It felt familiar.

Last season, Iowa led Iowa State for after the second and third rotations before a big comeback clinched it for the Cyclones.

Two seasons ago, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa State led until struggles on the final event, the balance beam, lost it for the Cyclones.

Deja Vu.

The No. 24 Iowa State gymnastics team held a strong lead through the first three events on Saturday afternoon over No. 14 Iowa before a heartbreaking final rotation gave a 196.725-195.375 win to Iowa in Iowa City.  

Iowa State got out to a strong start on the uneven bars. Three Cyclones topped 9.800, led by Briana Ledesma with a 9.825 and junior Hilary Green who scored 9.850, the second highest score on the bars for the meet.

Iowa State led 49.100-49.050 after the first rotation.

Sophomore Meaghan Sievers led a solid Cyclone 48.950 performance on the vault with a 9.875 of her own.

At the midway point, Iowa state led by .050.

The Cyclones came out on the floor exercise and broke their season high with a 49.300, the same score that clinched the Cyclone victory last season over the Hawkeyes.

Captain Kelsey Paz joined the 9.900 club with the best floor routine of her career.

Paz’s 9.900 was the first of three to end the event. Ledesma and junior Haylee Young capped off the best score on the floor all season for the Cyclones.

Then the Cyclones went from one of their best performances of the season to one of their worst. Two falls off the balance beam by the Cyclones essentially clinched the comeback victory for the Hawkeyes, who had an incredible score on floor, 49.525, the final rotation of the night, compared to Iowa State’s 48.000.

Iowa State has a chance to rebound next weekend in the regular season finale at Alabama.