This UCLA and Stanford competition will be an exciting Pac 12 matchup to start off the weekend! The No. 10 UCLA Bruins are traveling to No. 24 Stanford to face each other for the second time this season.
UCLA is coming off a strong performance last weekend facing California at Pauley Pavilion, coming away with a 197.775. UCLA has clinched some big scores in the past couple of weeks, with their highest being a 198.075 at home against Arizona. However, with NQS having the ‘drop the highest score’ rule, and rankings now being based on this NQS total, UCLA will be looking to match or score above this 198 mark to be able to count this big score towards their team total. The Bruins shined last week on bars and floor especially, scoring above a 49.50 on each event, but their team total missed that 198 by less than three tenths due to a lower 49.125 on vault. The Bruins have shown they can back at least a couple of tenths on these events in their prior competitions, so this week heading into an away meet, they will be looking to match their scores on these other events, and dial in a little more on vault, which they are so capable of.
Stanford has been maintaining the 196 team score since week two, but most definitely will want to break into the 197s in their last couple of competitions. Stanford has been scoring consistent 49s across all events, but haven’t gotten as many of the big scores they would like to see at this point in the season. Last week going up against Utah, the highest scoring event came on beam with a 49.350, led by a near perfect 9.975 from Chloe Widner. There have been a handful of 9.9 plus scores, but in order to keep pace with UCLA, they will have to be getting these scores more consistently in their lineups. That being said, Stanford has performed their best at home thus far, scoring a pair of 196.875s in back to back competitions, so being at home can most definitely work in their favor.
This meet will be streamed on the Pac-12 Network here at 8 p.m. ET if you are able to follow along!
Rotation 1: Stanford Vault, UCLA Bars
Dean (Stanford): ANGRY TREE! I love it. Dean opens with a strong Yurchenko full with a small hop back on the landing. 9.80.
Campbell (UCLA): Up first for UCLA, Campbell starts with a beautiful Maloney to a shoot over, right to handstand. Ends with a blind to double front STUCK! 9.9.
Zeng (Stanford): Yurchenko full, a hop to the left over the line, but a nice vault over all. 9.725
Malabuyo (UCLA): Malabuyo back in the lineup from her elite excursions the past few weeks; opens with a Maloney up, nice, to a Pak salto and is way too close, hits her hips and comes off the bar. Gets right back up without stopping, pirouette and goes over the bar and is off again. Ends with a stuck full in dismount. The routine they will want to drop, moving forward, so a little more pressure here early in the meet. 8.675.
Neault (Stanford): Yurchenko full on, pike off, small hop back, really nice control and form on that! 9.825.
Rosen (UCLA): Rosen in a really important spot to get this bars squad back on track; starts with. a Maloney to Pak, perfect, back up with a double layout dismount, small hop backwards on the landing. Clutch. 9.875.
Roberts (Stanford): Little delay on vault, redoing for Roberts who has moved up in the lineup; Yurchenko 1.5, lands on her heels with a small hop back, but a really nice vault with great height! 9.825.
Frazier (UCLA) 9.85.
Esparza (UCLA): Opens with a Maloney to Pak, really nice, back up with a Maloney 1/2, perfect. Ends with a double layout small hop back. Really nice routine!! Apparently skipped Frazier (I’m sad) but two more hit routines for UCLA. 9.9.
Nyugen (Stanford): Yurchenko 1.5, big hop forward on the landing.
Harris (UCLA): Came in on her routine a little late, but shoot over, nice, with a blind full directly to double layout slight hop forward. 9.9.
Originally had six up on vault for Stanford, but dropped down to five pulling Cluck right before hand.
Irvine (UCLA) *exhibition: not showing exhibitions (?)
