Inconsistency on vault has been a recurring theme for the Bruins this season, and leaving freshmen to fill half of the lineup leaves UCLA battling against inexperience. 

That struggle made a reappearance in a pivotal moment against Utah, as the team recorded its lowest score on vault since Feb. 14.

To close out its regular season, No. 4 UCLA (13-3, 9-0 Big Ten) fell to No. 5 Utah (12-4, 6-0 Big 12) in a 198.100-197.425 loss Saturday at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The loss marked the Bruins’ sixth consecutive dual meet loss against the Red Rocks since 2020.

“It really was a good lesson for us. … We got to really lock in and make sure that we’re showing up mentally and physically at the top of our game heading into Big Tens and then regionals and nationals,” said coach Janelle McDonald. “We definitely want to be more competitive in this kind of environment.”

Both freshmen Mika Webster-Longin and Riley Jenkins showed early signs of promise on vault this season, boasting career-high 9.925 and 9.850 marks, respectively. However, they have yet to replicate those peaks since then and the pair each notched a 9.750 against the Utes.

Inconsistency didn’t only affect the freshman. Junior Jordan Chiles debuted her double-twisting Yurchenko for the first time this season but matched her season-low 9.775 mark on vault after seven consecutive meets scoring a 9.825 or higher. 

But veteran experience seemed to help graduate student duo Chae Campbell and Brooklyn Moors stay consistent. Campbell gave UCLA its highest score on the event with a 9.900, while Moors stuck her vault cold to land a 9.875 – her highest mark on the event since her 9.900 on Feb. 7.

“I’ve been working so much on sticking. … I’ve been getting my technique better for my vault, and I have been dealing with trying to foster that power a little bit and not step back,” Moors said. “I wouldn’t say it was my best vault technically, but I was happy to get that stick.”

As the Bruins faced the consequences of inconsistency, the Red Rocks began to run away with a .350 point lead after the second rotation, as Utah’s Avery Neff and Makenna Smith delivered 9.950 and 9.925 marks on bars, respectively, and Grace McCallum – the nation’s No. 1 bar worker – capped off Utah’s bar rotation with a 9.925.

The Red Rocks’ dominance continued through the third rotation. McCallum earned her first career perfect score on beam, and Neff added in a 9.925 to mark her third career-high of the night.  

“We just need to make sure that we’re being aggressive in every moment and being really present on the end of their vaults, really dial in those landings,” McDonald said. 

Campbell and Moors were the only Bruins to score 9.900 or higher on floor – statistically UCLA’s strongest event. Chiles and freshman Macy McGowan have been reliable pieces of the Bruins’ floor rotation, but like vault, the pair posted uncharacteristically low 9.825 and 9.650 scores, respectively.

Despite the team’s inconsistency throughout the night, senior Emily Lee set the Bruins on the right track with a lead of 9.900 on beam. Lee has contributed at least a 9.900 in the first beam spot for seven of UCLA’s 11 meets this season.

After Campbell earned a season-high 9.950 on beam, junior Ciena Alipio and senior Emma Malabuyo secured two more 9.900 marks for UCLA’s 49.450 total on the event. 

Meanwhile, Smith almost earned the Red Rocks’ second perfect 10.000 of the night. Her career-high 9.975 pushed Utah over the 198 mark for the second time this season.

Donning the squad’s new “Chae” leotard, Campbell opened the Bruins’ meet leading off on bars. The eight-time All-American and Webster-Longin both recorded a 9.775 – UCLA’s lowest scores of the rotation and Campbell’s second consecutive week scoring less than a 9.800 on the event.

“I’ve been a Bruin fan since my early ages of eight years old, and being here, I really love being a Bruin. It’s everything that I dreamed of,” Campbell said. “It’s really cool to be able to say that I left a legacy … having a leo, only I think one or two other people can say that, so to be cemented in that way in this program, is really, really special to me.”

Four 9.800 vault marks and Neff’s career-high 9.950 gave the Red Rocks an early advantage. But UCLA responded on bars, with McGowan setting a career-high with a 9.900. Chiles and graduate student Frida Esparza rounded out the first event with a 9.925 and 9.950, respectively, tying the meet at 49.425. 

However, the Bruins were unable to hang on and will head into the postseason with their first loss in nine weeks since their season opener at the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic.