CLAIRE C. LAURENCE/Arizona Daily Wildcat The Gymcats opened up the Pac-10 season with a home win against defending national champion UCLA Friday in McKale Center.

Arizona knocks off defending champs

The No. 11 Arizona gymnastics team knocked off the defending national champion UCLA Bruins in McKale Center Friday night by the combined score of 196.725 to 194.625 in front of 1,065 fans.

"Our goal was to go out and play to our level, and we did just that," UA head coach Bill Ryden said after the upset. "We really don't know how good we can be yet."

Arizona's performance is the fifth-best in school history. The team score on the vault (49.400) was the fourth best all-time, and the team score on the beam (49.225) was fifth- best of all time.

The Wildcats (4-0, 1-0 Pacific 10 Conference) were led by senior Monica Bisordi, who took the individual titles in the floor competition (9.900) and in the combination of all four events with an all-around 39.425.

Bisordi and the Wildcats kept a solid lead over the No. 5 Bruins (0-2, 0-1), while the combined scores were tracked on the McKale Center scoreboard.

"We just go out and try not to pay attention to the scores while we're competing," said Bisordi, who also placed fifth in both beam and vault. "As long as we stay focused, everything else seems to fall into place, and we get the scores we need."

On the bars, junior Jamie Duce swung to a 9.875, earning her the event title. Duce also won the event in the season-opening meet last week against Lousiana State, Michigan State and Western Michigan.

Arizona had several athletes competing despite nagging injuries, including senior Andi McCabe, who came through and secured the individual vault title with a 9.950, making it the seventh such title of her career.

"We had a couple kids who really had to fight through and really had to overcome," Ryden said. "It was a great night for character and to see the character of this team."

Junior Jamie Schell made her best mark ever on the beam (9.900), earning second in the event despite suffering from what she describes as a "dinged" foot. Schell still competed in all events and placed second to teammate Bisordi in the all-around (38.750).

"It just shows we have dedication, because a lot of girls on our team fought through injuries," Schell said. "It's a team sport, so you have to do what you have to do for the team. It shows we have great character."

Coming off ACL surgery, junior Katie Johnson managed to tie Duce's score on the floor.

"I don't think people realize how good we can be," Schell said.