GYMNASTICS HOSTS SEATTLE PACIFIC ON FRIDAY; NATIONAL DANISH TEAM TO PERFORM EXHIBITION
1/10/2013
OPENING PASS
• The Sacramento State gymnastics team will make its home debut on Friday, Jan. 11, when it hosts Seattle Pacific at 7 p.m.
• Live stats will be available through hornetsports.com with video of Sacramento State routines posted to the team’s Facebook page.
• The Hornets enter the meet with an 0-3 record after finishing fourth at the NorCal Quad Meet at San Jose State on Jan. 4. The meet was won by #4 Stanford which scored 195.425. Sacramento State tallied a team total of 191.100.
• SPU will be competing for the first time this season. The Falcons are coached by Laura Tindall who is entering her 38th season.
• Sacramento State owns a 35-21 edge in the all-time series between the two schools and has not lost to the Falcons since suffering a 192.375-191.950 defeat in Seattle on March 5, 2005. The Hornets are 16-1 against SPU at home.
DANISH NATIONAL TEAM TO PERFORM
Prior to the start of Friday night’s meet, fans will have the opportunity of watching the National Danish Performance Team in an exhibition. The team is in the midst of a world tour which has taken them to Denmark, Germany, Azerbaijan, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan. The U.S. portion of the tour begins on Saturday, Jan. 12, with a 7:30 p.m. show at the Memorial Auditorium.
After performing in California and Arizona, the team will go on to Mexico, Columbia and Brazil.
THE LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore Kalliah McCartney won the all-around but falls on beam and floor doomed Sacramento State at the NorCal Quad on Friday at Sacramento State. Third-ranked Stanford ran away from the field with a team score of 195.425. Host San Jose State placed second at 192.875, UC Davis was third (191.400) while the Hornets scored 191.100.
McCartney totaled 38.825 in the all-around for her third career victory. She led the team in the first three events while junior Kaila Kilwein scored 9.725 for the Hornets’ high mark on floor.
Sacramento State began the meet on bars and scored 47.925 without a fall. Along with McCartney, senior Nicole Meiller tied for sixth with a 9.650 and Beutler tied for ninth at 9.625.
Four falls on beam left the Hornets with a 46.875. The first four gymnasts up on the event each had one fall before Beutler was able to stop the streak with a 9.725 to place 10th. McCartney continued the momentum to end the rotation.
A fall started Sacramento State’s turn on floor but freshman Cassie Benning followed with a 9.700. That score was matched by Dallas Smith before Kilwein posted the team high. After the injury to Beutler, McCartney scored 9.575 despite taking a neutral deduction for stepping out.
The highlight for the team came on vault during the final rotation where the team tallied 48.700. Katie Osaki opened with a 9.675 before Kilwein scored 9.725. The final three members of the lineup were comprised of a 9.750 from Benning and Meiller and a 9.800 by McCartney.
McCARTNEY KEEPS IT GOING
A year after being named the WAC Freshman of the Year, McCartney began the 2013 season by winning her third career all-around. The Vancouver, Wash., native scored 38.825 and tied for fifth on vault (9.800), placed fifth on bars (9.675), tied for fourth on beam (9.775) and finished 18th on floor (9.575).
McCartney was joined in the all-around by freshman Cassie Benning who scored 38.100. The pair became the first Hornet duo to each score 38-plus in the same meet since Marina Borisova and Eryn Stubblefield at the 2009 WAC Championships.
INJURY UPDATE
The Hornets were hindered by injuries at the NorCal meet to two projected starters. Defending WAC beam and floor champion Kailey Hansen re-aggravated a knee injury which knocked her out of the lineup. Senior Cayla Beutler competed on bars (9.625) and beam (9.725) before rolling her ankle midway through her floor routine. Both are unlikely to compete for the team this week.
Junior Maddie Montoya (shoulder), sophomore Kayla Wonderly (elbow) and freshman Jessie Williams (ankle) also remain sidelined due to injuries.
