LAS VEGAS – The Bruins led at the halfway point.

Competing in Olympic order, only beam remained before finishing with a floor party.

But at the Mean Girls Super 16 meet, a not-so-fetch beam rotation sunk the Bruins’ penultimate event, leaving them in last place, a full point behind the Crimson Tide.

“We kind of showed some first-meet jitters there,” said coach Janelle McDonald. “We’ll get back into the gym, and we’ll dial things in. I expect them to come out with confidence next week.” 

No. 5 UCLA gymnastics finished fourth in Las Vegas, half a tenth behind third-place No. 17 Auburn and .575 behind first-place No. 8 Alabama. Although the Bruins had strong showings on three events, their 48.450 on beam – the lowest since McDonald took over the program – proved too damaging to overcome.

Junior Emily Lee began the rotation with a 9.900, but that was the only time UCLA touched 9.900 in its beam set. 

“Being the leadoff, I don’t have that pressure of performing if something goes bad,” Lee said. “I more have the pressure of setting the tone.”

Sophomore Ciena Alipio fell on her acro series, and senior Chae Campbell then fell twice, forcing the Bruins to count Alipio’s 9.125.

Sophomore Selena Harris and junior Emma Malabuyo ended the rotation with clean routines but short landings on their dismounts, resulting in a pair of 9.800s, while freshman Katelyn Rosen debuted on the event with a 9.825 following Alipio’s fall.

“We need to be patient with ourselves, but while being aggressive, and really trust in our training and approach like we do in practices,” Malabuyo said.

The 2024 campaign started on a higher note, as the Bruins began on vault, their weakest event last season. Lee led off the rotation with a 9.825, which was then matched by freshman Paige Anastasi in her first appearance as a Bruin.

The rotation was highlighted by the sixth perfect 9.950 Yurchenko full of Campbell’s career. Harris followed up with a 9.875, and a 9.850 from graduate student Nya Reed – a Florida transfer – marked her first appearance as a Bruin.

After one event, UCLA’s 49.325 was second only to No. 7 California’s 49.550. The Bruins’ vault score marked an improvement over their 49.313 average from last season.

Harris picked up where she left off on bars, posting a 9.950 to fill the absence of 2023 teammate Jordan Chiles’ consistent 9.900-plus scores as Chiles herself watched from the commentary box.

But Harris was the only Bruin to record a score above 9.900, as the Bruins posted a second rotation score of 49.275 on bars, a marked decline from their 49.396 average in the 2023 season. 

The tally included a 9.850 from Malabuyo, returning to bars for the first time since 2022 following a shoulder injury.

“It meant so much to me,” Malabuyo said. “I was a little bit nervous, but I stayed really calm and just hitting that routine.”

Senior Frida Esparza also made her return to the lineup after a season absence due to a shoulder injury, but she fell on her dismount, resulting in just a 9.375.

UCLA picked up ground on the other teams, temporarily standing in first place with a .075 lead over Alabama before its subpar beam rotation.

Spirits were still high – despite being in last place – as it took the floor, looking to prove that it could uphold its reigning No. 1 ranking on the event.

It appeared that the rocky beam rotation had little effect on UCLA as it posted four scores above 9.900 en route to a 49.500  – the second-highest floor score in the country in the opening week of NCAA gymnastics.

Lee said the Bruins’ training on floor during the week leading up to the Super 16 allowed them to be in the mental position to find success in the event.

“After we got back from winter break, it was grind time, and we didn’t let down once,” Lee said. “I just had to keep reminding myself that I’m fully prepared and that I just need to trust my training.”

Floor highlights included a career-high 9.950 from junior Brooklyn Moors and a 9.925, 9.925 and 9.900 from Harris, Campbell and Reed, respectively, to round out the back half of the rotation.

McDonald said she is most proud of the perseverance the Bruins showed on floor to close out the meet.

“That resilience is going to take us really far this season,” McDonald said. “Chalk it up to personal jitters a little bit, but I’m excited with where we’re at and where we’re headed.”