After 1: Stanford 49.025, UCLA 49.40
This was a bit of a wild rotation across the board… There were some vault issues that left some routines to not be shown, a six person lineup back down to five, and a really uncharacteristic bar routine for UCLA. BUT, at the end, both teams came away with exactly what they needed. With vault being Stanford’s lowest scoring event, coming away with an event total above a 49 is a great vault day for the Cardinals. With the early mistake for UCLA on bars, the remainder of the lineup rallied and came away with a HUGE 49.400 to open up this away meet for the Bruins. Esparza scored one of her highest scores of her career with a 9.9, followed by another 9.9 from Harris. Hopefully this next rotation is a little bit smoother for all involved; I’m just happy Stanford is wearing the angry tree leotard.
Rotation 2: UCLA Vault, Stanford Bars
Anyimi (UCLA): Normally Lee would be in this opening spot, but Anyimi is up first for UCLA in the second rotation. Opens with a Yurchenko full, flairs it out and takes a big step back, but a nice opening vault! 9.8.
Dean (Stanford): Opens with a Ray, really ncie. Pak, switch kip, back up to the high bar, a little shy on last handstand, blind full to double tuck, is pretty close to the bar and takes a step back. 9.8.
Lee (UCLA): Saw her DRILL one in warmup and REPEATS. WOW. Yurchenko full STUCK. Feet together and everything! That was too good. 9.85.
Robinson (Stanford): Blind to straddle Jaegar to shoot over, nice. Ends with a huge half in half out, slides right foot a little on the landing, but overall a really nice routine! 9.825.
Irvine (UCLA): Yurchenko full on, pike off, pretty big hop back and a little loose in the air, but another solid score for UCLA. 9.775.
Neault (Stanford): Maloney to Pak, nice and smooth, really nice pirouette on top of the bar, blind full to double tuck, small step back on the landing. 9.775.
Campbell (UCLA): Yurchenko full, STUCK. Literally every time. Amazing, I’m obsessed. Actually, when was the last meet she hasn’t stuck? (really curious) 9.9.
Roberts (Stanford): Beautiful Pak down to the low bar to a Maloney 1/2 up, legs glued together and a double layout dismount with a pretty big step forward. 9.825.
Reed (UCLA): First 1.5 for UCLA tonight, Yurchenko 1.5, really big hop forward on that landing, but a nice 10.0 for the Bruins. 9.775.
Alexeeva (Stanford): Blind to Higgins grip to a HUGE piked Jaegar to Pak, wow that was so nice. A double layout dismount to a hop back. Stanford has these really nice routines, they just need to dial in on these landings. 9.825.
Harris (UCLA): Yurchenko 1.5, really squatty and steps back towards the table, but keeps it on her feet. 9.725.
Widner (Stanford): HUGE Tkachev to shoot over, perfect final handstand to a fight for a stuck double layout! That was definitely the highlight for a really great bars rotation for the Cardinals! 9.9.
Anastasi (UCLA):*exhibition (again not showing these routines)
Sorrento (Stanford): *exhibition
After 2: Stanford 98.20, UCLA 98.50
This is getting close! UCLA had a little bit of a more uncharacteristic vault rotation and was not as dialed in on the landings as they had been in the past coming away with just a 49.1 on this event. Stanford on the other hand is starting to break into this lead, scoring a 49.175 on bars, highlighted by a really nice anchor routine from Widner scoring a 9.9! The gap is definitely closing a little bit heading into the back half of this meet, and it could truly go either way! Hopefully both teams are starting to settle in a little more and will be able to do a little more of their ‘normal’ to get the scores they need to replace some lower early season scores in both teams’ NQS’.
Rotation 3: Stanford Beam, UCLA Floor
Dean (Stanford): One of the best events for the Cardinals; another lead off spot for Dean. Opens with an aerial, LOSO, a little bobble to the side but saves it. Straddle to straddle 1/4 nice. Ends with a round off 1.5, small step forward. Good lead off for Stanford! 9.75.
Lee (UCLA): UCLA Floor Party!! Lee starts with a HUGE double tuck. Front lay to front full, really nice control on that landing. Switch ring to switch half, beautiful. Ends with a really nice double pike. UCLA needed that routine to start strong and wow, Lee delivered! 9.875.
