LOS ANGELES — Senior Stefanie Aeder tied for fourth place on the floor to lead the Sacramento State gymnastics team Sunday afternoon in a four-team meet at Pauley Pavilion. Host UCLA, who has won the past two NCAA Div. I Championships, cruised to an easy victory while sweeping the top three spots in all four events. The second-ranked Bruins scored 197.150, nearly six points ahead of second-place Cal (191.175). Sacramento State tallied 190.375 and Cal State Fullerton completed the field at 190.325.Former U.S. national team members Tasha Schwikert and Kristen Maloney paced UCLA. The pair tied for the vault title at 9.925. Schwikert won floor with a perfect 10.000 while finishing third on the bars and beam. Maloney captured the titles on bars and beam and was second on the floor.
Sacramento State opened the meet slowly as the Hornets scored 47.500 on floor. The event, which is usually one of the team’s strongest, saw Aeder score 9.875 to tie for fourth. The Portland, Ore., native was one of two non-UCLA gymnasts to finish in the top four on any event. Nirvana Zaher was ninth with a 9.725 and Jessica Hoffman added a 9.625 for Sacramento State. Schwikert’s 10.000 won the event while Maloney and Kate Richardson scored 9.950 and 9.925 to finish in second and third, respectively.
The team then moved to vault and responded with a 48.250, the second-best mark in the meet. Zaher was sixth with a 9.750 and Hoffman was eighth at 9.725 to lead the squad. Freshman Nicole Giao also finished in the top 10 at 9.650. Schwikert and Maloney each scored 9.925 to tie for first and Richardson was third at 9.900.
The Hornets continued to build their momentum on bars, finishing second to UCLA with 47.825. Hoffman led a balanced unit with a 9.625 and Sara Williams and Zaher each tallied a 9.575. Overall, the team counted five scores of at least 9.500. Maloney won the individual title with a 9.950. Jordan Schwikert scored 9.900 to finish second. Tasha Schwikert and Lindsey VandenEykel tied for third at 9.875.
Sacramento State completed the meet on beam, scoring 46.800. Junior Kimiye Narasaki led the Hornet lineup with a 9.575. Freshman Hava McCarter-Ribakoff was 10th at 9.425. Maloney finished first with a 9.925. Richardson (9,875) was second and Tasha Schwikert (9.825) was third.
In the all-around, Maloney edged Tasha Schwikert to claim the title. Maloney amassed 39.750 in the four events while Schwikert scored 39.625. Zaher, who was the lone all-arounder from Sacramento State, finished sixth with 38.275.
The Hornets will next compete on Jan, 28 at San Jose State.
NOTES: The meet marked the first time that Sacramento State competed as a team at Pauley Pavilion…the Hornets also avenged a loss to Cal State Fullerton from the first meet of the year…senior Meloney Greer did not compete for the first time this season…Zaher set season highs in the all-around and on floor…Genovse scored a career-high 9.550 on vault…McCarter-Ribakoff competed on vault for the first time this season.
TEAM: 1. UCLA 197.150, 2. Cal 191.175, 3. Sacramento State 190.375, 4. Cal State Fullerton 190.325.
VAULT: 1. T. Schwikert, UCLA, 9.925; 1. Maloney, UCLA, 9.925; 3. Richardson, UCLA, 9.900; 6. Zaher, SAC, 9.750; 8. Hoffman, SAC, 9.725; 10. Giao, SAC, 9.650; 18. Kinghorn, SAC, 9.575; 20. Genovese, SAC, 9.550; 22. McCarter-Ribakoff, SAC, 9.275.
BARS: 1. Maloney, UCLA, 9.950; 2. J. Schwikert, UCLA 9.900; 3. T. Schwikert, UCLA, 9.875; 3. VandenEykel, UCLA, 9.875; 8. Hoffman, SAC, 9.625; 10. Williams, SAC, 9.575; 10. Zaher, SAC, 9.575; 13. Tsurumoto, SAC, 9.550; 16. Narasaki, SAC, 9.500; 20. Kinghorn, SAC, 9.400.
BEAM: 1. Maloney, UCLA, 9.925; 2. Richardson, UCLA, 9.875; 3. T. Schwikert, UCLA, 9.825; 8. Narasaki, SAC, 9.575; 10. McCarter-Ribakoff, SAC, 9.425; 13. Condren, SAC, 9.425l 16. Genovese, SAC, 9.275; 19. Zaher, SAC, 9.225; 22. Aeder, SAC, 9.025.
FLOOR: 1. T. Schwikert, UCLA, 10.000; 2. Maloney, UCLA, 9.950; 3. Richardson, UCLA, 9.925; 4. Aeder, SAC, 9.875; 9. Zaher, SAC, 9.725; 14. Hoffman, SAC, 9.625; 20. Giao, SAC, 9.175; 21. Kinghorn, SAC, 9.100; 23. Condren, SAC, 8.825.
ALL-AROUND: 1. Maloney, UCLA, 39.750; 2. T. Schwikert, UCLA, 39.625; 3. Richardson, UCLA, 39.500; 6. Zaher, SAC, 38.275.
