March 24, 2001
Seattle, WA - The top-ranked UCLA gymnastics team placed second by the narrowest of margins at the Pac-10 Conference Championships, scoring 197.8 to Stanford's 197.85.
The Bruins started off strong on the uneven bars. Washington natives Onnie Willis and Doni Thompson each scored a 9.925, and Kristin Parker contributed a 9.9. UCLA's anchors, Jamie Dantzscher and Mohini Bhardwaj both scored 9.95 to give the Bruins a 49.65 one-event score.
UCLA survived the balance beam, scoring 49.125, for a two-event total of 98.775, one-tenth behind first-place Stanford. Willis and Bhardwaj posted high scores of 9.9 and 9.925, respectively.
On the floor exercise, Parker's leadoff score of 9.9 started a wave of solid scores. Malia Jones followed with a 9.85. Kristen Maloney hit a nearly-perfect routine worth a 9.95. Willis contributed a 9.925, then Dantzscher recorded her fifth 10 on floor this year and her seventh perfect mark overall. Her 10 was only the third on floor in Pac-10 Championship history. Bhardwaj's 9.95 closed the set for the Bruins, who totaled 49.725, enough to take a .025 lead over Stanford, 148.5-148.475.
After Stanford scored 49.375 on vault in their final rotation, UCLA needed 49.375 to win the title outright. Jeanette Antolin led off with a career-high tying 9.9, and Dantzscher continued her outstanding night, sticking her layout Phelps for a career-high tying 9.925. Bhardwaj scored a career-high tying 9.975 on her double-twisting Yurchenko, but it wasn't enough to overtake the Cardinal.
Bhardwaj won the all-around (Pac-10 Championship record 39.8) and vault for the second conscutive year. Dantzscher won her first Pac-10 title on the floor.
"I think the most important concept to internalize when you're on top is to always continue to play to win and not play not to lose," said head coach Valorie Kondos Field. The last few meets we've been vacillating between that concept. As I told our team, we weaved in and out of that tonight. Stanford showed up to win."
Conference honors were handed out following the meet. Bhardwaj was selected the Pac-10 Gymnast of the Year. Stanford head coach Mark Cook was named Coach of the Year, and Stanford's Lindsay Wing earned Freshman of the Year honors.
Despite the loss, UCLA remains No. 1 in the nation with an RQS of 197.64. The Bruins will host the NCAA West Regional on Saturday, Apr. 7 at Pauley Pavilion at 6:00 pm. Participating teams will be determined Monday.