The Cal women’s gymnastics team capped the best season in program history with a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.
Second-ranked LSU edged the No. 3 Bears 198.225-197.8500. Top-ranked and two-time defending champion Oklahoma was eliminated in the semifinals on Thursday.
Utah was third with a 197.800 and Florida was fourth at 197.4375.
Sophomore eMjae Frazier helped lead the Bears by scoring at least 9.9 on each of the four rotations. Cal junior Mya Lauzon tied for first in the vault with a 9.95.
The Bears began the meet with a strong balance beam score of 49.4750, led by Frazier’s 9.95. After a 49.3750 on the floor exercise dropped them to third, the Bears began to fight their way back with team scores of 49.500 on the vault and the uneven bars. Frazier (9.9375) and freshman Kyen Mayhew (9.9) led the way on vault while Frazier (9.9125), senior Gabby Perea (9.9125) and junior Maddie Williams (9.90).
Cal moved past Utah and into second place with its final bars scores.
LSU, which finished fourth last year, trailed Utah by 0.037 points and led Cal by 0.113 after three rotations but senior Sierra Ballard kicked off the fourth and final rotation with a career-high 9.950 — her only routine of the day. Savannah Schoenherr followed with a 9.3875 before Konnor McClain posted the best score of the day on the beam (9.9624). Kiya Johnson, Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan each scored 9.950 to help the Tigers to a program record on the beam with a with a 49.7625 and seal the Tigers’ first NCAA title in program history.
Bryant, who won the individual all-around title on Thursday with a score of 39.7125, and Cal’s eMjae Frazier matched that total on Saturday to tie for best individual score in the team finals.
Bryant posting a team-leading 9.9375 on the floor as LSU finished with 49.6125 to take the lead after Rotation 1. The Golden Bears were 0.1375 behind, led by Frazier’s 9.9500 on the beam.
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