LIVE BLOG: No. 16 Oregon State at No. 6 UCLA

There are lots of intriguing storylines to follow tonight as Oregon State heads down the coast to take on UCLA in their home opener! Even without Pauley magic, the Bruins have surpassed preseason expectations and rocketed into the nationals picture, giving the visiting Beavers a tough hill to climb tonight for a victory. But, they’re the ones who enter as reigning regular-season co-champs in the Pac-12—anything can happen.

Much of UCLA’s surge this early season can be attributed to the addition of Selena Harris, the former No. 1 recruit who’s been matching or outsourcing Olympian and superstar Jordan Chiles from the get-go. Adding a near-guaranteed 9.9 on every event has raised the scoring ceiling for the Bruins significantly, while the new coaching staff has instilled more consistency as well to raise their floor. While head coach Janelle McDonald said this week that Brooklyn Moors is still working back from injury, we can expect Ana Padurariu back in the beam lineup—the event where she’s a World Championship silver medalist. I’d also expect some big floor scores from UCLA as it’s performing in front of a home crowd for the first time this season, and that’ll give them plenty of motivation.

After a slow start to the season, things have been picking up for Oregon State the last few weeks, rebounding from a mid-195 opener with a 197 and a win over top-10 Denver last weekend. Jade Carey’s back to scoring 10s and is the anchor of this team, but the rest of the roster has yet to hit the high marks they were bringing in during last year’s title season. The Beavers have only put up five 9.9s outside of Carey’s through three weeks, as Madi Dagen and Lauren Letzsch aren’t making enough of an impact. But there’s still plenty of season to go and that potential is still there, with the energy of UCLA providing a great opportunity for Oregon State to earn impressive marks if it can put its bars woes behind them.

Follow along with live scores and video! (Pac-12 Network)

Lineups!

Our time. #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/mF7PLLQEUQ

— Oregon State Gymnastics (@BeaverGym) January 29, 2023

https://twitter.com/uclagymnastics/status/1619829113140793349

We’re also getting exhibition performances from Clara Wren on vault, Ana Padurariu on bars and beam, and Maddie Anyimi on floor!

Rotation 1: UCLA Vault, Oregon State Bars

Frazier (UCLA): FTY. Twisted a bit on the block, good distance, closed hips and a big slide back. 9.825

Beeman (OSU): Opens with a nice handstand, blind change to Jaeger, caught very close, pak, jumps back to high bar, hits the last handstand, stalder to double tuck dismount, step back. 9.775

Anyimi (UCLA): FTY. Big height and distance, clean in the air, decent hop back. 9.825

Weaver (OSU): Starts with a hit handstand, giant full to Gienger, easy, bail, great leg form, hits last handstand, giant full to double tuck and gets the stick. 9.825

Lee (UCLA): FTY. Good off the table, quick twist and gets a small flair, slides back. 9.825

Dagen (OSU): Mounts with a good handstand, Tkatchev, missing a bit of turnover, good bail, hits the last handstand, toe on, giant full to double tuck, sticks! 9.800

Campbell (UCLA): FTY. Massive block, gets the flair and the stick! 9.925

Caso (OSU): Opens with a Maloney to pak, a bit whipped, good handstands so far, nice Maloney half, dismounts giant full to double tuck, small step. 9.850

Harris (UCLA): Y1.5. Powerful run and block, soft knees in the air but sticks! 9.925

McMillan (OSU): Hit handstand, toe on to Maloney to bail, works the last handstand, dismounts double layout, pikes down and knees nearly buckle but gets away with just a lunge. 9.650

Chiles (UCLA): DTY. Explosive block, easily gets the twists around and just one quick hop back. 9.900

Carey (OSU): Opening handstand is solid, Maloney to Bhardwaj, no issues, good handstand, Maloney half and just a tiny bit of foot separation, dismounts with a stuck and high FTDT. 9.925

After 1: UCLA 49.400, Oregon State, 49.175

Good opening rotations for both teams! UCLA notched a new season-best and mid-49 on vault, still with only two 10.0 start values. That’s a testament to the execution and landings. Oregon State fell just shy of it’s season-high on bars from Friday, but that’s three 49s in a row for the Beavers on bars and that’s a milestone. The Bruins have momentum right now, especially since it’s the home opener, but the Beavers are within striking distance with their worst event behind them so they’re still very in the mix.