Nguyen (Stanford): Standing LOSO LOSO perfect. That is so beyond hard. Switch side, really nice. Straddle jump to beat jump solid. Step to round off to double twist, big hop back. Nice routine in this second spot! 9.825.
Andres (UCLA): First event for Andres tonight, starts with a back 2.5, punch front a little under rotated but just takes a step back. Really nice double tuck second pass. Switch side to straddle full, great extension. The vibes of this routine, love. Really nice start for Andres in her first event of the night! 9.825.
Robinson (Stanford): BHS LOSO, slight check on the landing. Switch leap to split jump, nice. Hitch kick, side aerial to beat jump; looked a little off but keeps the rhythm. Moon walk!! Round off 1.5 stuck! First stuck beam dismount for the Cardinals! 9.775.
Irvine (UCLA): First time in the UCLA lineup on floor for Irvine! Starts with a little short double tuck, but keeps it up. Back half to front full, a little leg separation on that. Another really fun floor routine, I love!! Ends with front 1.5 to straddle jump. Yay floor debut!! 9.75.
Neault (Stanford): Love that mount, so beautiful. BHS BHS LOSO, solid, really controlled. Beat jump to really nice split ring jump. Love the way she does beam, looks incredibly confident and relaxed in her movements. Ends with a round off 1.5 to small hop forward. 9.85.
Lasbrooke (UCLA): Really nice double tuck to open. Barbie routine! The first time for Lashbrooke back in the floor lineup after a couple of nagging injuries, but it looks like she hasn’t missed a beat. Back 1.5 to front lay, nice control on that. Torjete 1/2 straddle full, good. Ends with a really nice double pike! What depth in this UCLA team. 9.825.
Alexeeva (Stanford): I LOVE this mount, What strength on that press mount. This beginning choreography is too good. Double wolf turn to start, really nice. BHS LOSO, really solid. Switch half, beat jump, good. Gainer front full STUCK off the end. Wow! The Stanford student section knows the vibes tonight, they are going crazy!! 9.95. (WOW, career high!!)
Harris (UCLA): Opens with a HUGE double layout, small hop forward. Torjete 1/2 to straddle full, good. Double tuck stuck, no biggie. Ends with a back 1.5 to front half to stag jump, HUGE. Really nice in this fifth spot for the Bruins! Sets up Reed really good for a big score in the anchor spot. 9.825.
Widner (Stanford): Switch leap to split jump to open, solid. BHS LOSO, perfect. Front aerial, keeps it moving to a split jump. Small bobble on the full turn, ends with a BHS Gainer full of the side with a small scoot back.
Reed (UCLA): HUGE double layout to start! LOVE this routine, so much fun, even in an away arena. Torjete 1/2 wolf full, nice, gets it around. Front layout to front rudi to end a great routine! 9.925.
Trinidad (Stanford) *exhibition
After 3: Stanford 147.450, UCLA 147.775
What a great rotation for Stanford delivered on beam and they started to settle in a few routines in, highlighted by a career high from Aleexva with a near perfect 9.95 in the fifth spot. Stanford, coming away with a 49.25 in this rotation is definitely keeping pace with UCLA who ended their floor rotation with a 49.275. UCLA isn’t as ‘lights out’ as they have been in the past, but they are still ahead of Stanford and looking to come away with a better away score for their total NQS. Reed scored a big 9.925 in the anchor spot, and with two new faces in the lineups in the middle spots, this was still a nice rotation for UCLA. One more here, and its still anyone’s meet!
Rotation 4: UCLA Beam, Stanford Floor
Lee (UCLA): Opening the last rotation for the Bruins Lee starts with a nice front aerial to split jump. Solid BHS LOSO. Switch leap to straddle jump, really solid. Looks very confident. Ends with a BHS Gainer full stuck off the side! A great lead off routine for UCLA! 9.9.
