UCLA gymnastics team places third in elite quad meet

Ranked best in the country after its first quad meet, the UCLA gymnastics team went straight into the fire one week later with another quad meet against three fellow elite programs.

The Bruins finished third in the Sprouts Farmers Market Quad Meet on Saturday in West Valley City, Utah. Oklahoma and LSU tied for top honors at 197.500 apiece, with the Sooner winning the tiebreaker after counting all six scores in the four events. The top five scores are typically counted toward a total score.

UCLA, coming off a victory over Washington, Cal and Oregon State in the Best of the West Quad Meet last Saturday in Seattle, was next with 197.000. Utah was a distant fourth at 195.900.

LSU’s Kailin Chio won the all-around with a 39.600, tying for first on beam with a 9.95 and earning third place on floor with a 9.90, to edge out UCLA star Jordan Chiles’ 39.575. Utah’s Avery Neff scored the first perfect 10.0 of the young season with a Yurchekno 1.5 on vault.

UCLA got off to a great start on bars, with Chiles and Tiana Sumanasekera each scoring 9.90 and Katelyn Rosen, Nola Matthews and Ashlee Sullivan each receiving a 9.875. The Bruins’ 49.425 not only put them in the lead after the first rotation, but it portends for a promising season.

The Bruins weathered a fall by Matthews on the beam to score a 49.125. Ciena Alipio led the Bruins with a 9.925, with Chiles receiving a 9.85, but Oklahoma’s 49.475 on bars dropped the Bruins into third place..

Chiles scored a 9.925 to tie for first on floor, followed by Sumanasekera at 9.85.

The Bruins finished the meet with a 49.275 on vault, led by Chiles’ 9.90 and Sumanasekera’s 9.875.

UCLA next competes against Nebraska in its home opener at 3 p.m. Jan. 17 at Pauley Pavilion.