Saturday Live Blog – [5] UCLA @ Arizona

Saturday, January 23

1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Pennsylvania @ Yale
1:00 ET/10:00 PT ­ – Cornell @ Cortland

3:00 ET/12:00 PT – UCLA @ Arizona - SCORES - Pac-12

5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Oregon State @ Utah - SCORES - Pac-12

5:00 ET/2:00 PT – UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh @ UW-Whitewater - Stream

6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Winter of our discontent @ Pittsburgh - SCORES - Stream

6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Alaska @ Bowling Green - SCORES

7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Rutgers @ Nebraska - SCORES

7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Michigan State @ Minnesota - SCORES - BTN2Go

8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Washington @ Denver - SCORES

8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Ohio State @ Iowa

Today, the Pac-12 schools get their chance to head to the club and get all Ukrainian up in these here beam rotations, though the marks set by Georgia and Alabama yesterday will be pretty tough to beat. Alabama is the clubhouse leader with two falls and a routine-ending injury. Then again, 42% of Georgia's beam routines so far this season have been falls, and 54% have scored under 9.700, so...

After yesterday's Alabama performance, UCLA currently sits in 4th, having put together one of the more complete/least horrifying starts to the season so far, though they would need a 197.350 to move ahead of Michigan in the rankings and are susceptible to being passed by Utah depending how things go today.

The UCLA/Arizona and Oregon State/Utah meets will both be on the television box, back-to-back, like a real sport.

"He looks like he's about to explode. It's only a matter of time until he cracks one out." - Actual quote from the wrestling broadcast on the Pac-12 Network before gymnastics. That's all.

Preston is coming in on floor this week. No Mossett this time. Shame. Though Mossett will be in on bars instead of Metcalf. Iiiiiiinteresting. Although, take it with a grain of salt because Val will change this lineup sixteen times between the touch warmup and the competition.

This wrestling nonsense is going long. CEASE AND DESIST. If you can, log in to the Pac-12 LA network on the website linked at the top to see the start. No routines yet.

Eddie Umphrey just called gymnasts "players." You know better than that. Also lets us know that UCLA is ravaged by the flu because of course. Just be glad it's not SARS or something, like usual...

ROTATION 1:
Eager to see the Yimettes for the first time.
Val is trying to get the freshmen to dance more on the sidelines. Everything is normal. 

Felix-Terrazas - VT - some piking in that yfull - larger bounce back - 9.700.

Francis - UB - good opening hs - some leg breaks on the shap to bail combo - excellent amplitude on shoot back to high - step back on double pike - landing on the double pike still isn't there yet. Less secure on this routine to start this season than last season. 9.825.

Laub - VT - better height  and extension than SFT on her full - even larger bounce back, though - 9.750.

Honest - UB - Good height on tkatchev - holds the handstand on straddle back with just a small arch - borderline final hs - step back on tuck full - toes toes toes as always and could use more counter on the tkatchev and rhythm out of it, but OK - 9.850

Mattson - VT - Yhalf - this was not an arabian, this was a y1/2 - maintains laid out position - step - 9.800.  

Mossett - UB - short on first hs - falls on jaeger (she had excellent toes and height on the skill, which was the problem because she was way too far away) -leg break on the pak - better final hs and sticks tuck full.

Waller is working the shirt game this season.

Sisler - VT -Not her strongest - crazy legs on the block, significant piking, and a bounce back - won't be a high score. Overall, though, scores looking a bit better for an event that has been a weakness early this season.

Ohashi - UB - good first hs - small leg break on the bail - steps back to high bar - OK on the WOGAtchev - sticks a very strong tuck full dismount - a couple small errors there in legs and a handstand or two, but will be a big score based on what we've seen so far. 9.925. That's a stuck dismount score, I guess.

Edwards - VT -full - similar issue to most of her teammates with too much piking to get a big score - and also another bounce back - can't get out of the 9.7s for vaults with those landings, especially these days.

