This one’s for all the marbles! Having already clinched a share of its first ever Pac-12 regular season title, California finishes up its conference season on the road at UCLA and a chance for the outright crown with a victory. Looking at the rankings it would appear the Golden Bears should have a comfortable victory, but after getting upset last week in the same situation and the talent of the Bruins’ roster, this could be a close one!
California had a chance to clinch the Pac-12 title outright last weekend, but fell on the road to an Arizona State squad ranked just ahead of the Bruins. The Golden Bears can boast that they’ve yet to post a bad score this season, but a lack of 197s on the road is lowering their ceiling in the rankings significantly and keeping them on upset alert. But, there are plenty of reasons California will win too. Its trio of all arounders – Maya Bordas, Neveah DeSouza, and Andi Li – are all ranked in the top 20 as individuals and can provide a steadiness for the Golden Bears that UCLA hasn’t shown an ability to have all season. California should feel good about its chances for victory if that trio is hitting.
The Bruins are in a position where they cannot drop a very low road score and make a jump up the rankings for a few weeks, so today’s objective will be another strong home score (ideally 197-plus) and a momentum gaining win. With only a home dual against UC Davis left, this will be UCLA’s final test before conference championships so we’d expect as close to postseason lineups as possible, so keep an eye on the health status of basically the entire roster at this point. Chae Campbell and Emma Malabuyo have stepped up lately, and with the home-crowd, they could finally get a strong supporting cast performance as well. UCLA desperately needs that.
Follow along with scores and video! (Pac-12 Network)
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The stakes are higher than ever for this matchup!
Rotation 1: UCLA Vault, California Bars
Flatley (UCLA): Yfull. Clean form as usual, sticks! Slight pike-down on replay. 9.900
Perea (Cal): Mounts to the high bar, pak after a great first handstand, toe on, Maloney half, great, dismounts double layout, small hop back. 9.850
Moors (UCLA): Front pike half. Chest way down but just a small slide back. 9.800
DeSouza (Cal): Giant half to piked Jager to overshoot, nice, hits final handstand, dismounts FTDT and sticks! 9.875
Wright (UCLA): Yfull. Big height, nice form, small hop. 9.875
Williams (Cal): Maloney to pak, great form, slightly shy on half pirouette, nice final handstand, dismounts double layout, big step back. 9.850
Poston (UCLA): Front pike half. Lands chest down, big hop back. 9.850
Schank (Cal): Giant half to piked Jager to overshoot, good form, hits final handstand, double layout and sticks! 9.900
Chiles (UCLA): Tsuk full. Good block and gets a near stick, small movement with one foot. 9.900
Li (Cal): Beautiful pak after a nice first handstand, toe on, Maloney half, great, giant full to double tuck dismount, fights for the stick but takes a small hop forward. 9.875
Campbell (UCLA): Yfull. Enormous height from the perfect block, just a hop in place. 9.950!
Bordas (Cal): Giant half to Jager, misses completely, remounts and swings into an overshoot, dismounts giant full double tuck. 9.000
Rotation 1: UCLA 49.475, California 49.350
That was exactly the start UCLA needed, putting together its best vault lineup of the season capped off by the second perfect 9.950 Yurchenko full from Campbell in as many weeks. This is exactly the start the Bruins needed and must keep this momentum going.
The Golden Bears will be a bit disappointed to be trailing after starting on its best event. The miss from Bordas hurts as it easily could’ve provided an extra tenth or so to put California closer (or even) with UCLA to start. But, the Golden Bears are more than capable of making up the gap throughout the meet as they’re still right there and have been a much more consistent team this season.
Very important news, California’s Kyana George will be doing an exhibition routine on beam today and may be available for the postseason! That would be incredible for the Golden Bears moving forward as she raises their scoring potential on any event she’s able to contribute.
