Gymnastics: Gymnasts tie all-time NCAA scoring record

Oregon State came into Pauley Pavilion at a bad time. 

After losing Friday to Cal State Fullerton, 194.275 to 193.6,
and posting the team’s lowest scoring total of the season in
the process, the third-ranked UCLA gymnastics team had something to
prove Sunday.

And they did so in decisive fashion, defeating the Beavers
198.875 to 197.175, tying the NCAA all-time high score in the
process.

“I knew we were going to do really well today, but I
didn’t expect it to go that well,” Kristen Maloney
said. “We were all pumped up and wanted to do a lot better
than we did in Fullerton.”

The Bruins would set the tone early on, overcoming an early fall
to hit five straight vault routines of 9.875 or better for a team
total of 49.625. For the fourth time this year, Jeanette
Antolin provided the exclamation point, closing out the rotation
with a perfect 10. 

“I’m just in awe, because it’s a total
turnaround from Friday night,” Antolin said. “Our team
knew that we didn’t do the best job on Friday, and everyone
just gave it all they had, and it showed.”

During the second rotation, UCLA would put on a clinic for the
1,013 fans who braved the rain to attend Sunday’s meet,
leaving the Beavers behind in the process. 
          Lori Winn
led off with a 9.95. Not to be outdone, Maloney hit another
seemingly flawless routine, earning a score of 9.975.

UCLA received scores of 9.925 from Kate Richardson and 9.975
from Antolin, setting the table for senior Jamie Dantzscher, who
was competing for just the second time all year. It didn’t
take long for Dantzscher to return to last year’s
All-American form, electrifying the crowd with a perfect 10 to
close out a strong rotation.

“I don’t really focus on the score,”
Dantzscher said. “I think it’s more exciting for the
crowd to get a 10. Every 10 helps the team, so that’s the way
I look at it. I’m just excited when I go out there and hit my
routine.”

“To have her back is huge, and to have her back and be
able to be mentally tough and be able to go out and hit is
great,” UCLA coach Valerie Kondos Field said.

UCLA continued its solid performance on beam, again recording
scores of 9.85 or better. Richardson and Yvonne Tousek led the
charge for UCLA, with each recording 9.95s.

Maloney was competing on floor in Pauley Pavilion for the first
time since her freshman year, garnering a warm ovation from the
crowd and a 9.95 from the judges. The score rounded out her
career-high 39.750 in the all-around competition.

“I was really nervous coming in to today,” Maloney
said. “But it turned out well. I felt really
strong.”

Tousek’s 9.975 preceded Dantzscher’s 9.50, setting
up the coup de grace. Richardson and Antolin received back-to-back
perfect 10s, firing up the home crowd and leaving a slew of broken
records in their wake.

“We had a team gathering before going out on floor and
said, “˜We’re going to get the highest floor score
we’ve ever gotten,’ and everyone went out there and did
their job,” Antolin said.

That is exactly what they did, recording a team total of 49.875,
breaking the old record of 49.850, which was also set on floor.

Though the team total of 198.875 ties the highest team score
ever recorded in collegiate gymnastics, it didn’t really
matter to the gymnasts.

“I had no idea,” Antolin said. “We are just
focused on what we’re doing. The score is not as important as
how well everyone performed and brought out everything that they
had.”

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