First things first: Can Jordan Chiles extend her streak of floor 10.000s to five consecutive weeks? All eyes will be on the senior in the third rotation to find out.
Beyond the individual spotlight, there are compelling team storylines. UCLA is ranked in the top 10 nationally on every event, including No. 3 on beam. Somewhat surprisingly, its lowest-ranked event is floor at No. 8. While Chiles delivers headline-worthy performances with remarkable consistency, she accounts for just one of six routines. UCLA’s floor scores have ranged from 49.075 to 49.700 this season, reflecting flashes of brilliance alongside bouts of inconsistency. The Bruins’ top performances have come at home—now the question is whether they can replicate that energy on the road.
Illinois enters its third home meet of the season focused less on the result and more on execution. Last week’s loss at Nebraska included 10 scores of 9.700 or lower and two falls, resulting in the team’s lowest total of the year. Bars, typically Illinois’ strongest event, proved costly with a 48.075 after multiple errors.
Illinois has been one of the more volatile teams this season, with a season high nearly two points above its lowest score. Sophomore Chloe Cho, however, has been a model of consistency. Currently ranked No. 6 nationally in the all-around, she swept all five individual titles last week in Lincoln with a career-best 39.550. For Illinois to rebound, it will need not only Cho’s steady excellence but also hit routines from key contributors such as junior Lyden Saltness on bars and beam. Freshman Summer Clancy has shown flashes of potential, including season highs of 9.900 on vault and 9.850 on beam, and a confident performance from her could provide an important boost.
While this matchup may not come down to the final routine, it sets up as a meet in which each team’s biggest challenge will be executing its own routines cleanly from start to finish.
The meet will be streamed on the Big Ten Network. Scores are available here.
Leo report: UCLA will be wearing Bloom. Illinois is wearing its new Orange Krush design.
In lineup news, the Bruins are sticking with last week’s squads, except that Matthews is in floor instead of Rosen. Eichman is slated for exhibition on bars, and Webster-Longin will exhibition beam and floor.
Rotation 1: Illinois VT, UCLA UB
Kauffmn (Illinois) – FTY is underrotated with a big step forward, also piked down and well off center. 9.400
Alipio (UCLA) – Maloney with leg separation to overshoot to handstand. Good final handstand. Giant full to toe on front tuck half. Big lean to the side on the landing and lifts one foot. 9.725
Clancy (Illinois) – 1.5 Yurchenko is underrotated and she takes a medium step back. Has some bent knees, solid dynamics. 9.750
Sumanasekera (UCLA) – Love her legs together casts. Stalder shaposh to Pak with good form. Half-turn on low bar is a bit short. Full-in with a stick…or maybe a tiny shuffle. 9.850
Coppola (Illinois) – FTY with a medium hop back. Leg separation on the table and a pike down to be taken. 9.725
Matthews (UCLA) – Pak salto is nice. Van Leeuwen with some leg separation. Double layout is stuck, but she has to straighten her legs and do an arm swing to hold it. 9.850
Goldstein (Illinois) – FTY with a huge hop back, but the best form and body position so far.
Barros (UCLA) – Pak salto is good. Shortish handstand before toe on to Van Leeuwen – great legs together on that. Double layout with a small hop back. 9.825
Cho (Illinois) – Nice FTY with a near-stick – small hop backwards. Good form and dynamics. 9.800
Sullivan (UCLA) – Toe on to high Tkatchev to Pak salto, tiniest leg separation in that last skill. Good final handstand. Double layout is emphatically stuck, had some leg separation, however. 9.875
King (Illinois) – 1.5 Yurchenko is landed quite low, but she stays on her feet and takes a medium step backward. Leg separation on the table. 9.550
Chiles (UCLA) – Piked Tkatchev to Pak is great. Really misses handstand on low, doesn’t make it all the way up and has to improvise a redo of the half pirouette. Double layout is stuck. 9.850
Byrne (Illinois) – exhibition – FTY with a small hop back/up. Some leg separation on the table.
Eichman (UCLA) – exhibition – Pak salto with leg separation. Toe on to Van Leeuwen is good. Double layout with a medium step back, significant leg separation in the air.
