The defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners continued their dominance to open the 2017 season by beating their second straight top-10 opponent on Sunday at Lloyd Noble Center, in Norman, OK. The Sooners, then ranked No. 2, rolled up a final score of 198.025 -- the highest in the NCAA this season -- to beat No. 8 UCLA, which totaled 196.825.

Coming off an impressive showing on vault in its season-opening win against then-No. 3 Alabama, Oklahoma got off to another strong start in front of a fired-up home crowd of 4,017 fans against UCLA. Sooners senior Chayse Capps stuck her Yurchenko full to earn a 9.925, and AJ Jackson and Maggie Nichols both had stunning Yurchenko 1.5s to tally a 9.9 and 9.925, respectively. Both Capps and Nichols shared the vault title of the meet. All of the Sooners' vaults were electrifying and earned them a 49.425.

In their second rotation, four of the six routines Oklahoma competed had a score of a 9.9 or better. Capps and Stefani Catour were the first two gymnasts up in the bar lineup and both scored a 9.9. Nicole Lehrmann built on the momentum and posted a 9.925. Mckenzie Wofford, who is known for her elegant bar work, had an uncharacteristic mistake, but Nichols, a freshman, had her back and finished the bar lineup with a beautiful routine to score a 9.925. Nichols and Lehrmann tied for the bar title and led the Sooners to a team bar score of 49.475.



On beam, Oklahoma was tested again when Lehrmann had a fall in the Sooners' second routine. However, OU prevailed following a pair of 9.875s from Charity Jones and Catour. Natalie Brown redeemed herself after falling off of the beam against Alabama and had an exquisite routine, showing her elegance and grace with a 9.925. Both Nichols and Capps had pristine and beautiful routines, both earning 10.0s from one of the two judges but a 9.95 and a 9.975, respectively, from the other. Oklahoma finished the event on a roll and earned an incredible beam score of 49.6.

To close out the meet, the Sooners showed of their creative choreography as well as their powerful tumbling. They fed off of the crowd's intense energy and had electrifying performances. Four of OU's six performers scored a 9.9 or better, including Brenna Dowell, Capps, and Jackson. Nichols anchored again with a gorgeous routine to score a 9.95. The Sooners closed out the meet with a 49.525 on floor.

The two all-arounders for Oklahoma -- Capps and Nichols -- both increased their all-around scores. Capps finished with a 39.7, while Nichols totaled a 39.75 to capture her second all-around title two meets into the 2017 season.

Next week, the Sooners travel to West Virginia for their first away meet of the 2017 season. They will compete Saturday, January 21, at 6 PM CT.