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In last week’s Collegiate Challenge meet in Anaheim, the #3 UCLA Bruins took on the Sooners of Oklahoma, the UC Berkeley Golden Bears, and the Stanford Cardinal. The meet had its ups and downs, but UCLA is definitely picking up where they left off in 2019. Senior Kyla Ross won the all-around with a score of 39.725 and also took the floor title with a 9.95.
Last Time Out
Starting the meet off on the uneven bars, UCLA led off with sophomore Margzetta Frazier who earned a 9.95 in the event, good enough to place second overall. Ross earned a 9.925, and all Bruin scores in the event were 9.8 and above. After rotation one, UCLA was in first place with a 49.425. Oklahoma was a close second with a 49.200, Stanford was in third with a 49.150, and UC Berkeley was in fourth with a 48.800.
Disaster struck during the second rotation on beam, when the first two competitors, Grace Glenn and Felicia Hano, had uncharacteristic falls, costing the Bruins the lead. Junior Kendal Poston got the Bruins back on track with a 9.65 and scores steadily climbed from there. Frazier notched a 9.775 which set the stage for sophomore transfer Samantha Satki who, in her first competitive routine as a Bruin, earned an amazing 9.95, along with Ross who matched Satki. Unfortunately, the 48.50 on the beam rotation dropped UCLA to second place behind Oklahoma, who was sitting at a 98.700. UCLA was at 97.925 in second, UC Berkeley had moved to third with a 97.825, and Stanford dropped to third with a 97.700.
The floor exercise proved to be a strong event for UCLA yet again. The event started off slow but got going with a 9.85 from Nia Dennis and a 9.8 from Pauline Tratz. Gracie Kramer once again started of the season in the 9.90 range and Frazier followed with a 9.925. UCLA’s rotation on floor was capped by Ross’s 9.95 performance, earning her the floor title for the day. At this point, UCLA was still trailing Oklahoma by 0.625. The Sooners were out in front with a 147.975, UCLA was in second at 147.350, UC Berkeley remained in third with a 146.975, and Stanford rounded out the scored in fourth with a 146.775.
The final rotation was the vault, which was the toughest and lowest scoring event for all schools. Frazier, Kramer, and Dennis all scored a 9.825. Poston earned a 9.775, Felicia Hano scored a 9.850 and Ross earned a 9.900 to give UCLA the highest overall score on vault with a 49.225. Final scores were Oklahoma in first with a 197.350, UCLA in second with 196.575, UC Berkeley in third with 196.200, and Stanford in fourth with 195.475.
Following the meet. Frazier was honored with the first-ever Coach’s Choice of the Week Award. Her all-around score helped UCLA hold on to their second place finish and she ended up finishing fifth with a 39.475.
After the meet, Ross, Sakti and new head coach Chris Waller met with the media.
#18 Boise State
UCLA comes home this week at 3:00 pm PT to take on the #18 Boise State Broncos in Pauley Pavilion. UCLA holds the all-time record against the Broncos, defeating them in all eight meetings. The Broncos have won each of the last five Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Championships, the longest streak by a Boise State Athletic program since the football team won five straight WAC titles from 2002-06. Boise State has not competed so far this year. So, it will be interesting to see how the perform so far from home in their first meet of the season.
Go Bruins!