TUCSON, Ariz. – No. 17 Arizona gymnastics put up a fight against No. 4 UCLA in their first Pac-12 match-up of the 2018 season. The Cats lost to the Bruins with a final score of 197.300-195.750, but they left McKale Center with their heads held high after earning a season-high team score.
 
Despite the loss, Arizona scored a 9.800 or higher on 14 of their 23 routines, and eight out of 10 GymCats either surpassed or tied their previous season high on their respective events.
 
"Overall it was a pretty positive night for the Wildcats," said head coach, John Court. "We had a lot of good performances, but also a handful of mistakes. As a coach I always say, 'If you know where the mistakes are, and you can add in from there, then it's easier to fix'. I felt that we identified our mistakes tonight, and for the third meet in a row we didn't count any falls. Overall I'm pleased with how tonight went."
 
The Cats Brought the Heat on Bars:
Arizona started the competition on vault, earning a team score of 48.750, but the Cats really turned up the heat on the uneven bars. They earned a new season high of 49. 175 on bars, and five out of six scores were 9.800 or higher.
 
Sophomore Christina Berg and senior Madison Cindric earned a pair of 9.875's earning themselves the third place title in the competition. Junior Haylie Hendrickson scored a 9.825, a new season high for her, and sophomore Maddi Leydin and senior Kennady Schneider earned a pair of 9.800's.

Arizona Continues to Improve:
The Cats not only broke their season high team score with a 195.750 (previous high was set against Denver with a 195.425), but also earned new season high scores on two events - bars, and floor. Arizona posted a season high of 49.175 on the uneven bars (previously a 49.025 set against Denver), and a 49.075 on floor (previously a 49.025 set against Denver). 
 
Schneider Sees First Place Victory for Second Week in a Row:
For the second week in a row senior Kennady Schneider earned the first place title on the floor exercise. Schneider earned a new season high score of 9.900, and tied for first place with UCLA's Felicia Hano and Pauline Tratz.
 
Leydin Joins Cindric in the All-Around Competition:
For the first time in her NCAA career, sophomore Maddi Leydin competed in all four events for Arizona. She earned an All-Around total of 39.200, a new season and career high, and scored well on all four events with a 9.750 on vault, 9.800 on bars, 9.825 on beam, and 9.825 on floor. This led Leydin to earn new career high's on two of her four events (bars and beam).
 
New Season Highs:
Bellows: FX – 9.675 (Tied)
Berg: UB – 9.875 (Tied)
Cindric: UB – 9.875, BB – 9.875
Cowles: V – 9.725; BB – 9.700
Hendrickson: UB – 9.825; BB – 9.800 (Tied)
Leydin: V – 9.750 (Tied); UB – 9.800; BB – 9.825; FX -9.825 (Tied)
Mattson: V – 9.800
Schneider: UB – 9.800; FX – 9.900

New Career Highs:
Bellows: FX - 9.675 (Tied)
Berg: UB - 9.875 (Tied) 
Cowles: V - 9.725
Leydin: V – 9.750 (Tied); UB – 9.800; BB – 9.825; FX -9.825 (Tied)
Schneider: UB - 9.800 (Tied)