DeJesus - UB - borderline opening hs - pretty good finish on full - usual Shopnina legs on gienger - fine bail - not great on the tuck full dismount this time - lower chest and a bound forward out of it, it was better last week -9.750.

Cindric - VT - Best body position in the rotation - not quite the piking of the other - still a hop back like her teammates, though

Meraz - UB - good first hs - leg break on bail and some angling - hits tkatchev, which is getting better - usual crazy legs on the DLO second salto, lunge back.

After 1: UCLA 49.150, Arizona 48.800
UCLA got through that and got a little benefit of the scores. Ohashi's routine was the clear class of the rotation, though the rest was mostly about enduring bars and dropping Mossett's fall, so mission accomplished. Last week, DeJesus and Metcalf showed big improvements to bring the score up, but without Metcalf and with DeJesus having one of her weaker routines, bars did not look as strong. Ohashi stuck, but everyone else had a wider-then-shoulders step on dismount. Arizona will probably take that vault score, but with pretty much everyone incurring at least a tenth on the landing control alone, the score just can't be too high.

ROTATION 2:
It's taking nearly as long to get through one rotation at this meet as it does to get through the first two rotations on the SEC Network meets. Resolution for next year: live every meet like it's an SEC Network meet.

Ohashi - VT -better height and chest position on her full than the first week, but a pretty Arizona-size lunge back on landing. Though, definite improvement.

Schneider - UB - godo first hs - small leg break on gienger - solid legs on bail - good handstands throughout - sticks DLO - impressive start for Arizona. Whipped that DLO, but high level work.

Honest - VT - soft in the knees and well off to the side on her full - step back - pretty much always struggles with direction on this vault -

Spencer - UB - extremely high gienger and great legs throughout - hits bail and shoot back - has to muscle up handstand after the shoot a bit and it's short - fine finish on full and sticks double back. I'm liking what I'm seeing so far on bars.

Cipra - VT - Good form and distance on this one - also bounces back, but better amp than in those training videos/earlier routines.

Mills - UB -good finish position on full turn - small leg break on her gienger - some angle and leg quiver on the bail - a couple iffy handstands in there - squatty landing on tuck full with a step forward - a few more breaks than her teammates

Bynum - VT - Most controlled landing for her yarabian so far this season - step back, but pretty contained - also off to the side, like many UCLA vaults have been the last couple years - is there like a wind machine in that training gym or something? 9.875.

Laub - UB - flat tkatchev but catches - very good leg form on bail - small leg separation on a high DLO and just a small hop back - 9.875.

Preston - VT - Still doesn't quite have the control on her full yet - maintains strong laidout position throughout, good height and distance, bounce back - the vault theme of the day.

Howard - UB - falls on her piked jaeger, breaking the excellence Arizona had going - no chanc eon that one - leg break on bail - good finish on full turn - step back on double tuck -

Hall - VT - just holds onto the stick on her 1.5 this time - the knees are bent throughout, which will keep her out of the best scores, and she has to swim a little to hold that stick.

Felix-Terrazas - UB - ful lturn - to extremely high tkatchev - to overshoot - quick routine and a few leg quivers but making these handstands - step back on double tuck - overall a lot to like in that rotation, and no counting falls!

After 2: UCLA 98.300, Arizona 97.925
Arizona had a great bars rotation going for a while, sort of lost it at the end, but that rotation should be a high scorer for Arizona once again as the season progresses. Good attention to leg form on releases and handstands, which are more precise than many of those other 15-20th teams.UCLA's vault is still too unremarkable to be all that competitive, saved by the stuck 1.5 from Hall and the better control from Bynum, but it's awfully 9.800 other than that. Ohashi looks to be getting more comfortable, so her full should be an asset in time, as much as a full can be an asset this year.

ROTATION 3:
Arizona is usually a famously beautiful disaster on beam, so let's see how this goes.

