewald finishes bars for Illinois with a stuck FTDT. 9.900

Zuhlke vaults third for Iowa – hop back on Zuhlke. 9.775

Patterson – FX – Kentucky – back 1.5 to lay, super high 1.5 – hitting her switch ring positions – double tuck, under control, chest up. 9.900

Adams – BB – Alabama – hits wolf triple – aerial, lovely, small check – was crooked on loso series but minimized with a small lean – switch to split – bhs 1.5 dismount, small movement. 9.900 with a few checks, so watch out for beam scores.

Good distance on yfull from Castillo on vault, bounce back.

Gladieux – BB – Alabama – bhs lay pike, check – aerial, good knees, small arm wave working into beat jump – switch to straddle, wobble – finishes secure 2/1. 9.825

Error from Knight on bars for Illinois in the fourth spot, they have three hits before her. Hit a Ray but couldn’t cast out.

Henderson finishes vault for Iowa with a big yfull, great height and distance, small rebound back.

Olivia O’Donnell falls on jaeger for Illinois, coming after the miss from Knight.

Hudson – BB – Alabama – aerial to bhs loso is well hit – switch to beat, comfortable – side aerial, secure – 1.5 dismount, hop forward. 9.750

Iowa got past the opening fall and went 49.075 on vault.

Worley – FX – Kentucky – FTDT, secure – switch ring to switch side are nice – front full to front lay, very good landing – double tuck, nearly showed a stick, then stepped after. Good rotation.

Blanco – BB – Alabama – aerial, hit – full turn, small adjustment – bhs loso and falls. Can drop it, but won’t be a big beam number for beam now. Resumes with switch to switch 1/2, lovely –

Well!

Illinois counts a fall on bars for 48.650, which they, you know, couldn’t afford today.

Alabama doesn’t have to count a fall on beam but does score only 49.175, which will put them just a tenth ahead of Iowa’s 49.075 on vault.

Kentucky is still waiting on Worley’s score but will have a not-small lead after the first rotation.And yeah, it’s 9.950 for Worley giving Kentucky a 49.450 and a .275 lead on Alabama

After 1:
Kentucky 49.450
Alabama 49.175
Iowa 49.075
Illinois 48.650

Alabama will breath a slight sigh that Illinois counted a fall on bars because it removes a potential threat. Alabama will know that if they hit normally on the remaining events, it will still be plenty enough to qualify to Saturday.

The fall from Blanco for Alabama may not be a big deal today, but if they don’t end up qualifying as a team, that will mean she won’t qualify as an AAer or a BBer for nationals.

Penn State does have a miss from Gibble on beam in the 4th spot for 8.925, so a critical routine from Rushlow here in the 5th spot. And now she falls on her side aerial. SO this one is interesting again everyone. But if they get a reasonable hit in the 6th spot, it’s still probably advantage Penn State. They still have a couple tenths.

Johnston anchors beam for Penn State, good bhs loso series – split jump to sheep jump, secure – side aerial, secure, some feet – full turn, good – sticks her 1.5. Probably just saved Penn State’s season with that very solid routine.

Minervini falls on the anchor floor for Towson, so Penn State will take this 195.700 to 195.450, but not without keeping it interesting.

Rotation 2 – OU Semifinal #1

Procasky vaults a yfull for Kentucky, good stick, off direction. 9.775

Tough times continue for Illinois with a side aerial fall from Knight in the leadoff spot.

Wilson – VT – Kentucky – handspring pike 1/2, good control, small slide back, pretty solid chest position. 9.875

Iowa has a 9.200 from Zuhlke in the first position on bars. Didn’t see it.

Masella – UB – Iowa – good first hs – blind, some leg separation to piked jaeger – bail, hits – a bit shy on hs – DLO, chest down, hop. 9.800

Patterson – VT – kentucky – great height on handspring pike 1/2, slide back

Mizuki hits her loso series in the 2nd spot for Illinois on beam.

