UCLA MAKE FANTASTIC COMBACK ON FLOOR

On By Littum

Los Angeles – In front of a quantity of 10,681 in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom and a national TV audience at Fox, No. 6 UCLA made an exciting comeback in the final rotation to defeat No. 5 Michigan State, 197,300-197.200. Bruins pulled by seven tenths of a point before scoring a national-best 49,800 on floor exercise, uncovered by a meeting-clinching Perfect 10.0 from Olympic Gold Medal Jordan Chiles.

Bruins (6-2 overall, 3-0 in the Big Ten) is known for their flooring parties, but Saturday’s party was a full-out rave where each competitor built the scores. Leadoff performs Emily Lee Started with a 9,875 on her first floor routine of the year. Emma Malabuyo followed with a 9,900. Freshman Macy McGowan scored his first career 9,950. Brooklyn Moors and Chae Campbell Went back-to-back with 9,975s and set the stage for Chiles’ fifth career 10 on the floor.

With UCLA, which waves and regains all the momentum in space, Michigan State couldn’t hold on to his lead and scored 49,000 on balance bar. After their final competitor Gabrielle Stephen ended with a 9,825 to give the Spartans a tenth lead, the meeting rests the fate of Chiles’ hands. Necessary 9,925 to win the meeting to UCLA, the junior delivered with a 10.0 to give Bruins the narrow victory.

“It was incredible. It was one of those moments in sports you live for. It was a really special moment,” said RC Rothman UCLA -Hoved Gymnastics Trainer Janelle McDonald. “I couldn’t be more proud of their resilience and their fight and grain at that moment. It said a lot about who our team is.”

The meeting started close to where UCLA took a 49,350-49,300 lead after taking a season high at Vault. Chiles led the team with a 9,925 to match his season best, McGowan scored a new career high at 9,900, and Campbell earned a 9,875. Freshman Riley Jenkins made his collegial debut and scored a 9,850 on a Yurchenko 1.5. Michigan State held it close to 49,300 on uneven bars, led by Sage Kellerman’s 9,925.

UCLA continued to fight in rotation two, with Campbell, Mika Webster-Longin and Emma Malabuyo Start with consecutive brands of 9,850, all seasonal heights for each gymnast. Frida Esparza Also added a 9,850, but Bruins ended with a 49,150 after an accident on the low beam from Chiles. Meanwhile, Michigan State had a historic vault rotation that recorded a school post 49,600, the highest vault score in the nation this season. Three Spartans, Olivia Zsarmani, Nikki Smith and Kellerman, scored every 9,950s, enabling Michigan State to take the lead, 98,900-98,500.

The Spartans increased their lead in rotation three after scoring 49,300 on the floor for UCLAS 49,000 on Beam. Bruins started with back-to-back 9,850s from Emily Lee And Chiles, but Malabuyo Owas the only other bruin who scored over 9.7, and served a meeting -winning 9,925.

Down 148,200-147,500 Bruins should be almost perfect for trying to catch Michigan State, and they were almost where they registered the No. 4 floor in the school’s history and the team’s highest floor, then scored 49,800 on February 23rd 2020. This was Just the sixth score of 49,800 or higher of any UCLA team about any event.

Bruins will compete next time in Washington on Friday, February 7 and assumes Huskies at 1 p.m. 18:30 pt.

Team position
1. UCLA 197,300
2nd Michigan State 197,200

Individual event winners
All-Around: Nikki Smith, Michigan State (39,425)
Vault: Olivia Zsarmani, Nikki Smith, Sage Kellerman, Michigan State (9,950)
Uneven bars: Sage Kellerman, Michigan State (9.925)
Balance Ray: Emma MalabuyoUCLA (9,925)
Floor exercise: Jordan ChilesUCLA (10.00)