With the crowd already on its feet in anticipation, Jordan Chiles delivered a beautiful floor routine, emphasizing exactly why she’s known as “That Girl.” As she stuck her final landing with perfection, Pauley Pavilion was sent into a frenzy, and the Bruins had a celebratory senior night.
On a golden Sunday evening in Westwood, No. 3 UCLA (13-2) took down No. 12 Stanford (10-3) in the Bruins’ final home meet of the season. The final score was 197.675 to 197.100 due to the Bruins’ dominant performance on beam and Chiles’ victory in three events. Both teams put on a sensational show in front of over 12,000 gymnastics fans – the largest attendance ever for a UCLA gymnastics meet.
Emily Lee kicked things off for the Bruins with a solid score of 9.825 on vault, giving the fans some initial excitement. Nonetheless, Stanford’s Anapaula Gutierrez quickly answered back with an impressive score of 9.925 on bars, setting the stage for a back-and-forth battle. By the end of the opening rotation, Stanford was leading 49.350 to 49.225.
The score remained close throughout the second rotation with UCLA on bars and Stanford on vault. Four Stanford gymnasts posted scores of 9.800 or above on vault, but the Bruins were able to pull slightly ahead by the end of the rotation thanks to Chiles’ near-perfect score of 9.950.
UCLA took control during the third rotation, as all six Bruins finished with scores of 9.900 or above on beam with Ciena Alipio, Emma Malabuyo and Lee each earning standout scores of 9.925. The Bruins took a comfortable 148.150 to 147.600 lead and built momentum that carried into the fourth rotation.
In the final rotation, Stanford’s Brenna Neault had an excellent performance on beam, scoring 9.950 to claim the event title for Stanford. However, the Bruins were able to seal the win with dominant floor performances from Brooklyn Moors and Macy McGowan, both scoring 9.925, and of course, Chiles’ score of 9.950 – her third of the night.
UCLA gymnastics has one more regular season meet against No. 5 Utah in Salt Lake City before traveling to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the Big Ten Championships. The Bruins will then head to NCAA Regionals, a key part to winning their eighth national title.
Jordan Chiles steps forward and waves to the crowd as her all-around victory is announced. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
Junior Jordan Chiles puts on a stellar performance as she completes her floor routine, earning an impressive 9.950. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
Senior Emily Lee delivers an exemplary beam routine, performing at the last home meet of her UCLA career. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
Macy McGowan stuns the crowd as she completes her floor exercise with stunning technique and impeccable energy. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
Jordan Chiles screams in celebration as she nails the landing on her vault routine. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
Senior Chae Campbell celebrates with her coach after she sticks the landing on her vault routine. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
Mika Webster-Longin soars as she performs her vault routine and earns a 9.675 from the judges. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
Emma Malabuyo performs an incredible jump on balance beam, securing a strong score of 9.925. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
The entirety of the UCLA women’s gymnastics team gathers to watch a congratulatory compilation for this year’s seniors. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
The seniors of the UCLA women’s gymnastics team gather at the end of their Senior Night meet versus Stanford to celebrate their accomplishments. Photographed by Cathryn Kuczynski/BruinLife.