AFTER ONE: UCLA 49.250, Illinois 48.525
The Bruins had small landing errors and then the larger mistake from Chiles that kept this total down. Not breaking 9.900 is a bit of a surprise, but the judging is quite strict today. Illinois could’ve spiraled after a miss on the first vault, but put the rest solidly to their feet. The event score is several tenths lower than they’ve shown recently, however, and they’re moving to bars, which has been a particular trouble spot.
Rotation 2: UCLA VT, Illinois UB
Karas says she saw Chiles warm up a “different vault,” not the DTY.
Kudos to Dagen for matching the theme with her floral pants.
Sumanasekera (UCLA) – Great FTY, stuck. On replay you can see she does a tiny shuffle and pikes down some. 9.900
Brown (Illinois) – Clear hip to Geinger to overshoot, some leg separation on first skill. Double layout is stuck, significant leg separation. 9.800
Anyimi (UCLA) – FTY with a medium hop back. Has some leg separation on the table but flares it out. 9.825
Denning (Illinois) – Toe on to Maloney with leg separation to overshoot to handstand. Good final handstand. Double layout is stuck with some leg separation but straightens her knees and bobbles to hold it.
Rosen (UCLA) – 1.5 Yurchenko, one of her best this season. Small hop/adjustment on the landing. Knees at the end of the vault. 9.850
Dixon (Illinois) – Toe on with a small adjustment in the handstand. Maloney to overshoot to handstand, some leg separation throughout. Good final handstand. High double layout with a small hop back, leg separation in the air. 9.725
Jenkins (UCLA) – 1.5 Yurchenko with underrotation and a medium step back. Some leg crossing in the first part of the vault. 9.750
Cho (Illinois) – Beautiful first handstand, shows it off. Maloney to Pak is pristine. Great form on Van Leeuwen. Another great handstand. Double layout is stuck, biiiit of leg separation in the second salto. 9.950
Sullivan (UCLA) – Sticks the 1.5 Yurchenko like it’s easy. Good form and dynamics. A smidge off center. 9.925, new career high for her.
Saltness (Illinois) – Good first handstand. Ray is good, dosen’t connect directly to Pak. Good handstand in the turn on low bar. Giant full to double back is stuck. 9.925
Chiles (UCLA) – She zags and does the Lopez. Medium hop back, bit of pike down. Great distance. 9.950
Gow (Illinois) – Classic shaposh with leg separation to overshoot to handstand. Shortish last handstand. Clear hip to toe-on front pike half is stuck. Lots of leg separation in that skill, though.
AFTER TWO: UCLA 98.700, Illinois 97.775
Illinois brings it on bars for a 49.250, a new season high. High scores for gorgeous routines from Cho and Saltness highlighted that rotation of six hit sets. Such a strong rotation on an event they’ve struggled with is a big confidence boost going into beam. UCLA only had one stick, but strong turns from Sumanasekera and Chiles kept up the momentum. And Chiles just decided to throw a different vault than what she’s done all season. As you do. Now it’s time to see if she can rack up her fifth consecutive floor 10.000. As you do.
Rotation 3: Illinois BB, UCLA FX
Kauffman (Illinois) – Nice variety in her jump to split mount. Front aerial has a wobble and leg up. Backs up and repeats front aerial to layout stepout without any issues. Switch leap to split jump. Full turn is overturned a bit. Side scale and finishes on releve, nice. BHS to 1.5 twist with a medium step forward. 9.625
Alipio (UCLA) – They were just playing Lorde while Kauffman was on beam and now I have Lorde on the brain and this routine seems very Lorde-coded. Double pike with a good landing, maybe lacks a tiny bit of control, very minimal though. Switch ring to switch half (overturned a bit) to wolf full. Wolf double is around. 1.5 twist to front layout, second skill is lower. 9.850
Saltness (Illinois) – BHS layout stepout is solid. Cat leap to switch side, connection is slower. Beat jump to straddle full is short and she takes a wobble/lean back. Front gainer full with a step back. 9.675
Matthews (UCLA) – BHS to whip to double back with a solid landing, didn’t notice any movement on the front foot. I need to remember to live blog and not just get engrossed in this routine. Sits down as she plies to the lounge to do her wolf turn. Not technically a fall, I guess. Don’t know what judges will do with that. Gets in position and does the double wolf turn. Switch full to wolf full. 1.5 twist to front layout, doesn’t show full control on the step out. 9.875, they did nothing haha. New career high for Nola.