Rojas – UB – Iowa – toe on to gienger, hit, a little low – bail, slightly shy – FTDT, hop back

Adams – FX – Alabama – double pike, secure – switch 1/2 to a tuck jump, ends up somewhat out of control on landing with a hop – just does pull around the third turn in that wolf triple – 1.5 to front lay, no trouble.

Wolrey – VT – Kentucky – small hop to the side on y1.5

Henderson – UB – Iowa – toe on to maloney, leg break into bail, a bit shy of handstand, flexed feet – solid final cast hs – FTDT, hop back

Bourque finishes vault for Kentucky – medium hop forward on y1.5

Gladieux – FX – Alabama – FTDT, deep landing, chest down, pulls it out with a hop forward – split leap full to popa, around – front lay to rudi to split jump, good control – 9.800

Muñoz holds onto the landing on her DLO on bars for Iowa.

Townes with a secure hit in the 4th spot on beam for Illinois, still working toward dropping that opening fall like Iowa.

Kentucky gets 9.825 for Bourque and a 49.200 on vault.

Kenlin – Ub – Iowa – toe on to maloney, leg separation into a nice pak – very short hs on high – toe full to double tuck, deep landing, hop forward

Hudson – FX – Alabama – front lay to front 2/1, good twisting position, slide forward – switch 1/2 to wolf full, around well – 2.5, mostly controls the step – double tuck, bounce back

Very secure hit from Nataraj on beam for Illinois.

Iowa survives an opening fall again, going 49.000 on bars.

Blanco – FX – Alabama – wolf double is nice – double pike, great landing – double tuck, small slide back – front full to front lay, nice control

Takekawa – BB – Illinois – side aerial to bhs, secure – full turn, slightly tentative on landing – switch, a bit of back leg into good straddle 1/4 – gainer full, nice stick. 9.900

Illinois goes 49.150 on beam to try to pull things back. The bars score was also raised to 48.700, so they’re only a couple tenths behind Iowa now. But Alabama and Kentucky running away thus far.

Nice 1.5 dismount on beam from Joyner as an individual for Rutgers.

After 2:
Kentucky 98.650
Alabama 98.575
Iowa 98.075
Illinois 97.850

Nothing stressful yet for Kentucky and Alabama as they open up half point+ leads after two. Kentucky will be happy about this lead right now for what it potentially could indicate for the regional final though.

Why I thought Cheetos would be a good gross live blog snack today is anyone’s guess. Sorry, keyboard.

Rotation 3

Henderson – BB – Iowa – full turn – good amplitude loso series – double tuck dismount, small hop forward. 9.875

Davis – UB – Kentucky – blind to jaeger, solid – bail, clean – DLO, clean position, hop back

Gladieux holds the stick on yfull for Alabama, chest forward. 9.900

Secure double pike for Takekawa on floor.

Paradise – VT – Alabama – Y1.5, solid landing, small hop to the side, some knees. 9.875

Procasky – UB – Kentucky – good positions on maloney to pak – hits vertical on final cast hs – giant full to double tuck, a little deep, step salute. 9.850

Ebeling – BB – Iowa – hits loso series, some knees – full turn – switch 1/2, under split, holds onto the landing – split jump to split 3/4, good – gainer pike stuck. 9.775

Doggette lands very short on y1.5 with two lunges back. 9.525

Bunn – UB – Kentucky – hits jaeger – bail, clean, good feet – nice hs on high – DLO, some pike in the first salto, good stick. And she’s on 9.925

Hudson – VT – Alabama – good y1.5, small slide forward. 9.900

Large break for Zuhlke on loso series on beam, leg-up to horizontal to keep it on. And now she falls on side aerial.

DeGuzman – Ub – Kentucky – lovely jaeger to overshoot, wonderful foot positions – nice hs on high – DLO, hop back. 9.850

Blanco – VT – Alabama – large bound forward on y1.5 but usable. 9.800

Good Ray from Luksik on bars for Kentucky, DLO, stuck. Another 9.925 for her.

Olsen – VT – Alabama – DTY, a little more tucking than her usual, bounce back.

