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'Meet of the Week' women's gymnastics preview: Stanford at No. 5 UCLA

by Jocelyn Perry
Feb 10, 2017
StanfordPhoto.com / UCLA Athletics

The matchup: Stanford (5-5, 2-1 Pac-12) at No. 5 UCLA (3-1, 2-0)
When: Saturday, Feb. 11, 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT on Pac-12 Network, Bay Area, Los Angeles
On the Call: Jim Watson and Samantha Peszek

The third edition of "Meet of the Week" features Stanford traveling south to Los Angeles for a matchup with No. 5 UCLA. The Bruins hold an all-time record of 52-17-1 against the Cardinal. The two squads split last year’s contests, with Stanford winning the regular-season triangular over UCLA, before the women from Westwood took home the 2016 Pac-12 title.

On the Visitors: Stanford (5-5, 2-1 Pac-12)

After back-to-back Pac-12 wins, The Cardinal looks for its third on Saturday afternoon. Stanford posted scores of 195.900 and 195.925 in its last two meets, knocking on the door of the 196 plateau. The Cardinal will look to capitalize on vault, where its ranked 14th in the nation on the apparatus with an average of 49.020.

Cardinal to watch:
Elizabeth Price, 5'3", junior: The reigning Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year as well as Specialist of the Week co-captains the Card squad. Price has competed the last three meets on vault, bars and floor and has already put up a pair of 9.95s on vault and bars. She’s yet to score below a 9.9 on bars this season and ranks second in the country on the apparatus. Check out her double tuck first pass below:

Danielle McNair, 4'11", senior: Danielle McNair has been consistently improving all season, posting her season high and tying her career high of a 9.90. She’s competed in the all-around the last four meets and set her career high of 39.000 at Southern Utah. Watch for her floor routine on Saturday where she incorporates some Star Wars music.

Rachel Daum, 5'2", senior: Daum competed in the all-around twice this season but has stuck to bars, beam and floor the past three meets. Her most consistent event has been floor this season where she has posted a pair of back-to-back 9.85s. Take a look at her first pass here:

 

On the Home team: #5 UCLA (3-1, 2-0 Pac-12)

The fifth-ranked Bruins return to Pauley Pavilion after a three-meet road trip, where they went 2-1. UCLA ranks in the top 10 nationally in three events: vault (fifth), bars (second) and beam (sixth). Known for boasting elite talent, the Bruins have had at least one Olympian in each of the past nine Olympics dating back to 1984. The latest Olympians to don a Bruin leo are current freshmen Kyla Ross (2012 "Fierce Five" member) and Madison Kocian (2016 "Final Five" member).

Bruins to watch:

Madison Kocian, 5'2", freshman: Kocian is the reigning Pac-12 Gymnast and Freshman of the Week. She posted career highs of 39.625 in the all-around and added a 9.95 on beam. She’s the only Bruin who has competed in all rotations in every meet this season. Kocian has three all-around titles so far in her rookie season, and ranks third in the nation on beam with a 9.894 average.

Hallie Mossett, 5'2", senior: Mossett competed on beam last week for the first time in the last two years, and dazzled with a 9.875 for third in the meet. The senior shows off her choreography skills on floor, where she helped put together routines for teammates JaNay Honest, Gracie Kramer, Giulianna Pino and Mercedez Sanchez. She co-choreographed her floor routine with head coach Valorie Kondos Field and incorporated some of Beyonce’s best hits. Watch Mossett and Peng-Peng Lee in the latest installment of Bruin Banter:

Kyla Ross, 5'7", freshman: Ross scored the first perfect 10.0 on bars this year in the country and has six event titles under her belt this season already. She earned a perfect score last meet on beam from one judge with a nice side aerial to layout dismount below:

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