Rotation 2: California Vault, UCLA Bars
Bordas (Cal): Yfull. Good form, just a hop in place. 9.825
Campbell (UCLA): Hits the first handstand, Maloney to bail, dismounts giant half to double front, gets the stick! 9.900
Williams (Cal): Yfull. Clean form but comes in short and takes a lunge forward and to the side. 9.775
Steele (UCLA): Maloney to pak, small flexed feet errors, nice half pirouette, short on last handstand, dismounts double layout, legs way apart, fights for the stick. 9.800
Li (Cal): Yfull. Legs together, big slide back. 9.800
Malabuyo (UCLA): Maloney to pak, floaty, great half pirouette, hits final handstand, dismounts with a double layout, way short of rotation and does a giant broad jump forward, may have gone hands down as well. 9.550
Schank (Cal): Yfull. Good form, small flair out at the end and sticks it! 9.900
Long wait for Malaubyo’s score.
Padurariu (UCLA): Toe on, Maloney to bail, little piked, short on final handstand, giant full to double tuck, also comes up short, knees and hands down. 9.225
DeSouza (Cal): Y1.5. Bent knees in the air but gets the landing, just a tiny hop forward. 9.875
Chiles (UCLA): Piked Tkatchev to pak, gorgeous, nice handstands, Maloney to Geinger, dismounts FTDT, sticks! 9.975!
Clausi (Cal): Yfull. A little crunched on the block, low but a nice landing, slightest of slides back. 9.850
Flatley (UCLA): L grip to Jager, a little close, toe on, bail, perfect, hits the last handstand, double layout and just a hop back. 9.950
Rotation 2: California 49.250, UCLA 49.175
Through Rotation 2: UCLA 98.650, California 98.600
The bars errors returned for UCLA once again, surprisingly at home this time and already erased the lead it had over California. That’s underwhelming for the Bruins after Campbell’s 9.900 in the leadoff and two outstanding routines at the end of the lineup. UCLA just added more pressure on itself to hit beam.
The lack of difficulty hurt the Golden Bears, but were fortunate to capitalize on misses from UCLA and are still well capable of winning this matchup. California will need to continue to rely on its consistency but might need to find a way to break into the 9.9s more often to make up ground on the Bruins who will surely hit that several times finishing on floor at home.
Rotation 3: UCLA Beam, California Floor
FuboTV is currently “experiencing signal issues from the video source” and I am unable to watch the meet. Apologies in advance if I miss any routines.
Padurariu (UCLA): 9.825. Didn’t see it, but seems like a hit.
Schank (Cal): Gets going with a double tuck, great landing, short on her second double tuck, nice leaps, RO 1.5 front layout, no issues. 9.525
Chiles (UCLA): Front aerial to BHS to start, problem-free, switch leap to straddle jump to wolf jump, great, easy full turn, side somi, looked like she was going to be on her heels but no wobbles, dismounts double pike, sticks! Chest a bit low. 9.925
Judges conference for Schank.
DeSouza (Cal): Mounts with a nice double pike, well-controlled lunge, switch side to wolf full, nice toe point, RO 1.5 front full, didn’t get to see the landing, closes with a Rudi to double stag jump, travelled back a little in the jump. 9.900
Flatley (UCLA): Opens with front aerial to BHS LOSO, smooth, L turn to full turn, tiniest of adjustments, switch leap to split jump, hits 180 on both per usual, BHS 1.5 dismount, small slide to the side. 9.950
Bordas (Cal): Starts things off with a double tuck, sky high, RO 1.5 front layout, bouncy lunge, switch leap to switch ring half, steps on the landing to the side, Rudi to dismount, good landing. 9.850
Campbell (UCLA): Huge BHS LOSO to start, arm check to the side, split leap to switch half to beat jump, a little shy of 180, split jump to split side, arm wave check again, full turn, cartwheel to stuck gainer full. 9.875
Clausi (Cal): Begins with a big double pike, close to OOB on the lunge, no flag, good leap series, RO 1.5 front layout to well controlled double stag, ends with a double tuck, much better lunge than the opening pass. 9.875
Sakti (UCLA): Mounts and gets going with a switch leap to BHS LOSO, so floaty, cat leap to switch half to beat jump, issue-free, full turn, side aerial to layout full, slides back. 9.900
Li (Cal): Front double full to front tuck, gets it around after an awkward punch, front full front layout, a little under and takes a step back, switch half to wolf full, easy. 9.675
Malabuyo (UCLA): Starts with her series, BHS LOSO, great, huge smile, front aerial to beat jump, split jump to ring jump, moving very quickly, BHS LOSO layout full dismount, nails it! 9.975!