Edwards - BB - My obsession with this routine is well-documented. Wish they didn't feel the need to lead off with her - lovely walkover and maintains the rhythm well enough in to the bhs to get series credit - excellent hands, sissone and attitude turn - very secure kickover front - hitting her switch and stag well - punch tuck front full dismount - good landing - pretty start - 9.750 is a leadoff score and total bs. Would challenge for 9.900 in an anchor spot. 

Hall - FX - 1.4 through to double back with low chest landing and a lunge - splits and straddles are well completed - front full to front pike with a slide forward - they're really working with her on giving more face, clearly, but it still looks very premeditated - bounce back out of double pike - not enough control in the tumbling to be a good score - still 9.775.

Howard - BB - secure loso series - staggered legs on pike jump to a solid back pike - very nice full turn - good switch, some pause into straddle 1/4 but fine - gainer tuck full off end of beam, OBSESSED -

Meraz - FX - small slide out of double tuck opener, but good height and chest on landing - front lay + full + pike with good control - splits and straddle are solid - low chest on double pike with a step forward -

Mills - BB - nice walkover to bhs series - comfortable full turn - secure switch, small bend on stag - hits side somi - very pretty style with only minimal Nastia buttshelf - sticks gainer full dismount -

Ohashi - FX - fine landing on opening double tuck - good control - 1.5 to full to half to split to front is well controlled with good twisting form on each of the passes - not wild about the illusion turn in this routine still because it looks like a struggle - ring and split are both hit - low chest on double pike but also well controlled - best landing control of the season for her so far - 9.850

Cindric - BB - nice switch to split opening - holds the loso series well without giving away a check, though she looked slightly off line - solid side aerial - sheep jump doesn't have the closure you'd like to see, so usual NCAA sheep - sticks gainer pike - this is an excellent beam rotation so far -

Preston - FX - Haven't seen this routine yet - good double back with best and control so far - I think it might be "ripping out your heart int eh second act of a horror movie" themed and I'm kind of digging ti - great straddle elements - but them she just sticks her butt in the air for a while, so... - very low chest on double pike final pass (very knee chest) but sticks it - this should be in the lineup more

Sheppard - BB - solid side aerial - feet and loso and comes off the beam, way off line - it was going so well. Also, the commentator just pronounced WOGA like "Wah-gah" which is absolutely its new name. sticks 1.5 dismount.

Cipra - FX - comes in short on her double tuck opening pass and bounces up a little - splits look excellent - there really is no difficulty in this rotation for UCLA, but as we know, that's OK, and they shouldn't force it like last postseason with Pua - maintains strong twisting form in middle pass - crunched bosy landing double pike but good control - chest position is really her only enemy in this routine - and acting - but whatever -

Sisler - BB - very strong three series, great extensiona nd secure - switch to split jump, split jump is a little short - secure kickover front - too large wobble on the full turn will take the score down, but this is the hit they needed - hop forward on 1.5 - lots to love in this beam rotation though.

Bynum - FX - good DLO, also low chest but she didn't come in low and didn't have to give away any movement - double back side pass, hops out of it this time - splits still could be closer to 180 - front tuck to double tuck with a slight slide - 9.925. Oh, hi, scoring.

After 3: UCLA 147.650, Arizona 147.000
UCLA still in contention for a 197 with a UCLA-type beam rotation. Arizona in great shape for a 196 with a hit floor. This has been an impressive recovery for Arizona so far. Vault isn't there yet, but bars and beam are quite competitive and will score higher in time and with 6-for-6 rotations.

ROTATION 4:
Val may or may not being doing the itsy bitsy spider with Gerber before she starts beam. Inconclusive.

Gerber - BB - fine wolf turn - works out of her walkover well, good legs throughout - loso series is right on - switch and split are comfortable - almost wobbles on choreography, so don't worry about it - large wobble on side somi with a bend at the hips but stays on - hop back on full dismount again -

Cindric - FX - why is there a judging delay before the first routine? - secure double pike, also low chest as we saw in most of the UCLA routines - good wolf position on the full turn, not cheated - fornt full to slightly whippy front layout, but pulled around well - 1.5 to front pike - minorly messy legs on twist there, but should score equivalently to UCLA's early routines.

