A Pauley Pavilion floor party stole the show in the mile-high city.

Led by No. 11 UCLA gymnastics’ highest score on any apparatus this season – a 49.575 on floor – the Bruins left Magness Arena in Denver with a 196.550 total score Sunday afternoon. UCLA finished in third after counting a fall on bars, ending its third straight quad meet behind No. 1 Oklahoma’s 198.325 and No. 10 Denver, with Stanford trailing the ranked programs in last place.

The Bruins had prepared for the altitude’s effect on the floor rotation, said coach Janelle McDonald, adding that she was excited about the improvements they made.

“For them to come out really confident and aggressive and really hit their floor routines like they’ve been training was really exciting to see, and definitely an improvement from the last couple meets,” McDonald said.

The rotation was highlighted by sophomore Selena Harris’ career-high-tying 9.950 in addition to three other season highs from junior Emma Malabuyo, graduate student Nya Reed and senior Chae Campbell, who all scored 9.900 or higher on the event. 

Junior Brooklyn Moors, who was ranked No. 10 in the country on floor entering the week, also matched the threshold.

“Floor is definitely an event where we can just let loose and just do our thing,” said Campbell. “We do so well on that event, and we just need to learn how to carry over to all the other ones.”

UCLA began the day on beam and earned a single 9.900-plus score from junior Emma Malabuyo. The Philippines Olympic hopeful – and former Team USA Olympic alternate – broke her season high with a 9.925 on the event. 

Sophomore Ciena Alipio set her season high with a 9.825 after rejoining the beam lineup following a fall at the Super 16. After landing a 9.900 on her competitive beam debut last weekend, graduate student Emma Andres stumbled with a 9.650 that the Bruins dropped. 

“I think our confidence is slowly getting there,” said Malabuyo. “But we were hitting our beam routines today – a few little wobbles – but I think we’re on the right track.”

Entering the week ranked third on vault, the Bruins underperformed compared to previous showings on the event.

UCLA achieved significant height during its vault rotation, one of the Bruins’ historically weaker events; however, the squad hopped or took a step forward on all of its landings. The rotation marked its lowest vault score of 2024. 

“I think we just need to be a little bit more present on our landings,” McDonald said. “It’s easy to focus on the details of the vault and, when it happens really quick, you sometimes are focused on creating a really great, high, well-executed vault, and then you’ve got to really stay present for the landing as well.”

Although the Bruins sat alone in second place going into the final rotation with a 147.950, UCLA was forced to count a fall on bars and dropped in the standings to finish third below the 197 marker. 

Senior Frida Esparza returned to the bars lineup and fell for the second time this season, while graduate student Margzetta Frazier – who only competed on bars Sunday as the anchor – fell for the first time in her collegiate career after 133 hit routines. 

Both falls occurred on the transition to the low bar.

“We all know that Marz is a great competitor, and her falling – she’s human,” Campbell said. “The fact that this is her first fall and this is in her sixth season – that is amazing and shouldn’t take away from all that she’s done and how consistent she’s been for the UCLA team.”

UCLA returns to Pauley Pavilion next week for a two-meet homestand to kick off Pac-12 play against Washington and Arizona.

Campbell said she’s grateful to have time at home after their three weeks of road meets so the team can regroup without the drain of travel.

“We’re doing great things individually on the events,” Campbell said. “But how do we bring it all together on all four events?”