Samantha Peszek Wins All-Around but Bruins Drop Dual Meet at Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah - Redshirt senior Samantha Peszek won the all-around with a season-high 39.625 and captured first place on balance beam with her second-consecutive 9.95, but it wasn't enough as No. 8 UCLA dropped a dual meet duel to No. 4 Utah, 196.725-194.725.
The Bruins struggled from the start, totaling just 48.1 on uneven bars in the first rotation after two of the first three competitors posted sub-9.0 scores. Danusia Francis got the meet off to a good start with a season-best 9.825, but Janay Honest scored just 8.75, and Hallie Mossett totaled just 8.45. Christine Peng-Peng Lee and Peszek rallied the troops with scores of 9.9 to end the rotation, but the Bruins found themselves in a big hole, 49.450-48.100.
The Bruins rebounded on vault, scoring 49.275 on vault, led by a pair of 9.9s from Peszek and freshman LaNiesha-Jopré Irvin, who has stuck both of her vaults so far this season. Sadiqua Bynum, who sat out Monday's meet with an illness, scored 9.85, and Angi Cipra earned 9.825.
UCLA gained a little bit of ground after rotation three, scoring a season-high 49.25 on floor, as Utah scored 49.125 on beam. Every Bruin scored 9.8 or better, with Jennifer Pinches leading off with a 9.8, Mikaela Gerber tying her career-best with a 9.825, Francis scoring 9.85, Bynum and Cipra earning a season-best 9.85, and Peszek recording a 9.875.
The Bruins had just one fall on balance beam, but low start values dropped the team's score to 48.1. Gerber had a solid leadoff routine but scored just 9.675. Ellette Craddock suffered from multiple balance checks and connection issues and managed to improv her way to a 9.125. Sophina DeJesus had her start value dropped to 9.8 and scored 9.425. Francis landed low on her dismount but still stuck it, and she was scored 9.8. Peszek, however, had the performance of the meet, earning 9.95 with a picture-perfect beam routine to clinch the all-around win. Peszek's performance wasn't enough, however, as the Bruins dropped their first meet of the season.
"Simply put, this was not our finest hour," said UCLA head coach Valorie Kondos Field. "We had a lot of great things happen; we came back on vault and did really well, and we scored our season high on floor. The big picture is you are teammates. You can't have 85% of your people doing well and 15% not. You've got to show up and be a warrior; you've got to be able to go to battle when it matters."
UCLA returns to Pauley Pavilion for two-straight meets beginning on Sunday, Feb. 1 on Super Bowl Sunday at 10am against California.