We're hearing about how great it is that Tabitha will be bringing some Stanford choreography to Arizona.

Meraz - BB - small check working out of loso series - good height on switch and straddle - tight full turn but didn't give away a check - sticks 1.5 - there's the sturdy routine she's supposed to bring to this lineup -

Felix-Terrazas - FX - bounces back on full in - but some difficulty! Some actual difficulty! - slides a bit out of the layout on her middle pass - good control on final double tuck -

Ohashi - BB - solid on the layout series as she has been every single time so far this year - comfortable full turn - switch and split series is better this week, no question about the connection this time (one judge didn't give it last week, correctly) - YEOUCH! Atler-ed her beam dismount and dismounted onto her neck, looks to be OK though, somehow - very scary - but she's up and looks OK -

Edwards - FX - slides forward pretty significantly out of her 1.5 to pike middle pass - whips her front layout a bit into front full, but an overall solid routine -

DeJesus - BB - wobbling all over the place - missed her opening connection, repeated kickover front and wobbles again - gets it back together int he walkover to back tuck, which is solid - gainer layout full dismount, still not confident on it with a hop to the side. Still a chance to drop that though... How did this get a 9.800 exactly?

WHOA. Equipment malfunction ruled for Ohashi. She'll get to go again.
Ohashi is medically evaluated now. Smart because, you know, she just landed a beam dismount on her neck. Makes me nervous that she might compete again.

mattson - FX - Small stumble out of opening doubel pike - also slides out of 1.5 to layout - some issues of control here but the double tuck final pass is better - low chest as well, but will earn a normal medium score.

Peng - THE FLAIRS ARE BACK - so high and extended on the switch and split - large break on her side aerial layout series but stays on this time - excellent double turn - sticks side aerial to full - shame about the series wobble because it was perfect other than that.

Sisler - FX - punch rudi to loso is very well excellent and secure - also showing off 180 in her splits, the most precise execution in Arizona's rotation so far, though low chest on the double pike with a lunge forward (so much of that today) - 2/1 to punch front is very China-at-worlds but it works -

Francis - BB - good walkover - and then wobbles on a beat jump, what is this??? - excellent loso series - switch and split are demonstrations of how they're supposed to be done, obviously - good y spin, less tentative than her early-career routines - dismount series is excellent, one of her best - could have been a 10 without the silly silly wobble in there -

Schneider - FX - bounces a little out of her double pike - front lay to front full - a little arch in that lay as well, but the full was strong - good popa, thought he switch side into it is a little crooked, small things so far that may or may not be taken - just holds onto control on that double tuck, keeping her front foot down -

And now, Ohashi will get to go again. Honestly, I don't think the cap of the beam coming off really caused her mistake since her foot was already mostly off the beam, but I'm happy she gets to go again. [Somewhat different impression watching further replays, but somewhat inconclusive. Regardless of cause and effect (whether the cap coming off caused her mistake, or whether her foot went too far and caused the cap to come off as it slipped off the beam), letting her go again did not change the outcome of the meet and is not a big deal in the long run.]

Ohashi - BB - good layout again, but has a wobble on her switch ring this time that she did not last time - hair in her eyes deduction - gets the dance series as well - does the double pike again - low chest and a lunge back, but she got it - everyone is having all the feelings -

FINAL: UCLA 196.800, Arizona 196.475
Really important meet for Arizona, pretty bars and beam (and then some home floor) and the most complete performance of the season by quite a bit. UCLA continuing on the high-196 path. Beam got a little weird in there taking the score down from where it could have been (not just the Ohashi issue but Peng and Nush both having errors that took them away from 9.950s), and the same concerns about vault and bars remain, but this is a team on the same track.

Enjoy Oregon State/Utah! Be sure to tell me if anything crazy happens!