California and San Jose State travel to Sacramento for this in-state showdown on Sacramento State’s senior night. The Hornets will be honoring program stalwarts Sarah Lutrel, who holds the second-highest all-around score in program history and shares the program record on beam, and Kara Houghton, who holds the program record on bars with a 9.975.
Riding high after notching their best score of 2026 last week, Sacramento State will hope the emotional boost of senior night can propel them to another notable performance. Strong turns from Lutrel and Houghton will be key, but youth is also an important component of the Hornets’ success. Freshman Kaitlyn Driessen notched a career high 9.875 last week on beam, the Hornets’ highest ranking event, and fellow freshmen Cady Gaumont and Makayla Townsend also posted career highs on vault.
California is taking on its last away meet of the regular season. The Golden Bears rose one spot in the rankings this week, and have flirted with a 197 throughout February. Last week saw them edge past North Carolina in a meet that came down to the last routine, where freshman Tonya Paulsson sealed the victory with a 9.875 on floor. Sharp outings from Paulsson and her fellow all-arounder Annalise Newman-Achee will be key if California is to finally eclipse the 197 mark.
San Jose State’s season has included some stellar scores thus far, with their team totals the last two weeks both ranking in the top 20 all-time, and two team vault scores this season that rank in the top five all-time. Senior Mikaela Pitts and sophomore Kaviana Jurries lead the way on that event with season highs of 9.925 and 9.875, respectively. Freshman Sophie Patterson and Genesis PeBenito have also made their presence felt throughout the season, and confident performances from them are important if the Spartans are to post another memorable number.
The meet will be streamed on Overnght for a fee, and live scores can be found here.
California is wearing its Legacy leotard tonight. Commentators tell us Makayla Townsend was shaken up in warmups and won’t compete tonight.
Rotation 1 – Sacramento State VT, San Jose State UB, California BB
Frank (Sacramento State) – Tucked FTY with a medium step back. 9.625
Patterson (San Jose State) – Maloney to Pak. Giant full with a bit of leg separation to double back with a small step. 9.675
Melkonian (California) – BHS layout stepout is good. Switch ring is solid. A small wobble on her full turn. 1.5 twist is stuck. She had another balance check in there I caught at the end of the skill. 9.675
Valuch (San Jose State) – Short first handstand. Piked Jaeger with some flexed feet. Last handstand may be short too. Double layout is stuck. 9.775
Wilson (Sacramento State) – FTY with a medium step back, some pike in the air. 9.675
Scanlon (California) – Starts with the wolf turn. Lovely BHS layout stepout. Switch to switch half has a big leg up wobble. 1.5 twist is landed a bit low and she has to take a step back. 9.575
Lutrel (Sacramento State) – FTY with good form and a medium hop back. Nice body position and distance. 9.650
PeBenito (San Jose State) – Maloney to Pak with some leg separation throughout. Great half turn on the low bar and great final handstand. Double layout is stuck but she has to straighten her knees to hold it. 9.775
Lee (California) – BHS layout stepout is solid. Switch half to beat jump. Gainer full dismount is stuck. 9.800
Gaumont (Sacramento State) – missed this, unfortunately
Kisch (San Jose State) – Maloney to Pak with leg separation. Short final handstand. Double layout with a medium step back. 9.750
Paulsson (California) – Such lovely carriage and toepoint here. Front aerial to BHS with a tiny balance adjustment. Side aerial. Switch leap to switch half is good. Gainer full with a small hop. 9.850
Jones (Sacramento State) – Yurchenko layout is stuck. 9.525
Macasu (San Jose State) – Misses her feet on her toe-on. Repeats and does Maloney to overshoot to handstand, leg separation in the first skill. Full-in is stuck, flexed feet. 9.700
Newman-Achee (California) – Double wolf is smooth. BHS layout stepout, holds the landing. Beat jump to split ring jump is good. 1.5 twist dismount is stuck. Very nice routine. 9.950 with a 10 from one judge
Herrera (Sacramento State) – Yurchenko layout with a big hop back. 9.475
Jurries (San Jose State) – Short first handstand. Clear hip to Geinger is good. Double layout is stuck. 9.800
Aderinto (California) – Front toss with a small lean but doesn’t wobble to the beat jump. BHS layout stepout is right on. Hitchkick to switch half to split jump with a big lean on the last element. Gainer full is landed with a lower chest and small step forward. 9.625
Reardon (San Jose State) – exhibition Maloney to overshoot to handstand. Double layout with a medium step back. Some form deductions throughout and she was quite short on the handstands today.
