Yes, we knew they were talented and loaded on every event. And yes, they did boast 5 Olympians, including two from Canada. But the UCLA Bruins lacked one essential ingredient required to win it all this past Saturday night --- ANDREE PICKENS!

Vault

Bama is starting to kick it into high gear on the vault, going 49.450 two weeks in a row as a team (now ranked 5th nationally on this event). Now throwing 5 10.0 vaults, the Tide started off in a big way with sophomore Erin Holdefer's awesome front pike, which was landed perfectly (9.85). Sophomore Jeana Rice threw a gorgeous Yurchenko 1/1 for a 9.90 (one small hop back) and senior Raegan Tomasek thrilled the crowd with her first 10 vault of the season, a pike with a 1/2 twist (9.775) that was landed with one deep knee bend that she countered with a step forward to stop her momentum. Sophomore Stephanie Kite responded with a booming pike 1/2 twist of her own (9.825), as did freshman Alexis Brion (9.875). Brion's height and distance on this vault is something to behold. Andree Pickens once again grabbed the golden ring with a Yurchenko 1/1 (10.00) that sent the crowd into an early frenzy (and onto their feet!). Junior Kristin Sterner exhibited an excellent pike 1/2 twist vault (9.825) and looked to be fully recovered from her ankle injury suffered over a month ago.

Meanwhile, UCLA was showcasing some of their fine skills on the uneven bars. Exceptional routines were thrown by sophomore Jamie Dantzscher (9.925) and junior Doni Thompson (9.95). Normally reliable junior Onnie Willis fell on her soaring Tkatchev release (9.325) and sophomore Yvonne Tousek (9.80) was deducted for missed handstands and a step on her double layout dismount. The Bruins scored a team total of 49.300 on the bars.

Uneven Bars

Moving to one of their strongest events (ranked 2nd nationally), Alabama decided to change their line-up this week to try and build the scores early on. Jeana Rice completed a stupendous routine (half turn to two reverse giants, half turn to Tkatchev release, a full in dismount way above the high bar and a stuck landing) for a 9.90. Freshman Shannon Hrozek rotated faster this week but slightly missed two handstands, had a little leg separation on her Gienger release, and took a small hop backwards on her double tuck dismount (9.775). Kristin Sterner struggled with reaching perfect handstand positions on two of her uprises and took a hop forward on her dismount of the double front (9.775). Raegan Tomasek confidently took to the bars next and threw a beautiful pike Jaeger release to immediate giant uprise to half turn on the high bar, dismounting with a double front (9.85). Senior Natalie Barrington clinched her final regular season bars routine for a 9.925, substituting a full turn for the 1 1/2 turn she usually throws at the beginning. Her pak salto and final full turn on the high bar into immediate double tuck were effortless. Andree Pickens was again in a zone of her own, throwing four booming release moves (the Hindorff and Tkatchev were especially nice). She nailed her full in dismount after achieving both revolutions above the high bar(9.95). Fine exhibitions were thrown by sophomore Tiffany Byrd (9.825) and senior Whitney Morgan (9.825). The Tide totaled a 49.400 on the bars and had a running score of 98.850.

The Bruins were impressing the Bama Nation with their awesome difficulty on the vault, throwing six 10 vaults like a walk in the park. Onnie Willis (9.90) and sophomore Jeanette Antolin (9.90) threw very powerful Yurchenko 1/1 vaults and Yvonne Tousek had a stuck Hristakieva (9.85) that was lacking only in distance from the horse and body position in the air (she basically went straight up and down). UCLA had a team total of 49.325 on the vault and a running score of 98.625.

