Oklahoma Sooners-Michigan Wolverines women's gymnastics

Senior gymnast Jordan Bowers during the meet against Michigan on March 7.

 Annie Davenport/OU Daily

The Oklahoma Sooners advanced to the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics National Championship with 197.5500 in Thursday's semifinal.

Oklahoma seniors, Jordan Bowers and Faith Torrez, focused on not letting the semifinals meet be their last to avoid facing a similar fate to last year’s loss at this stage.

To start off, Oklahoma began on uneven bars, Alabama on vault, Florida on balance beam and Missouri on floor.

With the event being one of Oklahoma's strongest, the Sooners posted a 49.400 on uneven bars behind Bowers’ post of 9.9375. This contributed it to the Sooners taking the lead with Florida’s post of 49.3000 in second, followed by Missouri with 49.2250 and Alabama with 49.1250.

The second rotation had the Sooners on balance beam, Missouri on vault, Florida on floor and Alabama on uneven bars.

Alabama started to fall behind with low scores on uneven bars, ending the second rotation in fourth place with a post of 49.1625. However, Oklahoma and Florida began to separate themselves.

Torrez anchored the Sooners on balance beam with a post of 9.95, but Florida floor gymnasts, sophomore Gabby Disidore and junior Selena Harris-Miranda, posted 9.8875s to tie the rotation scores at 49.3500 a piece.

In the next rotation, the Sooners were on floor, where they have excelled all season, and today was no different. Bowers and Torrez set the tone for the team again with nearly perfect 9.95s to win the rotation for Oklahoma.

Heading into the last rotation, Oklahoma was ahead of Florida, Missouri and Alabama 148.275-147.725-147.800-147.4875.

For the last event, Oklahoma was on vault, with Florida on uneven bars, Missouri on balance beam and Alabama on floor.

The Sooner seniors once again did not disappoint. With everything on the line to not repeat what happened last year, Torrez and Bowers posted event highs, 9.8500 and 9.8875. 

The seniors also led the all-around with a 39.713 from Bowers and a 39.638 from Torrez, contributing to Oklahoma winning the meet overall with 197.550 over Missouri’s 197.300 in second.

Next, Oklahoma will play in the national championship at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas on ABC.

This story was edited by Josh McDaniel.

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