UCLA gymnastics advances to regional final despite errors in multiple events

It wasn’t their highest score of the season, but it was enough for the Bruins to survive and advance.

No. 13 UCLA gymnastics (6-2, 4-2 Pac-12) moved on to the Morgantown Regional Final with a second-place finish in the semifinal Friday evening. Behind No. 4 Michigan (17-2, 7-1 Big Ten), the team will advance to face No. 5 California (7-1, 6-1 Pac-12) and No. 27 Ohio State (8-4, 5-2 Big Ten) on Saturday, needing a top-two finish to secure its place in the NCAA championship.

“We’ve been prepared for months, I have no doubt physically that we’ll be ready tomorrow. Mentally, we’ll have to unplug and relax tonight, so … we’re ready to go,” said junior Norah Flatley.

In addition to Michigan, UCLA faced No. 35 West Virginia and No. 29 Kent State in its regional semifinal, though the top-two format of the postseason meant the teams’ finishes ended their seasons.

The Bruins had to overcome falls in the second routine of each of their first two events, bars and beam, the team’s two worst events in which it ranks 10th and 19th, respectively.

“It was a tough day, but I’m super psyched for how the team did,” said coach Chris Waller. “It felt so good to be out on the floor and just be battling in those moments when you know that every single routine counted.”

Freshman Frida Esparza overshot a handstand on bars and fell on the first rotation, putting the pressure on the next four gymnasts to hit their routines to avoid having to count a fall on the scorecard early and fall behind. Rising to the challenge, UCLA finished with a 49.325, anchored by junior Margzetta Frazier’s second-straight 9.950 on the event, enough to tie for the event win.

The Bruins faced a similar situation on the balance beam a few minutes later when junior Samantha Sakti fell, the fourth time this season she has come off the apparatus. But unlike two weeks ago at the Pac-12 Championships when another fall later in the rotation pushed UCLA into third place, Sakti’s teammates picked her up by hitting the rest of their routines Friday to collect a 49.175 to stay in first place halfway through the meet.

“We (said), ‘OK, we’ll do this the hard way, whatever, let’s just go,’” Waller said. “No one caved, it just raised the stakes and everyone dialed it in more.”

Crucial to the recovery on both events was Flatley, who scored a 9.875 on bars in just her second routine of the year, and made her season debut on beam with another 9.875. Flatley adds depth to a beam rotation that has often struggled this season, with her score the highest any team scored in the regional semifinal.

“I felt fully prepared. I’ve trained my whole life on beam, it’s second nature to me, so there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to do what I needed to do for the team,” Flatley said.

While the Bruins did not have to worry about a fall on floor, their final score of 49.150 was not as high as weeks previous, in which they had recorded a high of 49.525. Frazier and senior Nia Dennis stepped out of bounds, and the team’s best score was a 9.900 from sophomore Emma Andres, a career high.

UCLA finished with vault, its strongest event of the evening, earning a 49.400. Three gymnasts scored a 9.900 or higher, including back-to-back 9.925s from Dennis and freshman Chae Campbell. The Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, Campbell finished the all-around with a 39.425, followed by Frazier’s 39.250.

Saturday’s regional final will kick off at 4 p.m.