There’s nothing better for a team than being on the up and up. Continual, incremental improvements are all that anyone can hope for — even beyond sports. Luckily for Cal women’s gymnastics, those improvements have shown themselves week after week, and will prove critical going into Cal’s next showdown against Oregon State. 

Their Feb. 4 meet against Arizona State proved fruitful for the Bears, walking away with not only a season-high 197.600 that will now go down in program history as their sixth best score, but also with several individual accomplishments.

Sophomore Mya Lauzon had her undeniably best performance of the season against the Sun Devils, coming in first overall with a 39.700 that ties her personal best. This was Lauzon’s first all-around win of her collegiate career — an exciting victory for the sophomore. Senior Nevaeh DeSouza stuck a strong second place with her season-high 39.550, and sophomore Madelyn Williams executed a near-perfect performance on bars, flipping away with a 9.975. Her 9.975 ties the second-best score in program history — this meet was teeming with historical victories indeed. 

“As you can see, it’s a true team effort, in every aspect. To make this production happen, to make it so that it’s beneficial for everyone,” said co-head coach Justin Howell. 

Cal will certainly look forward to the Friday meet against Oregon State with morals high, hot off a successful Haas Pavilion meet. 

The Beavers and the Bears have one illustrious feat in common: The two secured their highest overall scores of this season during their last meets, amounting victorious against UDub and ASU, respectively. With energy high on both sides of the podium, they will certainly attempt to maintain their momentum, setting the bar high for the Friday meet. 

For Oregon State, looking at their season record reflects that the program has consistently improved since the program hit the floor at the Super 16. At the Vegas meet, the team faced off against Rutgers, Georgia and Stanford — losing to the Cardinal and tying the Dogs. Their 195.450 overall score at the Super 16 now pales in comparison to their Feb. 4 performance: notching a 197.300, demonstrating that the team has the grit to become an even more powerful force down the season road.  

During their last meet against UDub, the Beavers also secured several accolades: Jade Carey’s season-high 9.975 on bars, Junior Sydney Gonzales’ personal-best 9.950 on beam, and Madi Dagen’s season-high 9.900 on floor to name a few. It is evermore clear that both teams are on the up and up, and will fight to soar to even higher heights as the season progresses. 

The Bears will once again return to the road to face Oregon State at the dam: Gill Coliseum. However, the team has proved to be a formidable opponent regardless of location, taking first at every single meet thus far. Whether the energy and support of a home meet will garner the momentum to halt a blue and gold victory for the first time this season is a fact that only the future knows. But fans will soon find out who will continue on the up and up, and who will falter.