Byrne (Illinois) – Candle mount, shows chest stand position long enough. BHS layout stepout without issues. Straddle jump. Beat jump to sheep jump with a small wobble. Good position and head release on the sheep jump. Double twist with a medium step back. 9.725
Barros (UCLA) – BJ also committed to the floral pants. 1.5 twist to front layout. Tour jete 1/2 looks fully rotated. Front through to double back is underrotated with a step forward. Shushunova. Still unsure what she has taped to the front of her left foot, if you know, educate me please. Switch 1/2 is overturned to wolf full. 9.850
Coppola (Illinois) – Lots of Katy Perry songs in this rotation. Side aerial into roundoff. Slower connection, but no balance errors. Switch leap to split jump to beat jump, undersplit on those. Two-foot side aerial. 1.5 twist, stick-ish, straightens her legs and windmills arms, tiny movement of one foot. 9.650
Sumanasekera (UCLA) – Double layout is a decent landing, but she steps back, wobbles a tiny bit as she tries to stay in bounds but can’t, takes another step back. Switch ring to switch half to wolf full. 1.5 twist to front layout is good. 9.650
We are treated to a shot of BJ vibing on the sideline.
Clancy (Illinois) – Side aerial is very solid. BHS layout stepout landed soft and easy. Switch leap to straddle half. Loved the slow breath moment before her dismount. 1.5 twist and looks like she might stick, but takes a small hop forward. 9.775
Sullivan (UCLA) – I’m obsessed with this routine, I cannot lie. Double layout with good control on landing. Tour jete 1/2 to Popa. Front through to double back is stuck on two feet. Shushunova. Jordan is well set up. 9.950
Cho (Illinois) – Single wolf turn. BHS layout stepout is great. Switch leap to switch 1/2 to beat jump. Small hesitation in the connection. Love the jazz hands moment in the choreo. 1.5 twist with a medium hop forward. 9.875
Chiles (UCLA) – Here we gooooo! Huge cheer as she steps on the floor. Double layout is stuck on two feet, she’s coming for it. Tour jete 1/2 to wolf full, looked like good rotation, but they switched camera angles on me in the middle, and that befuddles me. Front through to double back, good control on the landing. You gotta think it’s coming. Karas points out she barely hits split on the tour jete and that could be a deduction. 9.975, alas
Webster-Longin (UCLA) – exhibition – FHS to front double full, bigger step forward but shows solid control. 1.5 twist to front layout, second skill travels more than it rises. Switch ring to switch half. FHS to Rudi. Obsessed with her pique turns at the end. Teammates are chanting “Mika” in the celebration.
AFTER THREE: UCLA 148.200, Illinois 146.475
Headline – “only” a 9.975 for Chiles, and the 10.000 streak is over. But the Bruins posted a team score of 49.500, which is a bit higher than their best away score on the event. Illinois put up a solid beam rotation with no falls. The Illini still have room to grow on that event, but will be pleased with their consistent performance across three events so far.
