ONLINE EXTRA: Gymnastics results

By Eli Karon
Daily Bruin Contributor

The UCLA women’s gymnastics team found themselves in an
unfamiliar spot on Friday. For the first time in almost a year, the
Bruins ended a meet without winning. Not that it was their
fault.

UCLA finished third at the prestigious Super Six Challenge in
Gainesville, Florida on Friday night. The Bruins’ final team
score of 195.65 was not enough to defeat Georgia (196.525) or
Alabama (195.725).

In an ugly twist of fate, injuries to freshman Christie Tedmon
and junior Malia Jones forced the Bruins to compete two alternates
during the meet.

“If Tedmon hadn’t gotten injured I would have said
it was a great weekend,” head coach Valorie Kondos Field
said. “I think the best thing that happened is that the girls
got first hand experience at what it means to be a team player. You
must be ready physically, emotionally, and mentally.”

While alternates Valerie Velasco and Michelle Conway filled in
nicely, the Bruins were not the same team that walked into the gym.
Velasco found herself filling in on every event upon learning of
Jones’ injury.

“I feel a lot of pressure because I’m the first
alternate,” Velasco said. “I was a little overwhelmed,
but I did a lot of mental routines to get prepared.”

Tedmon was injured during her beam dismount, breaking four of
the five metatarsals in her foot, while Jones was injured during
warm-ups.

After competing in Florida the Bruins and the Gym Dawgs both
traveled to Georgia to face off in a meet with NCAA championship
implications. Despite a perfect ten on the vault by sophomore Jamie
Dantzscher and an all-around score of 39.65 by junior Onnie Willis,
the Bruins were defeated 197.9-196.875.

“Both days I could have done better on floor,”
Dantzscher said. “I was really nervous on beam, but I stayed
on so that made me happy.”

The meet was an interesting starting point for the Bruins.
Though the team’s goal of an undefeated season is no longer
attainable, they remain in good spirits and have plenty of
motivation for the remainder of the season.

“I wouldn’t say it went as planned,” Willis
said. “We stayed focused as a team and competed well as a
team, and it was a great experience.”

Also challenging the Bruins in their weekend excursion was
arduous travel. UCLA went from Los Angeles to Florida and from
Florida to Georgia in about 24 hours, competing against the top
teams in the country in between traveling.

“It was really tough,” Willis said. “It was a
long day of travel and I hope we never have to do it
again.”

At the hotel in Florida, fans from Louisiana State approached
Valorie Kondos Field and commented on her team’s poise and
calm during the meet. The fans were not the only people
impressed.

“I’m really impressed with the calm confidence our
team competed with,” Kondos Field said. “They
didn’t have first meet jitters at all.”