Bruins Finally Break 197 in Win at Arkansas

Bruins Finally Break 197 in Win at Arkansas

Mar 2, 2014 by Anne Phillips
Bruins Finally Break 197 in Win at Arkansas


After knocking on the door to 197 twice this season, #9 ranked UCLA finally blew past the mark with a 197.50 to beat Arizona on the road. The Wildcats totaled 196.250.

UCLA scored a season-high 49.5 on floor and had event winners on all four events. Olivia Courtney led a UCLA 1-2-3 all-around sweep with a season-high 39.5.

The Bruins had a strong start on uneven bars, scoring 49.375 to take an early .250 lead. Danusia Francis led off with a strong routine punctuated by a stuck dismount and scored 9.825. Sophina DeJesus and Samantha Peszek closed it out with back-to-back 9.9's.

The Bruins continued their success on vault in the second rotation. Jennifer Pinches led off with a 9.8, followed by a career-high 9.85 by Mossett. Sawa scored 9.8, and Sadiqua Bynum recorded a 9.725. Again, the final two Bruins hit back-to-back 9.9s, with Peszek and Courtney helping to lift UCLA's vault score to 49.25. Arizona kept pace by scoring 49.275 on bars, and the Bruins entered the third rotation up 98.625-98.400.

UCLA extended its lead in a big way by scoring a season-high 49.5 on floor exercise. Beginning with Pinches' leadoff 9.8, each subsequent routine scored progressively higher, with freshman Hallie Mossett earning 9.85 and DeJesus 9.875. Sadiqua Bynum tied her career-high with a 9.9, Courtney earned a 9.925, and Sydney Sawa finished with a 9.95 to win floor for the fifth-straight meet.

With UCLA up 148.125-146.975 heading into the last rotation, the Bruins looked to finish strong on beam. Mossett led off with a 9.85 that brought her all-around total to a career-high 39.425. DeJesus had a fall on her flight series but finished the rest of her routine strong, scoring 9.35. Courtney had a questionable connection on her acro series, so she added a back handspring/layout into her routine that she hit with ease to ensure a 10.0 start value. She finished with a final score of 9.85 to give her an all-around season-best of 39.5. Peszek hit another near flawless beam routine, scoring 9.9. Francis showed no deductions in her routine, nailing her sideways side aerial to full-twisting dismount and scoring a career-high-tying 9.95. Sawa closed with a 9.825 to give the Bruins a 49.375 beam total and a season-best 197.5 team score. The Bruins' team total bested their previous season high by over half a point.

The Wildcats look to be pulling out of their mid-season slump and scored 196.250 despite counting a fall on beam. Selynna Felix-Terrazas and Allison Flores of Arizona tied for first on bars (9.90) with Peszek and DeJesus.


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