The OU women's gymnastics team finished a best-ever second place at the NCAA Championships Friday evening in Gainesville, Fla.

The top-seeded UCLA Bruins took their sixth national title with 197.725. With a tight competition going down until the last routine, OU edged Alabama, 197.250-197.225.

The Sooners, competing in their first Super Six team final, were guaranteed a record finish.

OU began on floor exercise with a 49.425 team total, its highest in program history at NCAAs. High scores were 9.925 from senior Hollie Vise and 9.9s from senior Jackie Flanery and sophomore Megan Ferguson. The team tallied 49.300 on vault, with 9.9s from sophomore Sarah Stone and junior Melanie Root.

The Sooners continued their march on uneven bars, swinging to a 49.325 team total. Freshman Brie Olson scored a personal-best 9.9, matched by senior Hollie Vise.

After 18 hit routines, Oklahoma trailed UCLA by .125 going into the final event. Oklahoma ended on the precarious 4-inch-wide balance beam, and suffered its first mistake of the night with a fall from junior Natalie Ratcliff. With the team able to drop its low score on each event, Oklahoma couldn't afford any more mistakes if it wanted a podium finish. The Sooners rebounded, with 9.9 routines from senior Hollie Vise and sophomore Ferguson and 9.850 from senior Kristin Smith.

UCLA closed its night with a show on floor exercise, where the Bruins impressed with difficult tumbling and unique choreography for the highest team total of the night on any event (49.550).

OU's achievement marks a four-year turnaround after the Sooners replaced their entire coaching staff. The team is in its fourth year under head coach K.J. Kindler and assistants Lou Ball and Tom Haley.

Vise, a former world champion, qualified to Saturday's finals on both uneven bars and floor exercise.

2010 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships

1. UCLA - 197.725

2. Oklahoma - 197.250

3. Alabama - 197.225

4. Stanford - 197.100

5. Florida - 197.000

6. Utah - 196.225