Iowa has a beam hit from Nick in the fourth spot.

Alabama finishes with two 9.800s on vault to go 49.275.

Worley – UB – Kentucky  – hits tkatchev and pak – good final cast hs – FTDT, chest down, small hop

Nice Y1.5 from Leese for Rutgers, just rising up onto toes.

Kentucky will expand its lead after the third rotation.

Rojas – BB – Iowa – bhs loso bhs series is solid – switch to split 3/4, on, some foot position – gainer full, stuck. 9.850

49.475 for Kentucky on bars, 49.275 for Alabama on vault.

LOL at John asking Sam whether she would have liked hunger games lineup competition. Sam is the most hunger games lineup gymnast there has ever been.

Kenlin – BB – Iowa – aerial to bhs loso, great leg positions – switch to split, lovely split – full turn, slightly hesitant – gainer full, good stick, a little low.

In the Denver play-in, Arizona has had some vault landing issues so North Carolina will have a shot to take advantage of bars, got a good one from Dekanoidze in the 5th spot for 9.900 but need a big anchor hit as well.

Kenlin goes 9.925 to get Iowa to 49.175, a solid score but more ground dropped to Alabama.

UNC has a fall from Schulze in the final bars position, so they will have a lead on Arizona after 1, but only a 48.900 on bars, which is not what they were hoping from their best event. 48.900 to 48.800 after 1.

Townes – FX – Illinois – finishes out the rotation for them, needing to drop a score from Nataraj – front 2/1, hit – back 1.5 to front full, good control, some knee – split leap full to popa, around. 9.900

Illinois also 49.175 in rotation 3.

After 3:
Kentucky 148.125
Alabama 147.850
Iowa 147.250
Illinois 147.025

So Kentucky and Alabama will know they just can’t totally mess up their final rotations and they will advance to tomorrow.

Joyner finishes floor with good rise into her front pike in combination. She’s having a nice AA day. Currently 2nd AA behind Worley but just .05 ahead of Henderson, who still gets to do floor.

Schaefer leads off UNC on vault with a hop to the side on a y tucked full, 9.725. Mueller leads off Arizona on bars – good height on tkatchev – toe on to hit bail – DLO, stuck. 9.825

Fink shows good form int he second spot for UNC with a yfull, small pike at the end, but a large bounce back. 9.775

Rotation 4 – OU Semifinal 1

Luksik – BB – Kentucky – onodi, good – bhs loso, smooth – cat leap to switch 1/2, small check, under split – gainer pike, stuck. Nice. 9.825

Hudson with a hit double tuck dismount on bars, small rebound. 9.850

German – UB – Alabama – Ricna is hit – struggles up to handstand after it, short and some hesitaition – again pauses in her cast 1/2 on low, muscles it around – DLO, low, small rebound in place. 9.750 seems high.

Procasky on beam, pauses after her aerial and doesn’t connect anything. Does a stag ring, check. gainer pike, slide back.

Waligora UB – Alabama – good height on jaeger into overshoot – DLO 1/1, hit but chest down, bound forward. 9.850, scores are zooming now.

Bunn – BB – Kentucky – full turn, good – bhs loso loso, secure – switch to split, solid split positions – 2/1 dismount, small movement, good. 9.900

Townes sits down a Y1.5 for Illinois on vault.

Machado – UB – Alabama – hits maloney to pak well – toe on to van leeuwen, hit – toe full into double tuck, feet, stuck double tuck.

nataraj goes for a full on vault, chest forward, small hop.

Patterson – BB – Kentucky – full turn, hit – bhs loso, good height – aerial to split jump, solid – switch to switch, nice positions – gainer pike, stuck. 

Doggette hits a good bars routine to clinch Alabama’s spot in the regional final. And the score is 9.950.

Blanco – UB – Alabama – pak, pretty – good hs on low – toe on to van leeuwen, legs together well – clean hs on high – FTDT, stuck landing. Well, she improved on Doggette’s routine that just went 9.950.

