W.gym stays in mix,qualifies for super six

Friday, April 26, 1996

Preliminary round score of 195.300 good for second place in
sessionBy Esther Hui

Daily Bruin Staff

The UCLA women’s gymnastics team qualified for the NCAA Super
Six team finals for the fourth year in a row Thursday afternoon in
Tuscaloosa, Ala. The sixth-seeded Bruins scored a 195.300, good for
second place behind No. 2 seed Georgia, which scored a 196.400 to
win the session. Michigan scored a 193.975 to grab the third
qualification spot.

The team finals will be held tonight, with the remaining three
spots in the team finals taken up by the top three finishers in the
evening round. The evening round included top seed Alabama, and
defending national champion Utah. Results were not available at
press time.

The all-around championship was also determined last night based
on both rounds of competition. Leah Homma and Kiralee Hayashi
competed all-around for the Bruins, along with Stella Umeh ­
who was tentative to compete after suffering from an inner ear
infection which kept her out of the West Regionals. Homma fell on
beam, Hayashi on bars and Umeh on floor, which kept them from
challenging for a top all-around spot. The afternoon all-around was
won by Wendy Marshall from Michigan with a 39.350.

The Bruins started on the beam, what has been a shaky event for
them all season, especially as a first event. UCLA competed solidly
for a 48.925, their third best beam score of the season and their
highest event score of the night. Corinne Chee, Luisa Portocarrero
and Umeh all scored a 9.85 to tie for third place in the session.
Homma fell for a 9.30.

Homma scored the highest floor score for the Bruins (9.825) for
fourth place. Umeh fell for a 9.275 and a team total of 48.675.
Homma also vaulted the highest for the Bruins with a 9.825, and Dee
Fischer scored a 9.80.

UCLA finished the afternoon on bars with a 48.875. Umeh placed
second overall with a 9.90, and Homma placed third overall with a
9.875.

The individual event finals will include the top eight finishers
on each event, including ties, from the combined finishes of
yesterdays two preliminary rounds. The event finals will be held
tomorrow evening.

JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin

Kiralee Hayashi performs on the floor.