Mayhew (California) – exhibition – BHS layout stepout with a lean. Switch leap and a big wobble on one foot before she goes for the next element. She backs up and repeats but has the same problem, works through it to the switch half. 1.5 twist with a small hop forward.
AFTER ONE: California 48.900, San Jose State 48.800, Sacramento State 48.175
Newman-Achee’s excellent beam routine helped the Bears avoid a disastrous total after two scores in the 9.6s, but they’ll want to show sharper performances in the rest of the meet. Sacramento State really missed Townsend in this rotation. She could’ve added valuable tenths. San Jose State had a very steady turn on bars with a strong anchor performance from Jurries, and trailing Cal by only a tenth is a big confidence boost as they move to beam.
Rotation 2 – Sacramento State UB, San Jose State BB, California FX
Herrera (Sacramento State) – Lovely lines. Toe on to Ray is good. Short handstand after. Overshoot to handstand. Another short handstand. Full in with a medium step forward. 9.750
Ashton (San Jose State) – We didn’t see most of the routine. BHS Gainer full is stuck. 9.700
Brown (California) – First pass is landed well. Switch ring leap to switch ring full, rotation looked solid. 1.5 twist to barani to split jump is pretty. 9.850
Cohen (Sacramento State) – Tkatchev is good. Pak salto with some leg separation. Great final handstand. Double layout with a small hop back/in place. Great job for her coming in for Townsend. 9.800
Macasu (San Jose State) – BHS layout stepout. Switch leap, wobbles, so backs up and repeats with the switch half combo. 1.5 twist with a step forward. 9.750
Newman-Achee (California) – Double wolf turn is good. Rudi to double stag. 1.5 twist to front layout that’s lower. 9.850
James (Sacramento State) – Falls on her Jaeger. Pak salto. Giant full to double back with a step back. 8.850
Valuch (San Jose State) – BHS layout stepout is very solid. Punch front with a small lean on the landing, very minor. Cat leap to switch 1/2 with a bigger wobble. 1.5 twist with a medium step forward. 9.750
Silvers (California) – Roundoff to double back with a good landing. Switch half to wolf 1.5. Good rotation, but some flexed feet. 1.5 twist to front layout is good. 9.800
Lastra (Sacramento State) – Maloney to overshoot to handstand that’s short. Double layout with leg separation, but stuck. 9.800
Nelson (San Jose State) – Jump to handstand mount. Front aerial to BHS. A tiny adjustment after the first skill, but kept the connection moving. Switch leap to switch half both look under split, wobble on the landing. BHS 1.5 twist tucked is stuck. 9.850
Keuneke (California) – Rudi to layout stepout. Switch half to wolf full is nice. 1.5 twist to barani to straddle jump. Overturns the double wolf. Big fan of her ending choreography and pose. 9.900
Patterson (San Jose State) – Forward roll mount. Switch leap to straddle jump. BHS layout stepout x2 is right on. Kicks out of the full turn. BHS 1.5 twist is stuck. Strong routine. 9.925, beam judges ready to throw high numbers tonight.