Balance Beam

Alabama has increased their skills and consistency on the balance beam over the past month and currently rank 5th nationally on this event. Raegan Tomasek completed all of her big skills (front punch mount, three element flight series, front walkover, 1/4 dive to handstand out of a wolf jump) and was mainly deducted for small balance checks and a hop back on her dismount (9.775). Shannon Hrozek has now established herself in the second position and threw another fabulous routine this week, highlighted by an elegant flight series of bh, layout, bh and a hitch kick (legs extended) to sheep jump combination, a switch leap to wolf jump, and a switch leap to back handspring (her gymacro series). She was deducted for a step on the double twist dismount (it looked like she did not get as much repulsion off the beam on her roundoff) for a final score of 9.85. Senior Alexa Martinez had a great routine as well (9.825) and was also deducted mainly for a small hop on her rudi dismount. Her straddle and wolf Popas are unmatched in terms of amplitude and toe point. Kristin Sterner returned to the competition line up this week and, despite falling on the third element of her flight series (layout), she went for all the difficulty and completed every trick (including the double pike dismount) with her usual confidence and flair (9.300). To the rescue, Jeana Rice (9.90), who put together another fantastic routine, highlighted by the most gorgeous flight series out there (bh, layout, layout). Nobody points their toes like Jeana! Andree Pickens anchored the beam in her usual stalwart manner, showcasing her flight series (bh, bh, layout), a super punch front and a double tuck dismount (9.925). Natalie Barrington (9.825) exhibited a very confident routine as well, throwing her most confident three leap series of the season (switch leap to two straddle jumps) and a super flight series (bh, layout) and a switch leap to Korbut (fish flop). Team total on beam was a 49.275 and Bama's running score was a 148.125.

UCLA was hot on Bama's heels with a 49.275 on the floor. Kristin Parker electrified the crowd with a super double front Arabian (nice tight form but one step back) and a double pike on her final pass (9.875) and sophomore Alyssa Beckerman (9.875) had some unique tumbling passes (final pass of front handspring, front full, front handspring walkout, aerial). Yvonne Tousek (9.925) combined dramatic dance moves with a triple twist (one hop to bring it around) in her first pass, followed by a front handspring to front full to punch front (a little sloppy on the third element) and she ended with a front full to a punch front (one hop). UCLA had a running score of 147.900.

Floor Exercise

Leading by only .225, Alabama had to put together at least five strong routines to clinch the victory. Stephanie Kite opened with a 9.825 (a super front flyspring through to a double twist set the tone early), followed by dynamic freshman Michelle Reeser's 9.875 (a little balance check on her final pass cost her a higher score). Raegan Tomasek nailed her double front Arabian and the double tuck (second pass) enroute to a stellar 9.925. Andree Pickens (9.975) brought the house to its feet with her first competitive routine of the 2002 season that even had the Bruins clapping for her! New dance sequences, two double tucks and a front handspring through to a front full to front pike were completed with super confidence. Alexis Brion matched her skills and enthusiasm but could not garner the higher score (9.925). Jeana Rice debuted her pike full in but came up just a tad short on the landing and had to touch down her hands. She completed the routine with good presentation and style (whip to 2 1/2 twist, double full) for a 9.325. Alexa Martinez exhibited on the floor and completed all four passes without any significant deductions. Her passes: front handspring, front layout, front full; front handspring to a 1 1/2 twist; round off to a double full; front handspring, front with a half, round off, layout step-out. The 10 Troupe helped to keep the crowd involved throughout Bama's floor routines and the final team total of 49.525 was more than enough to take the meet. The Tide finished with a final score of 197.650.

On the beam, three of the first four Bruins up had balance checks on their flight series but a steady performance was turned in by Kristin Parker (9.85). Some unique moves were thrown by Alyssa Beckerman (two ring leaps, an aerial to back walkover) for a 9.80 and Yvonne Tousek (9.675) either missed a required element or was deducted for her leotard not providing adequate coverage of her foo foo (after the dismount, her team mates were teasing her about this as she walked over to them with a sheepish grin!). UCLA scored a 49.100 on the beam and finished with a 197.00.

Andree Pickens won the all around title (39.850) with a Coleman Coliseum record score (she beat Dee Foster's old score of 39.800), followed by UCLA's Kristin Parker (39.425) and the Tide's Raegan Tomasek (39.325). Tousek finished fourth (39.250) and Jeana Rice fifth (39.025).