PHOTO ESSAY: Utah Narrowly Defeats UCLA at Home in Nail-biter Matchup

February 25, 2020 College Gym News Event Coverage, Featured Carousel, Features, NCAA WAG, Photo Essay

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The Utes built momentum right from the start on uneven bars after freshman Maile O’Keefe had her best routine of the season as the leadoff for a 9.925. They took the lead over the Bruints after one rotation, 49.600 to 49.375. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

After recording a season high vault score, the Bruins unfortunately got off to a rough start on bars after a fall from senior Felicia Hano in the leadoff position. Junior Savannah Kooyman came through in the clutch with a career high 9.900. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Senior Kim Tessen anchored the vault rotation for Utah with a stuck Yurchenko one and a half for a 9.900. Assistant coach Garrett Griffeth, in his first year as assistant coach for the Utes, was absolutely thrilled as his team remained in the lead with 98.875 after two events. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

The Bruins made up some ground in the second rotation, thanks in part to senior Kyla Ross anchoring bars with a 9.925 to only trail the Utes by 0.175 points. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Senior Grace Glenn made history as the first leadoff on any event to ever score a 10.000. Glenn had already come so close this season, recording two 9.975s, but was ecstatic to finally get her first collegiate 10.000. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Following a 9.800 from Abby Paulson, sophomore Cristal Isa got the ball rolling for the Utes on floor with a 9.925. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Redshirt senior Nicki Shapiro returned to the competitive lineup for the first time since January 31 to hit her best routine of 2020 for a 9.900. Shapiro returned to the team this year after having left the sport entirely following the 2016 season. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Freshman Jillian Hoffman was off to a great start in her floor routine, but unfortunately missed her punch on her final pass. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Senior Felicia Hano, who was competing in the all around for the third meet in a row, hit her best routine of the year for season high 9.825 in the fifth spot. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

The pressure was on the final two Utah floor workers to hit to be able to drop Hoffman’s score. After O’Keefe delivered a 9.900, junior Sydney Soloski anchored the rotation with a 9.950. After three rotations and heading into their best event, the Utes were still in the lead 148.300 to 148.225. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

The Bruins were also heading to their best event in the final rotation. Sophomore Norah Flatley had a very solid start with a 9.925. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Junior Alexa Burch scored a 9.950 in the second position in the beam lineup. The Utes would not see a score below 9.900 after this. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Junior Nia Dennis tied her career high 9.975 on floor, and faked dead while Shapiro mimicked CPR after she saw her score. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Despite the rowdy atmosphere for the Bruins on floor, sophomore Adrienne Randall managed to get a few claps of her own from the home crowd after her Rulfova on beam. She scored a 9.975 in the fifth spot. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Senior Gracie Kramer continued UCLA’s “floor party” with her own 9.975. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Freshman Abby Paulson anchored the beam rotation for the Utes and did not let the loud screams from the crowd bother her. She received a perfect 10.000, Utah’s first one on beam since 2008, to help her team set a program record on the event (49.775) that had stood since 1995. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Senior Kyla Ross anchored the floor rotation for UCLA, and topped off this high-scoring rotation with a 9.975 to bring the Bruins to a season-high score of 198.025. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

The Utes waited for Ross’ score to come in before erupting in cheers at the realization they had narrowly defeated their rivals in Westwood with a final score of 198.075. They remain undefeated this season, and next week’s meet against Washington may very well determine who will be the first Pac-12 regular season conference champion. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes)

Photographs by Emily Howell-Forbes; captions by Christina Marmet

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