(Jared Tay/All Bruins)
Trio of Jordan Chiles, Norah Flatley, Chae Campbell Help UCLA Gymnastics Beat Cal
The Bruins had already come a long way since opening the year in a rut, but they took things one step further Sunday afternoon against the Golden Bears.
No. 17 UCLA gymnastics (4-6, 3-4 Pac-12) trounced No. 8 Cal (6-2, 5-2) at Pauley Pavilion to mark an end to the conference schedule, notching a new season high in their 198.050-197.200 dual-meet victory. The win was spearheaded by freshman Jordan Chiles, senior Norah Flatley and sophomore Chae Campbell, all of whom broke 39.700 in the all-around.
Chiles led the way at 39.800 after notching her second perfect 10 floor routine of the season, and while that was the Bruins' only perfect score of the day, they got three split decisions that could have given them as many as four 10s. 10 of the final 11 routines earned 9.900 or higher and the team scores on vault, beam and floor were all season-highs, powering UCLA to the upset victory and an energetic win in front of its home crowd and alumni.
Both the Bruins and Bears got five hits in the first rotation, setting up a high-scoring, tight affair.
Flatley led off vault with a 9.900, a mark that was eventually matched by Chiles in the fifth spot. Through the first five routines, UCLA trailed Cal by 0.025.
The anchors helped flip the score, though, as Campbell took flight and stuck a 9.950 while Cal capped off its turn on bars with a 9.000 that didn't count. The Bruins thus leapt ahead 49.475-49.350 through one rotation.
Campbell kept things rolling on bars with a 9.900, then junior Kalyany Steele scored a clean 9.800. UCLA hit a cold streak when freshmen Emma Malabuyo and Ana Padurariu were both unable to stick their landings, meaning they would have to count Malabuyo's 9.550 against their score.
Chiles earned a perfect 10 from one of the judges on the next routine, though, getting the Bruins back on track with a 9.975. Flatley closed things out with a 9.950, and UCLA was able to led Cal 98.650-98.600 midway through the meet.
After Padurariu led things off on beam with a 9.825, Chiles followed that up with a 9.925, only to get one-upped by Flatley's 9.950. Campbell posted a 9.875 and senior Samantha Sakti went for 9.900 to secure five hits for the Bruins.
Malabuyo was playing with house money, and she still came through big in the sixth spot, earning a 10 from one of the judges and posting a 9.975 to make it a season-high 49.625 on beam.
Cal, meanwhile, started its turn on floor with a 9.525 and struggled to dig out of that hole. Although the Bears went for 9.900, 9.850 and 9.875 in the next three routines and ended with a 9.950, they still had to count a 9.675 as they saw the deficit grow.
UCLA led 148.275-147.850 with a full rotation to go, and it would only get more one-sided from there.
All six floor routines earned scores of 9.900 or higher, starting with Flatley's 9.950. Malabuyo followed up her career-best beam score by matching that 9.950, and it was Chiles who came through with the 10 to lock in her all-around win.
Campbell anchored with a 9.975, a split decision away from putting up back-to-back 10s on floor, and the home crowd rejoiced amid the torrid finish across the board.
UCLA did so well that freshman Brooklyn Moors and senior Pauline Tratz tied for worst on the team with 9.900s.
The Bears put up three 9.900s on beam and still managed to score 49.350 on the event, but it wasn't enough and the Bruins ran away with the victory. The team score of 198.050 is the fourth-highest score from any program across the country this season, lining them up for a potential run in the postseason.
UCLA will wrap up its regular season next Sunday when it hosts UC Davis at Pauley Pavilion.
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