Rotation 2: Oregon State Vault, UCLA Bars

Garcia (OSU): FTY. Good power and distance, clean but piked in the air, hops forward. 9.650

Campbell (UCLA): Hits the first handstand, Maloney to bail, problem-free, hit the last handstand, blind change to double front, small hop forward. 9.825

Briones (OSU): FTY. Clean throughout the block and air, not a ton of height, small hop to the side. 9.800

Padurariu (UCLA): A change from Lee who was originally in the lineup. Good first handstand, toe on and the bars shake and a cable came loose! Equipment malfunction! Restarting. Hits the first handstand, toe on, Maloney to bail, tiny leg separation in the bail, hops to high bar, slightly short on the last handstand, FTDT and a hop forward. 9.325 that was changed to a 9.875

Letzsch (OSU): FTY. Beautiful form and gets the stick! Good height, piked down a tad for the landing from the side replay. 9.850

Steele (UCLA): After a long wait hits the first handstand, Maloney to pak, very floaty, nice half pirouette, jumps to the high bar, last handstand is good, dismounts double layout, slings it out, takes a shuffle back. 9.850

Gonzalez (OSU): Yurchenko full-on, pike off. Good power and just a hop in place, chest up on the landing. 9.925

Harris (UCLA): Easy opening handstand, Ray, great, archy handstand, bail, hops back to the high bar, last handstand hit, giant full to stuck double layout. 9.925

Dagen (OSU): Y1.5. Closed shoulders on the block and comes in short on the landing, shuffles back but stays on her feet. 9.675

Chiles (UCLA): Mounts and hits the first handstand, piked Tkatchev to pak is great, Maloney to Gienger is smooth, dismounts FTDT and its stuck cold! 9.975!

Carey (OSU): DTY. Big power as usual, better legs than usual and just a small hop in place. 9.950

Frazier (UCLA): Gets underway with an archy handstand, don’t know how she saved it, good Maloney to pak, dismounts double layout and sticks. 9.825

Rotation 2: Oregon State 49.200, UCLA 49.450

After 2: UCLA 98.850, Oregon State 98.375

Even with the odd Padurariu situation, that’s a good bars rotation for the Bruins and is just a tenth shy of their season high. A bit of a sting at the end with Frazier only going into the 9.8s when the total could’ve been huge, but that’s more than enough to get by for now as UCLA is cruising. Oregon State had a similar late miss with Dagen’s short vault, and that actually had an impact on the Beavers’ total as Garcia’s vault didn’t score well either. They had the difficulty advantage with an extra 10.0 start value over the Bruins, but it didn’t pay off tonight. Thankfully for Oregon State, floor and beam are its two strongest events.

After the rotation was over, Padurariu’s score was raised to a 9.875.

Rotation 3: UCLA Beam, Oregon State Floor

Lee (UCLA): Straddle split on the beam to get underway, full turn, slightly over, BHS LOSO, switch leap straddle jump, great height, front aerial to split jump, hitting 180, BHS gainer full, hangs on for the stick. 9.900

Miller (OSU): Very big double pike to get underway, small slide back, problem-free leap pass, RO 1.5 front layout, foot form issues but good landing, dismounts with a double tuck and gets a stick. 9.800

Alipio (UCLA): Starts with her low beam choreo, full turn, front aerial back tuck, low chest but no wobbles, switch half to beat jump, side aerial split jump, running gainer full and sticks. 9.800

Peterson (OSU): RO 1.5 front full to open, no issues, switch side half, clean, switch half to straddle full, very bouncy into her leaps, closes with a double tuck, slides back in the lunge. 9.875

Campbell (UCLA): Opens with a BHS LOSO, check to the side, side aerial, full turn, looks a bit tentative, split leap to switch half, falls, immediately hops back on and goes into her cartwheel gainer full dismount and sticks. 8.825

Gonzalez (OSU): Front full to front layout to open, great position in the air, switch full to Sissone, double pike last pass, beautiful landing, switch ring to switch half. 9.825

Chiles (UCLA): Lots of pressure here, long wait as well. Showcases her strength and flexibility with her mount, BHS LOSO, easy, switch leap to wolf jump, full turn, side aerial to straddle jump, dismounts RO double pike, chest down and a hop back. 9.850

Letzsch (OSU): Mounts with a RO 1.5 front full, issue-free landing, switch ring half to split jump half, fun back spin choreo, closes with a double tuck, great landing and form in the air, legs glued together. 9.900

Harris (UCLA): Another big pressure set, especially for the freshman. Low beam choreo to start, smiling as she dances, BHS LOSO BHS, great, switch leap to split leap to full turn, fluid, side aerial, small check, dismounts RO 1.5, spots the ground and sticks. 9.875

Dagen (OSU): Gets going with a front layout to Rudi, a bit short and lunges forward, switch half to straddle full to straddle jump, finishes up with a double pike, great chest up landing. 9.875

Malabuyo (UCLA): One last hit to erase a fall. Mounts low and hits a wolf turn, BHS LOSO, comes off, remounts, front aerial to beat jump, split jump to ring jump, small check, dismounts BHS gainer full, sticks. 9.375

Carey (OSU): A massive opportunity here. Double double to open, fantastic landing, switch half to straddle full, great height, closes with front layout through to double pike, another great landing! 9.975!

