UCLA Gymnastics, Jordan Chiles Finish 2nd at Pac-12 Championships
While it didn't earn the Bruins a first-place finish, Jordan Chiles' floor routine once again helped them end the night on a high note.
No. 4 UCLA gymnastics finished in second place at the Pac-12 Championships at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah, on Saturday, failing to secure the conference crown after a shaky start to the meet. It looked like the Bruins were in position to come in third, though, as they trailed No. 7 Cal by 9.950 heading into the final routine of the night.
That's when Chiles stepped up and nailed a 9.975 – her second of the day – powering UCLA to a 197.850 team score. The only team the Bruins couldn't match was No. 5 Utah, which wound up at 197.925.
The Bruins started very slow, as redshirt senior Margzetta Frazier opened the day with a 9.775 on vault and sophomore Emma Malabuyo followed that up with a 9.575. The next four scores helped UCLA even things out a bit – sophomore Emily Lee and freshman Selena Harris scored 9.800s, while junior Chae Campbell and sophomore Jordan Chiles scored 9.900s – but they still finished the first rotation in fourth place at 49.175.
Campbell stuck a season-high 9.875 on uneven bars to start the second rotation right, and after senior Kalyany Steele disappointed with a 9.750, sophomore Ana Padurariu recovered with a 9.900. Freshman Selena Harris took things one step further by earning a 9.950, setting up a 9.875 for Frazier and a 9.975 by Chiles.
UCLA was still tied for third, though, and they needed a big swing on the balance beam to get their feet back under them.
Lee led off with a 9.925, while Padurariu and freshman Ciena Alipio earned back-to-back 9.850s. Chiles' first fall of the season stuck her with a 9.300, but Harris and Malabuyo more than made up for it with a 9.950 and a 9.925, respectively.
While the Bruins still trailed the Red Rocks by .250, they had overtaken both Oregon State and Cal – coach Janelle McDonald's former team.
It looked like the Golden Bears would fend off the Bruins down the stretch, since the former came though with their third-highest beam score in school history to round out the night. UCLA, however, got to close the championships on the floor, and a run of strong routines – especially Chiles' – got them over the hump.
Lee's leadoff 9.875 didn't even count towards the Bruins' score, as the next five routines earned 9.900s or better. Malabuyo, Frazier and Campbell all scored 9.900 on the dot, while Harris put up a 9.925 and Chiles posted her much-needed 9.975.
In addition to keeping UCLA in second place, that final routine also helped Chiles tie former Olympic teammate Jade Carey for the Pac-12 individual title on floor. Chiles also won the Pac-12 individual bars championship outright.
UCLA has roughly two weeks off from competition before it heads to NCAA Regionals.
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