Worley – BB – Kentucky – cat leap to switch side, hit, crooked switch side position – aerial to bs loso, holds it well – 1.5 dismount, stuck. A good routine that will secure Kentucky’s spot in the regional final.

9.975 for Blanco. 49.525 rotation score.

Muñoz stuck DLO on floor. Worley 9.900 on beam. Magnelli falls on her series to finish the rotation, but Kentucky will win the session.

Arizona takes a lead of .025 over North Carolina after 2, with a 48.925 on bars to North Carolina’s 48.800 on vault.

Henderson – FX – Iowa – FTDT, slide back – switch side to popa to straddle jump, nice – front tuck through to double tuck, nice secure landing.

9.925 for Henderson, which is important for her individual aims. A good final score for Iowa on 196.500, just not enough from this semifinal.

QUALIFIED: Kentucky 197.475, Alabama 197.375
ELIMINATED: Iowa 196.500, Illinois 195.675

Henderson is 2nd in the AA and 2nd on floor behind Worley, so if Kentucky ends up going as a team over Alabama, Henderson is in a solid position after the first semifinal. (Individual qualification, we won’t REALLY know anything until after both.) Kenlin in the same spot on beam, 2nd behind Patterson. So on Saturday, Iowa is going to turn into big Kentucky fans when rooting for which teams make it.

Third rotation underway in the very close Arizona and UNC meet. Arizona has a 9.800 from Fears in the first spot on beam, but Herry falls in the 2nd spot on a straddle jump 1/2. UNC also had a miss in the first spot on floor for 8.900 from Wozniak.

Mind shift to the next semifinal: Utah, Auburn, Southern Utah, Washington.

But first, Linton up for Arizona in the third spot on beam. Hits wolf double, bhs bhs loso, good leg position but a pretty big wobble, leg up and lean – nice switch to split combination – 1.5 dismount, solid.

Fink on floor in the third spot for UNC, solid on her double pike, switch to switch ring 1/2, hit, not so much closure – 2.5 dismount, an wakward landing on the edge of the mat with a lunge forward – back 1.5 to front lay, slide.

Arizona will have to count a 9.650 from Linton on beam. Did she have an overtime? I didn’t hear anything but the scores from the judges have 9.750 and then a 0.1 neutral is taken?

Big trouble for UNC on floor, Greenlow falls on her back 1.5 to front tuck in the 4th spot, coming after a fall in the first position for 8.900. Hargorve comes throuhg with a hit in the 5th spot for Arizona.

Bart welcoming us to UCLA by telling us McCallum and Lee are out.

Rotation 1 – LA Semifinal 1

Morgan – BB – Utah – bhs bhs loso, check, came in a little under, saved it, not too large a wobble – another arm wave correction – front gainer full, stuck. Shaky at the start but fine. Still goes 9.850

Schwartze – UB – SUU – hits piked jaeger, solid – bail, a bit of hip angle – giant full, late finish, connects to double tuck, chest well down with lunge. 9.700

Brooks – VT – UW – following leadoff 9.750 – y1/2 – great stick. Excellent.

Paulson – BB – Utah – side aerial to loso, held without a check – switch to switch, hit, slighly off but covering well for no checks here – beat to side aerial to lay 1.5, stuck. 9.900

Eaker – BB – Utah – falls immediately on her switch mount – resumes with hit side aerial to loso – gainer full, low, slide back.

Navarro – VT – UW – hits yfull, medium bounce back, bit of leg separation, coming after two sticks for 9.850.

Cunningham – VT – UW – not her best yfull landing with a bounce back, good height as always

Murakami – UB – SUU – lovely jaeger to overshoot – FTDT, legs apart, finds the stuck, chest down. 9.900

Meanwhile, Arizona got to 48.975 on beam, which will work for them because UNC was just 47.900 on floor.

Judging delay on beam as they figure out how to still give Kara a 10.

Very good landing on open FTDT from Hollingsworth on floor for Auburn. Anchor fall for SUU on bars, but they’ll have a 48.950 from the rest of the lineup. Washington goes 49.050 on vault.