Rotation 3: UCLA 48.800, Oregon State 49.500

After 3: Oregon State 147.875, UCLA 147.650

And just like that, Oregon State is in the lead! Carey’s near-perfect floor set soared the Beavers ahead with a massive event total after the Bruins faltered. That outing matched Oregon State’s best floor total of the season. UCLA opened the door on its own counting a fall, but still only a few tenths back and with floor to go, this meet is still within its grasp. But, beam is one of the Beavers’ better events, so it’s all going to come down to who can hit under pressure!

Rotation 4: Oregon State Beam, UCLA Floor

Peterson (OSU): Mounts after a pre-routine fist bump from Carey, lovely mount on the end of the beam, BHS BHS LOSO, great, full turn, Shawn Johnson roll on the low beam, switch half to straddle, slightly short of 180 in the split, gainer pike dismount, tiny tiny slide back, a great leadoff. 9.850

Lee (UCLA): NCAA debut on the event, mounts with a double tuck, bouncy lunge back, front layout front full second pass, solid landing, switch ring to switch half, closes with a double pike, much better landing. 9.850

Domingo (OSU): Gets underway with a front aerial to back pike, great height, no wobbles, full turn, split down onto the beam, great toe point, switch leap to straddle to split 3/4, fantastic, dismounts gainer full and sticks! 9.850

Malabuyo (UCLA): Needs to rebound big from her beam fall, starts with a double tuck, slides back in the lunge, RO 1.5 front layout, bouncing step forward, switch ring to switch half, great position in the ring, dismounts double pike, another lunge where the front foot moves. 9.875

Letzsch (OSU): Front aerial to back tuck, kept moving but slow connection, split jump to ring jump to beat jump, full turn, front full dismount and steps into the salute. 9.875

Harris (UCLA): Fist bumps from Chiles and Frazier before saluting, huge full-in to start, a bit off direction, great double tuck second pass, great height and splits in the leap pass, closes with a RO 1.5 layout half to stag leap, easy. 9.925

Gonzalez (OSU): Straddle split on the beam to get going, front aerial to back tuck, no issues, full turn, cat leap to side aerial, sturdy, switch half, dismounts front full and sticks. 9.675

Frazier (UCLA): Opens with a whip through to double tuck, small slide in the lunge, slightly off balance in her leap pass, didn’t get much height in the first leap, side somi, closes with a double pike, great landing. 9.900

Dagen (OSU): Needs to hit! Gets started with BHS LOSO, small arm check, switch leap to switch half, shy of 180 on both, looks a bit timid, full turn, tiny check, dismounts RO 1.5, gets the stick. 9.850

Chiles (UCLA): Should be huge in front of a home crowd for the first time this season, perfectly stuck double layout to start, no need for a lunge, front tuck to double tuck second pass, perfect landing, Gogean to wolf full, traveled quite a bit, closes with a double pike, good landing. 9.975!

Carey (OSU): Carey just needs to Carey for the win most likely, forward roll onto the beam, full turn, small check, front aerial to BHS LOSO, supreme, switch leap to switch half, smooth, gainer full and gets the stick! 9.925

Campbell (UCLA): Should be another huge score if she ca hit, massive full-in to start, her performance quality is next level, switch full straddle full, FHS front layout front full, big step forward, closing double tuck is fantastic. 9.950

Rotation 4: Oregon State 49.350, UCLA 49.625

FINAL: UCLA 197.275, Oregon State 197.225*

A last rotation comeback by the Bruins! Oregon State did what it needed to do on beam, hit, but there were just a few too many small bobbles to hold-off the home team in front of a home crowd for the first time this season. UCLA has one of the best home atmospheres in sports, and that definitely paid-off tonight. The Bruins did what they do best on floor, perform, and were able to seal the deal in a crucial situation to stay undefeated in the Pac-12.

*Roughly half an hour after the meet concluded, the score for Jenna Domingo’s beam routine was changed to a 9.900. That results in the meet ending in a 197.275 tie.

VT: Carey (OSU) 9.950
UB: Chiles (UCLA) 9.975
BB: Carey 9.925
FX: Carey, Chiles 9.975
AA: Carey 39.775

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Live blog by Brandis Heffner.

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