GYMNASTICS FACES BOISE STATE ON SUNDAY IN "THINK PINK" MEET

1/24/2007

This Week’s Meet
Fresh off its best score of the season, the Sacramento State gymnastics team will look for its third straight victory as it takes on Boise State on Sunday, Jan. 28. The meet against the Broncos will start at 1 p.m. at the Hornets Nest and will be the team’s “Think Pink” meet.
   
During the meet, both teams will wear pink leotards to help promote breast cancer awareness. There will also be pink ribbons for sale before and during the meet with proceeds benefiting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
   
Sacramento State comes in with a 4-1 overall record following a pair of wins at Alaska Anchorage. The Hornets are currently ranked 35th in the country with a season average of 191.067. The top 36 teams will qualify for the NCAA Regionals at the conclusion of the season.
   
Boise State has opened the year with losses to Cal State Fullerton and BYU. The Broncos are currently ranked 58th nationally but will rise based upon their last score (190.575).
   
BSU leads the all-time series, 6-4. Last season, the Broncos defeated the Hornets in Boise during the regular season only to have Sacramento State record a win at the WAC Championships.

A Look at the Last Meets
Sacramento State tallied a pair of wins at Alaska Anchorage last week. The Hornets opened with a 190.225-183.800 win over the Seawolves on Friday, Jan. 19. In the meet, sophomore Marina Borisova finished first on bars, beam and floor and second in the vault en route to winning the all-around with a total of 38.575.
   
On Sunday, Sacramento State scored a season high 192.150 in a rout of UAA (184.150). Borisova continued her dominance, scoring a career best 39.200 in the all-around while finishing first on vault, beam and floor and tying for first on bars.

POW: Borisova Becomes Second Hornet to Earn the Award
Marina Borisova became the second Sacramento State gymnast to be named WAC Gymnast of the Week this season. Borisova earned the award while Boise State’s Katie Griffis captured the Specialist of the Week honor. Borisova joins junior Tiffany Bass as the two Hornets who have been recognized by the WAC this season. Bass took home the specialist award following the first meet of the year.
   
A native of Kaliningrad, Russia, Borisova was dominant at Alaska Anchorage. In the two meets, she finished first or tied for first in seven of the eight events — her other finish was second. She also won a pair of all-around crowns, including a career best 39.200 on Sunday. That score ranks fourth in school history and was the highest since Binta Coleman set the school record with a 39.350 on March 20, 2004. 

“Think Pink”
The normal yellow glow of the Hornets Nest will be replaced by pink on Sunday as the Hornets host their first “Think Pink” meet. The idea for pink meets was started by Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson in 2004 and has spread across the country. Both teams will wear pink leotards on Sunday and pink ribbons will be sold with proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
   
Boise State hosted its own “Pink Out” meet last week against BYU. Sunday’s meet will mark the first time the Hornets have worn pink in school history.

First Time for Everything
Due to a small travel roster and a rash of injuries, Sacramento State competed with five different all-arounders in its two meets. Borisova, Bass and junior Melissa Genovese received the nod on Friday night. Two nights laster, Bass was out of the lineup and freshmen Lissa Zamolo and Eryn Stubblefield were inserted into all four events. In that meet, Borisova, Genovese (38.725), and Zamolo (37.500) each set career highs.

At the Top
Freshman Lauren Dyson was the only Hornet to match Borisova in Anchorage. The Los Altos, Calif., native scored 9.775 on bars on Sunday to tie for first place. That score gave Dyson her second mark above 9.775 in the team’s opening four meets.
   
Prior to coming to Sacramento State, Dyson was a member of Airborne Gymnastics. While there, she was the level 9 state bars champion in 2004 and later was a level 10 national qualifier.

Numbers Game
A bad situation became worse last week as Tiffany Bass joined the ranks of the inactive at Anchorage. Bass missed Sunday’s meet with knee tenderness and is doubtful against Boise State. Bass’ injury left the Hornets with just seven gymnasts against UAA.
   
The team heads into the weekend without the services of senior Courtney Hibler (knee), juniors Amber Basgall (knee), Nicole Giao (ankle), and Alexis Tsurumoto (finger), sophomore Hava McCarter-Ribakoff (knee) and freshman Ashlei Baker (shoulder).