Hollingsworth finishes with front tuck through to double tuck, secure landing.

Isa – BB – Utah – bhs loso loso, good hold to keep secure, some feet – beat to straddle 1/4, good – bhs gainer full, stuck. Good.

Stevens – FX – Auburn – front lay to rudi, secure landing, a bit of legs – split leap full to wolf full, around comfortably – double tuck, controls step

O’Keefe – BB – Utah – side aerial to loso, solid – switch to split, great back leg – bhs gainer full, stuck.

O’Keefe gets a 10.000. One judges  on 9.950

Gobourne – FX – Auburn – open double tuck, controls the step back – front full to front lay – double pike, nailed landing, good.

Gilstrap with an arm wave correction on front aerial anchoring for Utah – bhs back pike, secure – excellent split positions – short dismount landing with step back.

Morris – UB – LIU – piked jaeger, good – hits pak, leg separation – short final cast hs – DLO, lunge back

Juk – BB – LIU – bhs mount, lovely – bhs bhs loso, right to the end of the beam, nice – switch to beat, good 180 split position – attitude turn, hit – bhs 1/1, solid – gainer full, tries to sell the stick with a big lean forward, can’t hold it with a step into salute.

No doors opened yet, Utah with 49.500 on beam, Auburn with 49.375 on floor. Utah looked iffy on those first few routines, but Isa and O’Keefe saved the day.

After 1
Utah 49.500
Auburn 49.375
Washington 49.050
Southern Utah 48.950

Judging ranges on bars were wild in that first rotation, so keep an eye on that as the remaining teams go to bars.

Meanwhile, Arizona has three 9.8s in the first three spots on floor, so not allowing UNC to get into this so far.

Rotation 2

Leonard – VT – Auburn – solid control on yfull landing, a bit of pike, can take for distance. But they don’t I think because 9.875.

Brenner finishes up floor with double tuck, chest down landing, hop forward. 9.775

Moody finishes bars for Washington with FTDT, hop back.

Groth – VT – Auburn – tries to sell the stick on yfull but was short, chest down, lunge forward into salute. 9.775

Nice rebound in ro loso series from Smith on beam for SUU – dismounts 1.5, step forward.

Hubbard – VT – Auburn – y1.5 is hit, a little under with a hop back, some knees. 9.850

Cacciola – BB – SUU – bhs loso and falls

Hollingsworth under on her Y1.5 landing with a lunge back. Still gets 9.800, which is very high for underrotation and the step.

Stevens – VT – Auburn – also lands deep and short on y1.5, lunge back. Also gets 9.800

Skylar Killough-Wilhelm is not in the lineups today for Washington. Not ideal!

Gobourne better on vault for Auburn, medium hop forward on her y1.5.

With five hits on floor, Arizona has clinched the final play-in meet over North Carolina.

Russon – UB – UW – jaeger to overshoot, great height – giant full, good finish position into double tuck, small hop back.

Gobourne gets 9.875 to take Auburn to 49.200 on vault. They’ll thank the judges for that one. Could have been a lot lower.

Smith – FX – Utah – hits front 2/1 on floor, some leg crossing – switch ring to switch 1/2, solid – rudi to loso, under control – rudi to double stag attempt, travels a mile back and lands OOB there.

Kennedi McClain – BB – SUU – bhs loso, secure landing – switch to split, just a bit of feet – finishes stuck 1.5. Good beam rotation after the fall.

Bowles – UB – Washington – giant full, good into deltchev to overshoot, hit well – short final hs on high – DLO, step back.

Rucker – FX – Utah – FTDT, controls the landing, chest a bit down – switch leap full, just a little under rotated into stag – front lay to front full, some leg separation in the lay. 9.900

Morris throws out their back tuck full on beam but falls.

Bowles went 9.850 for Washington to take them to 49.225 on bars. Gains a smidge on Auburn’s 49.200 from vault. Southern Utah also 49.225 on beam.

