University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA Gymnastics Wins NCAA Columbus Regional
April 05, 2015 | Gymnastics
Samantha Peszek won the all-around with a season-high score of 39.675 and also placed first on beam (9.95) and floor (9.925). Christine Peng-Peng Lee won every event in which she competed, tying for first on vault with a career-high 9.925, winning bars with a 9.925 and tying for first on beam with Peszek and Danusia Francis with a 9.95.
After sitting through a bye in rotation one, UCLA scored 49.275 on uneven bars, the highest first-event score of the night. The Bruins received a pair of 9.8s from Francis and Sonya Meraz to start, a 9.85 with stuck dismount by Sophina DeJesus, and another 9.8 by Hallie Mossett. Peszek and Lee closed it out with big scores of 9.9 and 9.925, respectively, to help the Bruins earn the top mark on bars at the meet.
UCLA crushed it on balance beam, earning a season-high score of 49.55. The Bruins' final four competitors all went 9.9 or higher, with the terrific trio of Francis, Lee and Peszek each scoring 9.95. The Bruins also received scores of 9.8 from leadoff Meraz and from Mikaela Gerber, who was competing on beam for the first time since Feb. 21.
Following another bye, UCLA took to the floor exercise and earned three scores of 9.9 or higher. Jennifer Pinches brought back her full-in to the leadoff position and scored 9.825, and Gerber scored 9.8. Angi Cipra and Francis earned back-to-back 9.9s, with Cipra tying her season-best. Peszek recorded her third 9.9+ score of the night, earning a meet-high 9.925, and Sadiqua Bynum scored 9.825 to lead UCLA to a team total of 49.375.
The Bruins went to vault in the final rotation needing just 48.825 to overtake Michigan, which finished in rotation five with a 197.000. JaNay Honest led off with a 9.8, followed by 9.825 by LaNiesha-Jopre' Irvin. Lee stuck her vault effortlessly, landing lightly and scoring a career-high 9.925. After a 9.775 by Bynum, Peszek scored 9.9, and Jordan Williams closed it out with a 9.85 to give the Bruins more than enough to take first place. UCLA scored 49.3 on vault to outscore second-place Michigan by half a point.
UCLA will next compete at the NCAA semifinals on April 17 at Fort Worth, Texas.