Houghton (Sacramento State) – Jaeger. Pak salto with leg separation. Double layout with a small step back and some leg separation. 9.825
Mayhew (California) – Punch front 2/1 to front pike with good control on the landing. Switch ring leap to switch half. 1.5 twist to front layout is good. 9.875
Carnesi (Sacramento State) – Tkatchev. Overshoot to handstand with great form. Good last handstand and pretty toepoint. Giant full to double back is stuck. 9.800
PeBenito (San Jose State) – BHS layout stepout with a small balance check, she fights to minimize it. Switch leap to switch leap. Side aerial with a small balance check. Split jump 1/2 from transverse. 1.5 twist with a stuck. 9.875
Paulsson (California) – Front tuck through to high double back with a solid landing. Her movement quality is just so lovely. I love the violin playing bit of choreography. Leap series looked a bit shy of rotation. Double pike with a great landing, shows full control. 9.925
Reardon hits her routine in exhibition for SJSU.
Lutrel (Sacramento State) – exhibition – Great handstand before the Markelov which is low and has some flexed feet. Giant full to double back with a small hop.
AFTER TWO: California 98.300, San Jose State 97.950, Sacramento State 97.150
California posted a strong floor rotation highlighted by great routines from Keuneke and Paulsson. Their 49.400 total is a new season high that sets them up well for the second half of the meet. San Jose State also saw an athlete break into the 9.9s on beam. Patterson’s performance was a highlight of a rotation that broke 49 for the Spartans. Sacramento State blew past its season high on bars with four scores of 9.8+ and will ride that momentum over to beam.
Rotation 3 – California VT, Sacramento State BB, San Jose State FX
Apologies, y’all, had some trouble with my stream there, so I’m catching up.
Copeland (Sacramento State) – BHS layout stepout is solid. Front toss is good. Finishes with a stuck Gainer full. 9.775
Jurries (San Jose State) – Front through to double back with a big step and then another back. Hits final pass. Good leap series. 9.700
Driessen (Sacramento State) – Hits her series. Switch leap to straddle half to beat jump. Stuck Gainer full. 9.900
Mayhew (California) – Saw it in the background of the beam camera. Looked good, but couln’t see details. 9.825
Nelson (San Jose State) – Double back with a good landing. Switch ring leap to tour jete full. Split ring jump full to split full, lack of control on the landing. Hits final pass. 9.750
Frank (Sacramento State) – BHS layout stepout is solid. Wobbles on her full turn. Front aerial to beat jump. Good jump series. Sticks Gainer full. 9.875
Brown (California) – Good FTY with a small hop up in place. 9.775
Patterson (San Jose State) – Double pike with a good landing. Front through to double back is also good. 9.825
Silvers (California) – Yurchenko 1.5 with a medium step forward and some knees. 9.825
Larson (San Jose State) – Hit first pass. Front full to front full with a good landing. Switch side 1/2 with some indistinct positions to Shushunova. 9.850
Wiley (California) – Sticks her Yurchenko 1.5, but rather low on the landing and bent knees throughout. 9.825
Lutrel (Sacramento State) – Chest stand mount. BHS layout stepout is right on. Moonwalk break. Split jump to split 3/4 is solid, but under split. Switch leg aerial with small wobble. Stuck Gainer full.
Johnson (San Jose State) – Front 2/1 that may be underrotated, lack of control on the step out. Rudi to layout stepout, second skill is lower than usual for her. Switch half to Popa. 9.775
Houghton (Sacramento State) – BHS layout stepout is off and she falls. Switch leap with a wobble and pause before the straddle 1/4. Split leap 3/4 is solid. Sticks the double twist with leg crossing.
East took a big step back and out of bounds in exhibition for San Jose State. Countryman hits beam for Sacramento State in exhibition.
AFTER THREE: California 147.325, San Jose State 146.925, Sacramento State 146.150
The teams are really hitting the gas with scores of 48.975 or higher for everyone in the third rotation. All three teams have been able to capitalize on the beam judges’ willingness to throw the high numbers tonight. The Hornets put up a remarkable rotation there that was just half a tenth below their season high. San Jose State had too many landing errors to make this a really stellar floor turn, but still scored right at their NQS. Alas, I can’t comment well on California’s showing since I missed about half of the vaults, but their score also lines up with their NQS. All three squads should be feeling positive going into the fourth rotation.