O’Keefe – FX – Utah – double pike, good feet, controls the landing – front lay to front full, good position and rise – switch to split leap 1.5, good split, lands about an eighth under, which can be critical because if you say it’s not a 1.5, she doesn’t get bonus from the combo – 1.5 to front lay, good extended position. Very nice.

Utah counts one of the 9.7s for a 49.375 on floor, still a comfortable lead.

After 2:
Utah 98.875
Auburn 98.575
Washington 98.275
Southern Utah 98.175

Washington and Southern Utah at least keeping Auburn honest through two rotations so far. They’ll want to just stay close enough to make it a pressure beam rotation at the end.

Meanwhile, the play-in final from Denver was Arizona 196.050 to North Carolina 194.600.

Rotation 3

O’Keefe – VT – Utah – yfull, good open, medium bounce back, good direction. 9.825

Hollingsworth – UB – Auburn – looks like she didn’t really get a good catch on her Maloney, tried to readjust her grip during backswing but couldn’t and hopped off

Good aerial to beat jump from Brooks on beam, ends with stag to gainer full, hop back. 9.875

Brenner – VT – Utah – solid y1.5, small hop to the side. And she goes 9.950. One went 10.000 despite no stick.

ANNNNNND McLaughlin just overbalanced her first cast hs on bars, that’s now a couting fall for Auburn.

And now Morgan Bowles just fell on beam. Southern Utah is like HELLO ME. Vultaggio with a secure double back landing to end her routine in the 2nd spot.

Smith – VT – Utah – medium hop forward on Omelianchik, going solid.

WOW, Groth just way overdid her Ray on bars. Third fall in a row. Groth resumes with hit pak, short hs on high – giant full, late into double tuck, small hop back.

9.350 for Bowles.

Navarro – BB – UW – bhs bhs loso, secure landing – beat jump to switch side, a little under but secure – 1.5 dismount, large lunge forward.

Stick from Rucker on y1.5. And now we have a 10.000 for her.

Also Gilstrap’s vault won’t get the attention, but that was maybe her best yfull.

Schwartze – FX – SUU – front 2/1, bit of a slide out – switch to split leap full to wolf full, a little low but around – rudi to loso, same. Doing what they need, hits.

Brusch gets Auburn’s first hit on bars. Moody hits her series on beam, finishes with 1.5 dismount, short, hop back, but through. They need two more hits to stay alive here.

Stevens – UB – Auburn – good first hs – toe on to Ray, solid – hits hs – bail – DLO, stuck. Good. 9.925

McClain – FX – SUU – double pike, solid control – 1,5 to front lay, good rise in the front lay – switch 1/2 to wolf full, overturns switch a little – doubel tuck, another good landing

Davis – BB – UW – bhs bhs loso, secure – hits her split jump 3/4 well – sticks her 1.5 dismount. And it’s 9.950.

Every other regional is like, let’s cool it in the postseason, and the UCLA regional is like SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS.

Good tkatchev to pak from Gobourne in the final bars position – short final cast hs – FTDT, shuffle back

Roberts – BB – UW – bhs bhs loso, hits it, small adjustment – switch to double stag, low, under on switch but secure – cat leap to gainer full, stuck. They’re through with five hits to stay alive.

Gull finishes floor for Southern Utah with a good chest up doubel tuck.

Auburn’s done on bars with a 48.150 there. Yeesh. Washington will be able to move into 2nd with that hit from Roberts, but Southern Utah should be close behind.

Washington 49.325 on beam, Southern utah 49.275 on floor.

After 3:
Utah 148.500
Washington 147.600
Southern Utah 147.450
Auburn 146.725

Washington’s floor NQS this season is 49.255, Southern Utah’s vault NQS is 49.175. So Washington will feel like they have this in their hands.

Macpherson in the individual AA, hits a very nice bhs bhs loso series on beam. Solid on the standing loso. 1.5 dismount, a bit short, step back.

Morris finishes floor coming up short on double tuck, hands down.

Rotation 4

Cacciola – VT – SUU – hits a yfull, little rebound in place, some pike, not the most distance. 9.850 is big.