Dean (Stanford): Front rudi to start, a little under rotated but gets it around. Second pass, back 1.5 to front full, much better. Ends with a nice leap pass, really nice, expressive lead off for Stanford! 9.85.
Rosen (UCLA): Switch leap to split jump to ring jump, leaps looked a little under 180. BHS LOSO, smallest bobble ever. Ends with a round off 1.5 stuck! 9.825.
Cluck (Stanford): Double layout to start, a little short on the landing, but really nice! Second pass, back 1.5 to front pike, good control on that. Switch half to straddle full, gets it around. Ends with a double tuck, stays in bounds but stumbles out of her landing on that final pass. 9.7.
Andres (UCLA): Switch half to open, beautiful. I love seeing her on beam. Really nice front toss to swing down BHS, love that. Round off double full, small step back to end. 9.85.
Robinson (Stanford): Looking for some bigger scores in these final four spots, starts with a HUGE double pike, really nice in the air and controlled on the landing. Identical double tuck for the second pass. Nice turns in the middle and ends with a big back 1.5 to front half to straddle jump. Love this energy, so much fun. 9.775.
Campbell (UCLA): Only her third beam of the year and opens with a nice wolf turn. BHS LOSO, really good on that series. Split leap to switch half to beat jump, really good. Split jump, to straddle 1.4, great extension. Cartwheel Gainer full STUCK off the side! That’s going to be a big score for UCLA! 9.875.
Neault (Stanford): Big double pike to start! Switch leap to Torjete 1/2 ring, so good and SO difficult. Front rudi for second pass, nice controlled landing. Back 1.5 to front layout to end, buckled a little on that but keeps it up. 9.85.
Harris (UCLA): BHS LOSO BHS, so good. Switch leap to split leap, a little off but keeps the connect right to full turn. Front toss, really good. Round off 1.5 small hop in place on that dismount. 9.875.
Nguyen (Stanford): First pass HUGE double layout! Second pass to end a BIG 2.5 to front pike to end!
Malabuyo (UCLA): Beautiful wolf turn to start. BHS LOSO, a little balance check. Front aerial to beat jump. Split jump to ring jump, really nice. Ends with a BHS Gainer full a little shuffle in place to end! I love that for her! Talk about mentally tough being able to do everything she did in the past couple of weeks and come back and DELIVER.
Widner (Stanford): Back in the floor lineup! Came in late on that first pass, but a switch full for her first leap. Ends with a STUCK double pike to a controlled finish! Another beautiful leap to end a GREAT routine. 9.925.
Final: UCLA 197. 175, Stanford 196.725
This was a good finish for both teams after somewhat of a shaky start, but ended up being the scores both needed to raise their NQS’. This was one of Stanford’s best meets of the season, and the Cardinals ended with a big 9.925 from Widner in the anchor spot after being out of this lineup for some time with an ankle injury. Stanford scored over a 49 on all for events, and for the most part, really keeping pace with UCLA throughout the whole competition. This team has SO much talent, and they all look like they are having so much fun! Stanford just needs to keep on this pace for the rest of the regular season into post season and they will have a great ending to their 2024 season.
For UCLA this was also a good meet, but not as high as they have scored in the past. Nonetheless, after a shaky bars rotation as their first event, the Bruins still came away with a big 49.4, ending with an identical 49.4 on beam to cap the meet. They were some new faces in the lineups for UCLA which is always nice to see, AND shows the immense depth of this team as they try to preserve athletes moving into the back half of the season. The highest score of the night came from Nya Reed on floor with a 9.925 in the anchor spot, and the Bruins finished strong to end this meet with another score over a 197.
Just the start to a great weekend of college gymnastics to come!
Event Winners:
VT: Campbell (UCLA) 9.9
UB: Esparza, Harris (UCLA), Widner (Stanford) 9.9.
BB: Alexeeva (Stanford) 9.95
FX: Reed (UCLA) 9.925
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Live blog by Julianna Roland
