The top-seeded UCLA gymnastics team advanced to the NCAA finals after posting the highest score in their preliminary session on Thursday afternoon.

Despite a rocky start on the bars, where the Bruins were fifth out of six teams with a 49.125, UCLA was able to dominate the final two rotations, floor and vault, to finish with a first place score of 196.875 and advance to tonight’s Super Six Finals.

The Bruins will face Utah and Oklahoma, the second and third place finishers in the afternoon prelim, and Alabama, Florida and Stanford, the top three finishers in the evening session.

UCLA coach Valorie Kondos Field said she was pleased to see her team finish so strong despite a wobbly performance on the balance beam.

“We didn’t have a very good meet,” Kondos Field said. “We had two events that were not so great, and we had two events that were great. But to be able to come in first (place) despite a first rotation where we were feeling we did not do our best is good for us.”

UCLA scored a 48.975 on the beam but went on to dominate the floor exercise with a meet-high of 49.375. The Bruins were anything but a lock for first place heading into the final rotation, where they needed a 49.175 on the vault to get past the meet-leading Utes.

UCLA would do that and more to score a 49.400 on the vault.

Kondos Field said the team is feeling relaxed before tonight’s championship and is glad to have competed in the first semifinal Thursday.

“Right now we’re at dinner and the girls are wiped out,” Kondos Field said. “It’s nice being able to get some quality rest tonight and not have to be anywhere tomorrow until 3 (p.m.).”

Several Bruins qualified for the individual finals, to be held Saturday, as well. Senior Anna Li qualified for event finals on vault and uneven bars. Sophomore Vanessa Zamarripa qualified on vault and floor exercise. Sophomore Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs qualified on vault, while redshirt junior Brittani McCullough qualified on floor exercise.

And as for living up to their No. 1 seeding in Thursday’s semifinal?

“It shows that we’re legit,” Kondos Field said. “We’re peaking at the right time.”

The No. 1 UCLA gymnastics team has advanced to the NCAA finals after posting the highest score in their preliminary session on Thursday afternoon. Needing to finish in the top three of the six-team group competing in the first of two sessions, UCLA bested all five of their opponents with a score of 196.875.

The Bruins posted a 49.400 on vault, a 49.125 on uneven bars, a 48.975 on balance beam, and a 49.375 on floor exercise. Sophomore Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, senior Anna Li and sophomore Vanessa Zamarripa all participated in the all-around finals, with Zamarripa recording a 39.425 and taking third overall. 

Utah and Oklahoma took second and third in the team event, respectively, and will also advance to Friday’s final. The three top teams from today’s evening session will comprise the final spots in that event.

Meanwhile, a number of Bruins qualified for Saturday’s individual event finals, including junior Brittani McCullough, who posted the best score of the session on floor exercise.