Innes – FX – UW – front 2/1, slide forward, some leg crossing – switch to wolf full to wolf full, around, lower first wolf – 1.5 to front lay, good straight layout position – rudi, controls step.9.800

Hollingsworth with a check on side aerial, keeps it on – 9.800

McClain – VT – SUU – yfull, larger bounce back, piking and leg separation. 9.750

Hagle – BB – Auburn – cat leap to side aerial, solid – aerial to korbut, good – switch to straddle 1/4, great height – 1.5 dismount, stuck. Her best beam.

Kho – VT – SUU – hits her Y1.5, good height, small hop, some legs. And she goes 9.925.

Roberts – FX – Washington – double tuck, solid – back 1.5 to front lay, keeps it in the corner – switch 1/2 to wolf full, nice – double pike, bit of a rebound but mostly solid control. 9.825

Pardue – VT – SUU – hits her Y1.5, comes up a little short with a hop back, some knees – 9.850

Vultaggio – VT – SUU – hits a yfull but it’s lower than some of these recent vaults, pretty large bounce back, some pike. 9.750

Nguyen – FX – Washington – double tuck, huge bounce back and OOB, critical mistake – double pike with another huge stumble back and OOB, will need to drop that score.

Smith – VT – SUU – ro full on back tuck off, hop back – chest low but not too bad, solid finish. Making Washington earn it.

Smith goes 9.775 on vault, SUU goes 49.150.

Isa will finish up Utah’s 198  with her bars routine, stuck DLO.

Southern Utah in with a 196.600.

Utah in with a 198.125.

Just 9.275 for Nguyen, so Washington will have to hit three floor routines in a row to overtake SUU.

Titarsolej – UB – LIU – good first hs – maloney to pak, legs together perfectly – 1.2 turn on low – giant full to double tuck, shuffle back. Ack that shuffle back could be critical.

Navarro pulls out solid landing control on floor for what should be a useable score. And it is, 9.850

McLaughlin will finish Auburn’s meet with her beam, switch to bhs loso, very nice split position – beat to side aerial, strong – switch to straddle 1/4, nice horizontal position – gainer pike, small hop forward.

Cunningham – FX – UW – front tuck through to double tuck, just a bit deep, mostly controls the slide back – switch 1/2 to wolf full wolf full, around – double pike, secure landing, chest down slightly.

9.875 for Titarsolej is bigotry. Milne for SJSU just lovely extension in acro. Holds landing on 1.5 with arm wave.

Huge 9.900 for Cunningham.

Davis – FX – UW – front 2/1, step forward, hits, think she stayed in – split leap full to popa to attempted popa? – straddle 3/4, under rotated – back 1.5 to front lay, a little under, stutter step. If she didn’t go OOB and if they give her dance, then it will easily be enough. But.

And it’s in with 9.800, that will put Washington through to Saturday’s regional final, eliminating Auburn and Southern Utah. Also a great performance from Southern Utah today, they did what they could have.

QUALIFIED: Utah 198.125, Washington 196.775
ELIMINATED: Southern Utah 196.600, Auburn 195.900

Well, they made sure the first half of the semifinals didn’t end up boring. Auburn with three falls on bars, certainly would have advanced with a hit bars rotation but ended up not being able to afford one counting fall, let alone two.

Who would have thought Washington would go through without SKW competing?

Now we have some time before the next batch of semifinals.

For Gobourne individual qualification watch, she’s tied with Karley McClain on 9.925, as well as Paulson, but would be ahead of McClain on the second tiebreak (head judge’s score). But that 9.925 would also have to withstand the second semifinal.

On to the second semifinals from Oklahoma and UCLA!

In the Oklahoma semifinal, we expect Oklahoma to be in front comfortably the whole way much the way Utah just was, but Ohio State and Arkansas is 50-50. Arknasas needs a big start on bars, which has been tough for a lot of teams so far in the postseason. Is bars the new beam? Four counting falls on bars so far at regionals compared to two on beam and one on floor.