ATHENS, Ga. – California women's gymnastics posted its best score at an NCAA Regional event in school history, earning a 196.750 in the second session of the NCAA Athens Regional Second Round, to advance to Saturday's Regional Final.
 
Cal finished behind Oklahoma, who scored a 198.300, and ahead of NC State (195.400) and Maryland (194.650). The Sooners and the Bears will join the top two teams from session I – Georgia and Kentucky – with a chance to vie for one of two spots advancing out of the region to the NCAA Championships.
 
Milan Clausi clinched a share of the vault title with a career-high 9.95 and Maya Bordas was fourth all-around in the session with a 39.275.
 
California's opening rotation personified the Bears' growth this season as the Bears fought through a fall in the middle of the lineup to post a 49.200. Talitha Jones, competing in the first NCAA Regional of her career, started Cal off with a strong 9.80. The lineup was bookended by Bordas' 9.85 in the anchor spot as Bordas stayed mentally tough to deliver for her Bears. Chelsea Shu led the lineup with a 9.875.
 
Kyana George led a 48.925 floor rotation for the Bears with a 9.875, and Clausi anchored with a 9.80. The Bears went 6-for-6 on the event.
 
Halfway through the meet, Cal had clearly separate itself as one of the session's top two teams, trailing only Oklahoma, 99.175-98.125.
 
Cal vaulted its way to a season-best 49.350, tied for fourth-highest in school history, with all six gymnasts earning 9.80s or highers. Bordas set the tone with a 9.80 and the scores continued to build. George earned a 9.90 for her Yurchenko vault -- including earning a perfect 9.95 score from one of the four judges -- second only to Clausi's near-perfect 9.95 Yurchenko 1.5.
 
A 49.275 outing on the uneven bars propelled the Bears to their program-best 196.750 in the final rotation. All six gymnasts scored 9.825s or higher, with Alma Kuc tallying a season-high 9.875 in the No. 5 spot.
 
The Bears return to Stegeman Coliseum Saturday at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET looking to finish in the top two of the NCAA Athens Regional Final to advance to the NCAA Championships.