Rotation 4 – San Jose State VT, California UB, Sacramento State FX
Valuch (San Jose State) – FTY with a medium hop back. 9.725
Aderinto (California) – Ray to overshoot is good. Great last handstand. Sticks the double front. 9.925
Copeland (Sacramento State) – Low chest on the double back, but good landing control. 1.5 twist to front layout is good, lacks a bit of control on the step out. 9.725
Macasu (San Jose State) – FTY with knees and pike down, medium step back. 9.675
Wiley (California) – Toe on to Pak salto. Van Leeuwen with a tiny bit of leg separation. Double layout with leg separation, stuck. 9.875
Countryman (Sacramento State) – Struggles on the 1.5 twist to front full, lands low and goes out of bounds. Rudi with a bit of a stumble on the landing. 9.600
Johnson (San Jose State) – FTY with a small step back. Great form and body position in the air. 9.800
Newman-Achee (California) – Maloney to Pak with good form. Good last handstand. Full-in and we can’t see her feet, but by the team’s reaction it was stuck. 9.925
Frank (Sacramento State) – 1.5 twist to front full is well done. Switch leap to switch ring leap half. Rudi with a medium bounce back.
Jurries (San Jose State) – FTY is stuck cold. Good form and dynamics, not a ton to take there. 9.875
Melkonian (California) – We just see the dismount, stuck double layout with leg separation. 9.850
Jones (Sacramento State) – Long wait while judges conference about Frank’s score. The other teams have finished, but they’re still waiting to start their fourth routine. Here she goes. Double back with a great landing. Switch half to Popa x2 with flexed feet. Front layout to front full, looks like she steps on the line but doesn’t go out. Rudi with a bigger bounce back. 9.825
Patterson (San Jose State) – Nearly sticks her FTY but ends up taking a very small hop forward. 9.800
Brown (California) – Pak Salto. Arches over a bit on the handstand on low but pulls it back. Van Leewuen. Good final handstand. Toe on to toe on pike 1/2 is stuck. 9.875
Lutrel (Sacramento State) – She & Houghton now get to close out their senior night with all eyes on them. Double pike is out of bounds with an uncontrolled step back. Front layout to front full is underrotated but she makes it around and stays on her feet. Switch leap full to split jump full. Double back is landed with a low chest but good control. 9.625
Pitts (San Jose State) – Front pike half is again nearly stuck, but she has to take a small step back. 9.875
Paulsson (California) – Handstands with form and toepoint to make you weep of joy. Pak Salto, shows off the next handstand. Van Leeuwen. Toe on full is late to stuck double back. 9.950
Houghton (Sacramento State) – She has a false start, moving befor the music starts. Seems like senior night nerves. Double pike with a great landing, no deductions. Front layout to front full is a touch short and she takes an awkward step but has control. Switch side 1/2 to straddle jump. High 1.5 twist to front layout is solid. She gets a huge cheer and looks emotional as the team mobs her. 9.875
Carrascoso did a solid FTY in exhibition for San Jose State. Lee hits bars in exhibition for Cal, form deductions throughout, however.
FINAL: California 196.875, San Jose State 196.000, Sacramento State 194.900
VT: Mikaela Pitts (San Jose State) & Kaviana Jurries (San Jose State), 9.875
UB: Tonya Paulsson (California), 9.950
BB: Annalise Newman-Achee (California), 9.950
FX: Tonya Paulsson (California), 9.925
AA: Tonya Paulsson (California), 39.500
Sacramento State caps off senior night with another season high, almost half a point higher than last week’s total. They also smashed their season high on bars and almost matched it on beam, which has been a trouble spot at times this season. This showing positions them well going into the end of the season. California notched another score of nearly-but-not-quite-197. Stellar performances on bars and floor were held back by vault and a beam rotation with multiple small mistakes that ate away at that total. They’ll still be looking for a complete meet as they head toward the postseason. San Jose State continued their excellence on vault, but still have room to grow on the other events. Even so, they hit 196.000 again, so will feel optimistic they haven’t yet hit their ceiling.
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Live blog by Diana Scroggins
