So far this season, the freshmen gymnasts have basked in their fair share of the spotlight.
On Friday night, the upperclassmen got in on the action.
With a final score of 196.225-193.075, the No. 3 UCLA gymnastics team defeated the No. 16 Sun Devils in Tempe, Ariz.
For the first time this season, a number of upperclassmen performed in all four events. One of the returning veterans was senior Ariana Berlin, who played the most significant role in leading the Bruins to their fourth consecutive win of the season. Her performance on vault and floor won her the all-around honor after she tied her career-high score on vault with a 9.9.
When the competition got tight during the floor event, Berlin’s long-practiced routine saved the Bruins after she earned a solid 9.8. For the last three years, she had been training to perform an Arabian double front before a mass audience; she did so Friday night for the first time in her collegiate career.
“I’m just happy to be competing again,” Berlin said. “It was great to win, but I was just happy to be back. I was excited as soon as the final score appeared. All the hard work over the three years just finally paid off. It felt great, and it was a really fun meet.”
“She finally did it,” coach Valorie Kondos Field said. “She completed it successfully and did a very good job, so that was huge.”
Also adding to the Bruins’ success was sophomore Niki Tom, who led the squad in the beam event by receiving a career-high 9.9.
“We went out there and did what we’ve been practicing,” Tom said. “We couldn’t control the scoring, all you can control is your gymnastics. I was really excited, and it was probably one of the best routines I’ve done since I’ve been here.”
Although it was an important night for the upperclassmen, the freshmen contributed as well. In the first rotation, freshman Aisha Gerber led the Bruins in the uneven bars with a score of 9.875. In the vault event, freshman Tauny Frattone hit a career-high score with a 9.825. Also on vault, freshman Vanessa Zamarripa, who is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation on the apparatus, was rewarded a 9.875 on her Yurchenko full.
“For some reason it’s always hard to compete here,” Kondos Field said. “I don’t know why. The teams in the past have let the atmosphere get to them. It’s just a downer. But they didn’t do that. They stayed together as a team and finished strong and had fun.”
“We went out there and did our best,” Tom said. “We still have a long season ahead of us.”