Quinn (Cal): Opens up with a front layout to Rudi, no problems, switch side to Popa to wolf jump, nice height, closes with double pike, great landing. 9.950
Rotation 3: UCLA 49.625, California 49.250
Through Rotation 3: UCLA 148.275, California 147.850
Another season-high event total means the Bruins extend their lead over California with their historically best event to go. Even with the errors this is looking like it should be one of UCLA’s highest scoring meets of the year, so it is critical that the floor lineup does its job.
A few unfortunate errors put California in a tricky position with a lot of ground to make up on beam. The Golden Bears can be fantastic on beam, but it’s hard for anybody to outpace UCLA on floor at home, especially when things are already going well. At this point, California needs to be going for broke on all six routines to have any shot at the win and an outright conference title.
Rotation 4: California Beam, UCLA Floor
DeSouza (Cal): Mounts and gets underway with a cat leap to front aerial, BHS LOSO, no problems, beat jump to sheep jump, tiny lean, sissone, small arm check on the full turn, dismounts RO 1.5, sticks it. 9.900
Flatley (UCLA): Opens with a triple full, controlled the lunge, front double full second pass, nice in the air but may have stepped OOB, very close, switch ring to switch half, dismounts with a RO 1.5 front layout. 9.950
Clausi (Cal): Starts with a front toss to beat jump, BHS LOSO, full turn, a bit wild, switch leap switch leap, a little shy of 180, moving confidently, side aerial tucked full dismount, sticks. 9.900
Moors (UCLA): Begins with a front double full to front tuck, close to OOB again, blocked shot so couldn’t tell, super floaty RO LOSO, switch ring to switch half to wolf full, closes with a Rudi, bouncy lunge back. 9.900
Williams (Cal): Starts off with a double wolf turn, smooth, BHS LOSO, small lean to her right, switch leap to split jump, secure, cat leap to side aerial to tucked full, leans but gets the stick. 9.825
Malabuyo (UCLA): Gets going with a big double tuck, drops right out of the air, RO 1.5 front layout, great, switch ring to switch half, hits her positions in the air, ends with a double pike, easy lunge. 9.950
Bordas (Cal): Front aerial to split jump, small hesitation but kept moving, BHS LOSO, does a half turn to cover a wobble, switch leap to split jump, same small hesitation, full turn, looks like she’s trying too hard to be perfect, BHS gainer full, sticks. 9.825
Tratz (UCLA): Double pike to start, small step forward, tour jete half to split full, lacked some height, RO 1.5 front layout, dances right out of it, dismounts with a double tuck, slides back right near the OOB line, stays in I believe. 9.900
Li (Cal): Front aerial to split jump, gorgeous, BHS LOSO, looked off but doesn’t wobble, full turn, beat jump to sheep jump, good positions, tucked gainer full off the front of the beam, sticks. 9.900
Chiles (UCLA): Opens with a massive double layout, controls the lunge perfectly, front tuck through to double tuck, copy and paste the first landing, great height in the leaps, could use a little more control, closes with a double pike, lunged but didn’t need to. 10.000!
Watterson (Cal): Double wolf turn to open, BHS LOSO, falls, immediately remounts, switch leap to split leap, cat leap to side aerial to layout full, short and hops forward. 9.225
Campbell (UCLA): Mounts with a great full-in, MASSIVE height in her leap series, beautifully controlled too, front layout front full, no issues, ends with a giant double tuck! 9.975
Rotation 4: California 49.350, UCLA 49.775
Final: UCLA 198.050, California 197.200
The Bruins picked the right time to put it all together! In its last true test before the postseason, UCLA takes down the now co-champions California in a performance that garnered a massive 198 and can help give it momentum heading towards the postseason. California will be surely disappointed on missing out on two chances to secure the outright crown, but did put up its highest road total of the season and can be pleased with that, even with some missed routines.
Event Winners
Vault: Campbell (UCLA) – 9.950
Bars: Chiles (UCLA) – 9.975
Beam: Malabuyo (UCLA) – 9.975
Floor: Chiles (UCLA) – 10.000
All Around: Chiles (UCLA) – 39.800
Live blog by Brandis Heffner
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