HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The No. 6 California women's gymnastics team came from behind to take first place at the Elevate the Stage meet in Huntsville, Alabama Sunday evening. The Golden Bears posted a team score of 197.200 followed by No. 8 Michigan State (197.150) in second, No. 14 Alabama (196.875) in third, and No. 24 North Carolina (195.625) in fourth.
 
With the win over the Tar Heels, Cal (18-2) finishes out its ACC schedule a perfect 6-0. The Bears have now gone undefeated in conference contests in back-to-back seasons and in two different conferences.
 
Senior Mya Lauzon earned a share of the all-around title, her fifth of the season, with a 39.550. She also took home a share of the floor exercise (9.95) title and tied for second place on the balance beam (9.925).
 
After opening the meet with a tough outing on vault, Cal had to claw its way back into the contest and did so by improving its event score with each rotation. Instead of letting a 49.00 start  set the tone, the Bears accepted the challenge and followed that score with a 49.375 on the uneven bars, a 49.400 on beam, and a 49.425 on floor. Their bars and floor scores were the top marks of the meet on those events.
 
All six bars routines went 9.80+ led by senior Maddie Williams who won the event for the fourth time this season with a 9.95. Sophomore Annalise Newman-Achee tied her career high of 9.875 and landed in a tie for fifth with junior eMjae Frazier. Senior Ella Cesario added 9.850 and Lauzon rounded things out with a beautiful routine that went for a 9.825.
 
Despite finding their feet in the second rotation, the Bears (98.375) still trailed both the Crimson Tide and the Spartans who were in a tie for first at 98.500.
 
Cal counted nothing lower than a 9.85 on the balance beam and got great showings from senior Abbey Scanlon, who posted her third 9.90+ of the season on the event, and freshman Ondine Achampong, who notched a career-high 9.875.  A strong third rotation saw Cal continue to inch closer as the team now found itself in a tie for second with Alabama (147.775) and just behind MSU (147.825).
 
The table was set for the third-ranked FX team in the country to do what it does best – close out the night with a huge fourth rotation on floor. The Bears perfectly ramped up their scores throughout the event with sophomore Kyen Mayhew leading it off with a solid 9.825, followed by Williams who notched a 9.85. Cesario had a phenomenal routine score a 9.875, which led right into a season-high 9.925 for Frazier. The Bears were in need of a 9.925 from their senior superstar, Lauzon, who has not scored anything lower than a 9.90 all season on that event and once again she answered the call with a walk-off 9.95.
 
Cal now returns home for its two quad meets at Haas Pavilion to close out the regular season. The first is set for Friday, March 14 at 7 p.m. and features Arizona State, BYU, and Washington. The second is scheduled for Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m and features the Sun Devils, Stanford, and San Jose State.