Extraordinary Exit

STANFORD, Calif. – Perfect scores were flying at Maples Pavilion on Sunday in No. 27 Stanford's home finale against No. 3 UCLA. Four 10's were earned during an entertaining meet that attracted 2,047 spectators.
 
Elizabeth Price saved the best for last.
 
Competing in her last event on Senior Day, Price performed a flawless floor routine and tallied her third perfect 10 of the season and the fourth of her illustrious career. The appreciative crowd, which included family and friends from Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, gave her a standing ovation.
 
"I was really hoping I would," Price said of scoring a 10. "In warmups, my landings weren't super-good, so I was a little nervous. To finish with a perfect 10 was pretty exciting. I mean, it's my last routine I'll ever compete in Maples, so it's literally as good as it gets"

Price was Stanford's last competitor. Understandably, her mind was racing.
 
"Definitely not focused," she said. "I was thinking about the fact that it was my last routine and was getting a little emotional. I was like, 'No, you can't cry. Think about your routine.' When it came time to compete, I was definitely in the moment."
 
Although the Cardinal scored a season-best 196.650, it wasn't enough to upset the deep and talented Bruins. They posted 197.800, getting 10's from Peng-Peng Lee on the uneven bars and beam, and another from Kyla Ross on bars.
 
Price was teammates with several during national team competition before enrolling at Stanford. The entire team stood and applauded her during a post-meet tribute.
 
"UCLA brings a lot of good energy with them and their fans are amazing," said Price. "They're also an amazing team. It energized the meet."
 
Starting on vault, the Cardinal posted a season-high 49.150. Price (9.975) and freshman Kyla Bryant (9.800) posted season-bests. One judge gave Price a 10 and many fans expressed their disappointment when the final score was posted.
 
"I thought I might get a 10," Price said. "I stuck it and don't think there was much I could have done better. Same thing on bars. I did have one little mistake."
 
Price won floor and vault, and captured her seventh all-around title of the year with a career-high 39.825.

She now owns the program record for most 10's in a career (4), breaking a three-way tie with Liz Tricase and Lindsay Wing. Price is the first Cardinal to claim two perfect scores on floor. 
 
Informed that she had trouble focusing before her final event, Stanford head coach Tabitha Yim said, "I'm glad she felt that emotion. It shows she cares. She's the epitome of a Stanford student-athlete."
 
The Cardinal received strong performances throughout the lineup. Freshmen Taylor Lawson (9.875) and Rachael Flam (9.850) equaled their season-highs on floor.
 
"After some early misses, we kept building from one routine to the next," said Yim. "That's what I was really excited about."
 
Bryant finished third in all-around (39.475) and freshman Lauren Navarro claimed fourth (39.275) by garnering 9.800 or better in every event.
 
Stanford concludes the regular season on March 24 at the Pac-12 Championships in Tucson, Arizona. Live scoring can be found at GoStanford.com.