Women's gymnastics: Sooners trounce the competition

The No. 2 Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team recorded its highest team score in program history in a dual meet victory against No. 5 UCLA on Friday.

In front of a record crowd of 2,874 at Lloyd Noble Center, the Sooners posted season-best team totals of 49.525 or better on each event to contribute to the program record of 198.375 that topped the previous best of 197.950 set against Alabama in 2010.

“It was a huge win,” said senior Brie Olson in the press release dated Feb 22. “They’re huge competition, and to know that we protected our house was great. It was just filled with emotions.”

Olson claimed the all-around title earning a career high all-around score to surpass the nations top all-arounder — UCLA senior Vanessa Zamarripa — by 39.700-39.650. In addition, junior Taylor Spears and freshman Keeley Kmieciak both scored career highs of 39.650 to tie Zamarripa in the all-around.

“You know that you’ve nailed it when the three all-arounders competing for you have done the best they’ve ever done,” OU head coach K.J. Kindler said in the press release. “I think that says a lot.”

In addition, the Sooners claimed three of the four event titles.

Setting the tone of the meet, Oklahoma came out strong on vault with freshman Maile’ana Kanewa’s career debut for the Sooners, along with Kmieciak and Olson — all three scoring a 9.925 and tying for first on the event.

OU continued the momentum on uneven bars with Spears, Kmieciak, and Olson each scoring a 9.925. The score marked a career high for Kmieciak and tied a career high for Spears.

To close out the meet, the Sooners displayed solid performances on beam and floor to earn the highest team scores on those events out of any one in the country so far this season coming into the meet Friday.

Now 15-0 this season, Oklahoma will travel to Denton, Texas on Friday to take on Texas Woman’s University.