Gymnastics advances to finals

LINCOLN, Neb. “”mdash; UCLA was not at its best during the
Thursday afternoon preliminary session of the NCAA championships.
The team counted a rare fall on beam, its final rotation of the
afternoon.

Still, despite the fall counting toward their team total, the
Bruins won the preliminary heat with a 196.950.

“I think in hindsight it’s probably a good thing
that we had a fall on beam in the last rotation,” coach
Valorie Kondos Field said. “As a coach, you want to get the
team hungry going into (Friday) night.”

Friday night will not include Pac-10 qualifier Arizona State,
who was eliminated during the afternoon session along with Iowa and
Louisiana State. Advancing to Friday’s finals with UCLA were
Alabama and Michigan. The remaining three teams have yet to be
decided.

Jamie Dantzscher led in the all-around after the afternoon
session of competition with a 39.650. Fellow Bruin Kate Richardson
was in second place with a 39.525. The all-around champion will not
be decided until the evening session is concluded.

“Before I can compete, I think about my little sisters
because they don’t get as nervous as I do when they compete
in gymnastics,” Dantzscher said. “They calm
me.”

Perhaps the highlight of UCLA’s first round of competition
was seeing senior Doni Thompson hit her bars routine. Thompson was
competing for only the second time all season after battling
multiple injuries all year. The first time Thompson competed was at
the Pac-10 Championships, where she fell during her routine.

“Her body is so broken down,” Kondos Field said.
“For her to be on that event and compete was great.
She’s had a rough go this season, so it was thrilling to
watch her. She’s one of the most beautiful bars workers
I’ve ever seen.”

Friday’s competition will mark the most important meet of
the season thus far, and the Bruins believe they will be ready.

“I think (Friday) is a little more pressure. I don’t
think we had any doubt that we would be here,” Dantzscher
said. “I think it is a good thing we didn’t peak today
so that we can peak tomorrow.”

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