BERKELEY -- California women's gymnastics sent its seniors out in style Friday night with a decisive victory over Central Michigan, 196.925-193.525.

When asked about the impact seniors Alicia Gallarzo, Arianna Robinson, Yuleen Sternberg and Toni-Ann Williams have had on the program, a huge smile cracked across associate head coach Liz Crandall-Howell's face.
 
"Our seniors have really been instrumental in creating things that are true to the brand of Golden Bear gymnastics we have tried to build," Crandall-Howell said. "For them, it's not about a score, it's not about a ranking, it's about doing something innovative. That's so true to what we try to build here at Cal. Berkeley is about innovation and trying to find things that are outside of the norm, and so I think by choosing things in our gymnastics that do that, I think it's a cool way to tie the brand together."
 
Williams, who was awarded an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA and could compete in 2018, shined in her senior night appearance. Her 39.550 all-around performance included a share of three event titles -- vault, bars and floor.

"Her energy and unique personality showed today-- and that's why people around the world notice her. Her personality oozes out of her," Crandall-Howell said.

For the second week in a row, the vault rotation started shaky, but the Bears swiftly recovered with strong routines to finish out the first event. The seniors shined on the event, where Robinson and her exciting Piked Ilg vault in the fifth spot earned a strong 9.80. The seniors continued to shine when Williams anchored the rotation with a 9.925 performance. Freshman all-around star Kyana George earned the second highest score of the rotation with a 9.85, while Gallarzo pushed the team ahead with a 9.775 performance.
 
The seniors performances on vault emphasized the legacy that heac coach Justin Howell believes they will leave behind.

"A few years ago, we had a hashtag of #FindAWay, and I feel like these seniors continued to find a way to improve their gymnastics and to deliver routines," he said.
 
California took the lead after the first rotation, 49.150-48.400.
 
The Bears shined on bars once again this meet, their strongest rotation of the day. The apparatus saw 9.925 performances from Williams and freshman Nina Schank for the second week in a row, and Sternberg (9.85) and George (9.85) also helped the Bears to the fifth-highest total in school history, 49.375.
 
"I watch that little tiny human be so fierce in the hardest moments," Crandall-Howell said of Sternberg. "I've watched her grow from someone who didn't necessarily trust herself all the time to someone who dances before every routine."
 
After two rotations, the Bears gained more than a point lead over the Chips, 98.475-97.225.
 
California never looked back after the first two rotations, and continued the meet by matching a program-high 49.350 on beam. Junior Sofie Seilnacht anchored the event, and with her career-high 9.925 performance earned her first event title of the season. All Bears scored a 9.80 or higher in the school-record setting rotation.

"Liz and I are always confident that they can deliver beam routines because they do it every day in the gym," Howell said. "It's never a surprise, but it's always exciting. They are just kind of business up there, and that's our expectation, but it's always fun to watch it out there during a meet."
  
With the victory clear in sight, the Bears finished the meet with a strong floor rotation. Williams, Robinson, Sofie Seilnacht and George all shared the event title with 9.825 performances on the event, with Gallarzo and Chelsea Shu earning 9.75s for an overall score of 49.050.
 
Howell was thoroughly impressed with the Bears overall performance.

"I was really proud of their performance tonight," he said. "It's really difficult to do what we did last Sunday, and be on such an emotional high of what we did that afternoon. They were able to bring their emotion, energy and passion tonight. Senior night is always bittersweet, and their legacy here will not go unnoticed."
 
The Bears head to Sacramento next Friday for their first quad meet of the season against Sacramento State, Alaska Anchorage and Minnesota. Meet time is set for 7 p.m.