UCLA gymnastics comes up short in regional final

With two bids to the NCAA Championships on the line, it came down to the final two gymnasts in the final rotation of the Raleigh Regional Finals for UCLA on Saturday.

The Bruins battled with Missouri in the fourth rotation, with UCLA on balance beam and the Tigers in floor exercise. Missouri’s Amari Celestine scored a 9.925 to give her team the final points it needed to edge the Bruins and end their season.

Michigan won the meet with a team score of 197.800. Mizzou recorded a 197.425 and UCLA had a 197.400. Iowa rounded out the scores with a 197.075.

UCLA’s Chae Campbell placed third in vault with a 9.925 and tied for first in floor exercise with a 9.950. Jordan Chiles tied for first in uneven parallel bars at 9.950 and Emma Malabuyo was first in balance beam at 9.975.

The Bruins battled with No. 3 Michigan throughout the first two rotations of the four-team meet. UCLA outscored Michigan in floor exercise, an event in which the Wolverines rank No. 1 in the country, for the lead midway through the meet.

Michigan was able to close the gap and even the score at 148.275 by the end of the third rotation, thanks to a 10.0 from Gabby Wilson in vault. Jordan Chiles recorded a 9.995 in uneven bars shortly after Wilson’s perfect score to keep the meet close.

UCLA’s 49.125 team score in balance beam, the final rotation, wasn’t enough to move the Bruins to second place.

Michigan and Missouri advance to the NCAA Championships, which are slated for April 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas. The top individual finishers in each event, as well as the top all-around competitor not on a qualifying team, will also compete in the NCAA Championships.

More to come on this story …