UCLA, Utah and Oklahoma advance to team finals

UCLA, Utah and Oklahoma advance

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Top-seeded UCLA advanced to the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics team finals Thursday, leading the six qualifiers.

The Bruins (196.875), fifth-seeded Utah (196.625) and fourth-seeded Oklahoma (196.55) advanced from the afternoon preliminary session.

Third-seeded Alabama (196.85) won the evening session, and host Florida (196.775) and sixth-seeded Stanford (196.3) also advanced to the finals.

The second-seeded Gators sat in fourth halfway through the session, but finished strong with session-high scores on the floor exercise (49.275) and vault (49.425) to earn their fifth straight Super Six berth.

The Bruins are returning to the finals for the first time since 2007 after posting session-high scores on their last two rotations, floor (49.375) and vault (49.4).

UCLA struggled on the uneven bars and posted a 49.125, the team’s third-worst total of the season, despite leading the nation on it for most of the season. That was followed by 48.975 on balance beam, leaving the Bruins tied for third midway through the meet.

“If you would’ve told me the result about 45 minutes ago, I would’ve felt a lot better,” UCLA coach Valorie Kondos Field said. “In hindsight, I’m kind of glad we struggled a little bit on the first two things because it’s nice to be able to get that out of your system and move on.”

UCLA was led by its three all-around competitors — Vanessa Zamarripa (39.425), Anna Li (39.375) and Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs (39.35) — all of whom placed in the top seven overall.

Li was so excited after sticking a 9.9 vault on the final rotation that she ran back down the runway.

“Normally I build up NCAAs to be bigger than it really is,” Li said. “Vault has been an emphasis. … Sticking that vault tonight was just really exciting.”

LSU senior Susan Jackson, the Southeastern Conference gymnast of the year, won a school-record 11th all-around title with a 39.625, edging Arkansas’ Casey Jo Magee (39.55). Jackson started the day with a 9.85 on the floor, then had a 9.95 on vault, a 9.925 on the uneven bars and a 9.9 on the beam.

It is a bittersweet feeling for Jackson, whose college career ended a day earlier than she had hoped. The Tigers looked to be in position to advance to the finals entering the final rotation but scored 48.625 on the balance beam. It was the team’s lowest score on it since Jan. 15.

“It’s very surreal,” Jackson said. “We were going strong then beam — I don’t know what happened.”

Utah will make its 11th consecutive Super Six appearance on Friday backed by a session-high 49.25 on the beam. The Utes posted a 49.1 on floor, a 49.125 on vault and a 49.15 on bars.

Senior Daria Bijak led the way with a 39.425 all-around score, good for third overall.

Coach Megan Marsden thinks her team is peaking at the right time.

“They’re seeming to come together and rise to the occasion,” she said. “I know for coaches it’s fun to see that. It’s always good if it happens before (the season) ends.”

The Sooners will be competing in the Super Six for the first time after sweating it out until the last minute. Oklahoma trailed LSU by 0.1 points entering the final rotation before the Sooners posted a 49.25. The Sooners had been the only team to not lose a meet all season before Thursday.

Coach K.J. Kindler expects her team to be more relaxed in the finals.

“In some instances, I think we were trying a bit too hard. It was important for these guys to make this,” Kindler said. “They had a lot of faith, but it was also a big dream. The dream is a reality.”