GRAND FINALE

Last rotation lifts Oklahoma to win over No. 2 UCLA

NORMAN — Near the end of the third rotation Sunday against No. 2-ranked UCLA, things appeared to be falling apart for No. 1 Oklahoma.

The Bruins were charging back, eliminating what had been a commanding lead in one rotation.

But then Maggie Nichols, nursing an ankle injury that limited her to two events in the meet, returned from a trip up the tunnel at Lloyd Noble Center and the dominance was back.

Nichols' beam performance helped right the ship and the Sooners broke through in the final rotation, beating UCLA 197.775-197.575 in front of a record-breaking crowd of 10,177.

After Carly Woodard fell on the beam, finishing with a 9.275 as UCLA turned in another strong performance on the floor, Nichols made her way up the tunnel to find some solitude.

"I like to stay in my head and do my own thing," Nichols said. "It's quiet up there."

It was a little less quiet Sunday, as a crowd that was more than double the Sooners' best attendance ever packed the arena.

But Nichols returned to the chaos and hit a 9.975 on the beam to tie things up going into the final rotation, just like the teams' meeting last season in Los Angeles.

After Nichols' beam, momentum was squarely back in Oklahoma's favor.

Anastasia Webb and Jordan Draper started the

floor exercise with 9.900s, freshman Emma LaPinta scored a career-high 9.875.

"The thing that set us over the top," Sooners coach K.J. Kindler said of LaPinta's floor routine.

LaPinta attributed her performance to rising self-confidence.

The Sooners clinched the meet as Brenna Dowell hit her namesake move for a 9.925.

After the loss, which spoiled what had been a perfect season for the Bruins and kept the Sooners undefeated, UCLA coach Valorie Kondos Field compared Oklahoma coach K.J. Kindler to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

"She has a tremendous amount of integrity to her system. She doesn't waver," Kondos Field said. "She knows what works. She knows what she wants and it is that consistency to a proven system. Total respect for her and this program."

Sunday tested that consistency, with Nichols and Olivia Trautman nursing injuries that limited their events.

After last season's OU win, UCLA came back to prevail in the end, edging the Sooners for the national title.

[PHOTO COURTESY OU ATHLETICS] Oklahoma's Brenna Dowell celebrates after completing a floor routine Sunday against UCLA at Lloyd Noble Center. Dowell and the No. 1-ranked Sooners trimmed the Bruins before a record 10,177 fans.

[PHOTO COURTESY OF OU ATHLETICS] Maggie Nichols performs on the beam during Sunday's gymnastics dual between No. 1-ranked Oklahoma and No. 2 UCLA. OU beat the Bruins in front of a record crowd of 10,177 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.