Rotation 4: UCLA BB, Illinois FX
Rosen (UCLA) – Love the slow taking the shirt off choreography. Switch leap to split jump. Beat jump to Onodi with a tiny adjustment on landing. BHS layout stepout is solid. Takes a wobble on the full turn, tries to cover with choreography, but that was a one-tenth wobble. 1.5 twist is stuck. Does a figure skating jump to celebrate, an axel if I’m not mistaken. 9.875
Joelson (Illinois) – Front through to double back is landed well, good control in the lunge. Switch side 1/2 to wolf full. Double pike with a slide back. 9.750
Barros (UCLA) – Announcer says Bu ROHS. Forward roll mount. Switch leap to straddle 1/4. Side aerial to BHS is right on. BHS gainer full is stuck. Judges are conferencing. Janelle is standing a few feet from the conference but actually looks very non-threatening, haha. 9.850
Dixon (Illinois) – Front through to double back with a big hop back and a step that goes out of bounds. Switch side 1/2 to Popa has good splits. Double pike with a slide back, but decent control. 9.500
Eichman (UCLA) – Dagen is giving her pep talk and I swear she just did some choreography from Cats. BHS layout stepout is right on. I really like the part in the choreo where she grabs her foot, I dunno, it just speaks to me. Cat leap to side somi, solid. Switch 1/2 looks good. Front tuck full is underrotated and she takes a medium step back. 9.775
Brown (Illinois) – Love the drama in this routine. BHS whip to double back is landed well but she ends up having to take a small adjustment on her front foot. FHS front full to front layout. Switch side 1/2 to straddle jump. 9.775
Sumanasekera (UCLA) – Enjoy how she kind of vogues her face at the start. Switch leap to split jump. BHS layout stepout is great. Front aerial to split jump with no problem. BHS tucked 1.5 twist with kind of a college stick, there was a shuffle/hop back. 9.925
Gow (Illinois) – Really like this choreography at the start of her routine, it’s interesting and dramatic. FHS to Rudi to layout stepout is lovely, but didn’t have full control on the landing. Tour jete 1/2 to split jump full to tuck full. Underrotates FHS front 2/1 and has to stagger back. 9.650
Chiles (UCLA) – Commentators hyping the potential gym slam. No dice today, wobble on the BHS layout stepout. Cat leap to switch side with a bit of hesitation in between skills. Side aerial is solid. Double twist is stuck with great body position, chest well up. 9.875
King (Illinois) – Double back with a good landing, smallest adjustment. Switch side 1/2 to straddle, a little unsteady on the landings and muddled on the takeoffs. 1.5 twist to front full is landed well but she almost seems surprised and stutter steps forward. 9.800
Alipio (UCLA) – BHS BHS layout stepout is right on. Always enjoy a scale on beam. Small balance check on the side aerial. Split leap to switch leap to beat jump. Tucked gainer full is stuck, and she gets good distance on that dismount, a lot of gymnasts don’t. 9.950
Cho (Illinois) – If my math is right, she can’t beat Chiles in the all-around, but she’s going to be quite close with a hit routine here. Full-in is stuck on two feet, takes a leisurely step back. Switch leap through to switch half to wolf full. Front through to double back with a small slide back. 9.925
Matthews (UCLA) – exhibition – Going instead of Webster-Longin. Switch leap to split jump, looked under split on the second skill. Side aerial to BHS x2 is good. Front aerial with a small adjustment. Wolf turn, solid. Freaks me out with her shoulder flexibility in the choreography. Gainer pike that’s almost stuck, but she swings her arms and does a small step back. She is having a good laugh after a wobble on her mount (which I did not see cos naturally I was looking away).
Banks (Illinois) – exhibition – She covers the whole diagonal of the floor dancing before her first tumbling pass, unusual. Punch front 2/1, looks mostly around, decent control on landing. Tour jete 1/2 to wolf full x2, lower leg on those. 1.5 twist to front layout is solid.
Jordan says the team ate, but she seems subdued. She’s asked about the vault change and she says she just wanted to switch things up.
FINAL: UCLA 197.675, Illinois 195.475
VT: Jordan Chiles (UCLA), 9.950
UB: Chloe Cho (Illinois), 9.950
BB: Ciena Alipio (UCLA), 9.950
FX: Jordan Chiles (UCLA), 9.975
AA: Jordan Chiles (UCLA), 39.650
Illinois breaks 195 again this weekend, just beating their 195.450 from Friday, consistency that’s encouraging. The Illini put together a solid meet on every event, but there’s room to continue to improve on every event as well. Cho dazzled again, winning bars, and finishing just one-tenth behind Chiles in the all-around. UCLA showed their prowess on beam and floor, but bars wasn’t up to the same standard today, and they’ll want to start seeing more sticks on vault. Chiles didn’t have her best day, but she still posted a 39.650. Still, the errors on bars and beam and seeing the end of the 10.000 streak may be disappointing – and could leave her fired up for next weekend.
READ THIS NEXT: UCLA’s Sydney Barros Steps Up to Deliver Breakout Performances
Live blog by Diana Scroggins
