Feb. 20, 2000

Westwood, Calif. - The fifth-ranked UCLA Gymnastics team (13-5, 5-0 in the Pac-10) won its ninth consecutive UCLA Invitational, scoring a meet record 196.925. No. 22 Cal State Fullerton (7-3) placed second with a 194.025, followed by 24th-ranked Oregon State (7-4) with a 193.375 and San Jose State (2-6) with a 190.000.

Senior Lena Degteva led a UCLA sweep of the four events and all-around, repeating as beam (9.825), floor (career-high tying 9.95 - with a 10.0 from one judge) and all-around (season-high 39.55) champion. Degteva set a new UCLA Invitational record with her all-around score.

Freshman Onnie Willis recorded the first perfect 10 in her career with a perfect mark on vault. The 10 was UCLA's second in the last two weeks, joining Heidi Moneymaker, who received a perfect 10 on vault Feb. 11. Willis also tied for first on the floor with a career-high and UCLA Invitational record-tying 9.95.

UCLA's meet started off with a bang, as the Bruins scored a season-high 49.425. Degteva and Parker scored 9.9s (career-high for Parker), setting the stage for Willis' perfect 10 on her first vault. Moneymaker followed with a solid 9.875 to give the Bruins a large first-rotation lead over second-place San Jose State (48.0 on floor), Oregon State (48.6 on bars) and Cal State Fullerton (47.675).

The Bruin bar set was rock solid, with no score lower than a 9.85. Freshman Malia Jones scored a career-high tying 9.925 to win the event. UCLA scored 49.45 to increase its team score to 98.875 after two events. Meanwhile, Cal State Fullerton moved into second place (96.625) with a 48.95 on floor, paced by Natalia Acosta's career-high tying and second-place mark of 9.925. San Jose State dropped to third (95.575) after a 47.575 on vault, and Oregon State (95.5) suffered four falls on beam to finish with a 46.9 on that event.

On beam, the Bruins counted a fall but still remained solidly in first place with a 147.425. UCLA received career-high scores from Thompson (9.8 leadoff) and Amy Young (9.8), as well as Degteva's winning mark of 9.825. Oregon State rebounded after its beam set to score a 49.2 on floor and pull to within .275 of second-place Fullerton, who scored 48.35 on vault with a high of 9.8 from Kellie Francia which tied her career high. The Beavers were paced by Lara Degenhardt's 9.9 and a trio of 9.85s from Jerra Lopez, Tanya Ricioli and Annie Campbell.

More career-highs were set on floor for the Bruins, as Thompson scored a 9.85 and Willis and Degteva scored 9.95s to give the Bruins a 49.5 on that event and a 196.925 overall, their second-highest score of the season. Cal State Fullerton clinched second place with a 49.05 on bars. Both Katie Antolin and Joanna Hughes tied the school record with 9.9s, which tied for second place. Oregon State's 48.675 on vault was not enough to overtake the Titans, despite a 9.85 from Katrina Severin.

The Bruins took the Top 3 placings in the all-around, with Degteva first, Moneymaker second with a 39.425 and Willis third with a 39.2. Cal State Fullerton's Kelly Mathiasen was fourth with a career-high 39.075, which ranks as the third-highest all-around total in school history. Campbell was Oregon State's highest all-around finisher, placing sixth with a 38.55. Kimmy Cianci was high scorer for San Jose State, placing eighth with a 38.325.

TEAM: 1. UCLA, 196.925, 2. Cal State Fullerton, 194.025, 3. Oregon State, 193.375, 4. San Jose State, 190.000

ALL-AROUND: 1. Lena Degteva (UCLA) 39.55+, 2. Heidi Moneymaker (UCLA) 39.425, 3. Onnie Willis (UCLA) 39.2

VAULT: 1. Onnie Willis (UCLA) 10.0!*, 2T. Lena Degteva (UCLA) 9.9, 2T. Kristin Parker (UCLA) 9.9*

BARS: 1. Malia Jones (UCLA) 9.925*, 2T. Heidi Moneymaker (UCLA) 9.9, 2T. Katie Antolin (CSUF) 9.9!*, 2T. Joanna Hughes (CSUF) 9.9!*

BEAM: 1. Lena Degteva (UCLA) 9.825, 2T. Doni Thompson (UCLA) 9.8*, 2T. Amy Young (UCLA) 9.8*, 2T. Kelly Mathiasen (CSUF) 9.8

FLOOR: 1T. Lena Degteva (UCLA) 9.95*, 1T. Onnie Willis (UCLA) 9.95*, 3. Natalia Acosta (CSUF) 9.925*

! school record, *career-high, +season-high