FIL-AMERICAN Paris Olympian Emma Malabuyo came up with a career-high score in the uneven bars as the no. 2 University of California-Los Angeles Bruins stayed unbeaten in the Big Ten Conference of the US NCAA Division I gymnastics’ meet.
The Bruins, behind strong performances in the floor exercise and the balanced beam, brought down the 15th-ranked University of Michigan Wolverines, 197.550-196.850, in an away game in front of a crowd of over 11,000 at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This allowed the Bruins to remain unbeaten after six encounters in the Big Ten.
UCLA grabbed a slight 49.325-49.300 lead after the first rotation in the uneven bars, with Chae Campbell starting off the Bruins with a season-high-tying 9.875 score, followed by Mika Webster-Longin’s 9.850.
Malabuyo’s great handstand, a Maloney to Pak move with leg separation, which she followed with a smidge-and-a-half pirouette, toe on to a full stick landing, allowed her to hit a second-straight career-high 9.925.
UCLA gained the upper-hand after scoring 49.550 in the floor exercise, with Brooklyn Moors and Jordan Chiles closing with back-to-back 9.975s, Macy McGowan hitting with a big 9.900 and Emily Lee and Malabuyo contributing 9.850s.
The Bruins closed it out in the balanced beam with a 49.425 after sticks (straight landings) in the first five dismounts, with Lee leading off with a 9.900, and Ciena Alipio and Malabuyo closing the rotation with similar 9.900s.
Michigan scored a season-best 49.400 in the floor, but was unable to catch up with the Bruins.
