GYMNASTICS HEADS TO SOUTHERN UTAH FOR WAC SHOWDOWN ON FRIDAY

1/21/2009

The Sacramento State women’s gymnastics team continues its early season stretch away from home as it travels to Southern Utah for a Western Athletic Conference meet on Friday, Jan. 23. The meet will begin at 6 p.m. PST (7 p.m. in Cedar City, Utah) at The Spectrum on the SUU campus.

The Hornets enter the meet with a 3-2 overall record after placing third in a four-team meet hosted by Washington last Friday. The team scored 193.550 and was led by senior Marina Borisova who won the all-around. Seventh-ranked Stanford showed their dominance with a score of 196.450 to win the meet while host Washington edged the Hornets with 194.250. Seattle Pacific rounded at the teams at 188.425.

Borisova and freshman Cayla Boyce finished first and second, respectively, in the all-around. Boyce, who was competing in just her second collegiate meet, tallied 38.900.

Southern Utah was the final WAC school to start their season as it did not get underway until Jan. 16. At Cal State Fullerton, the Thunderbirds fell to the Titans, 192.275-190.450. Junior Elise Wheeler finished first on bars (9.825) and beam (9.725) and also won the all-around (39.000).

SUU leads the all-time series, 5-3, and is 1-1 against the Hornets at home. Last season, Sacramento State claimed a 194.675-193.300 over the then-#15 Thunderbirds. Southern Utah avenged that loss at the WAC Championships when it scored 194.575 to finish third compared the Hornets’ score of 194.275 which placed fourth.

Hornets to Host WAC Championships
For the first time since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 2006, Sacramento State will host the WAC Championships on March 21 at the Hornets Nest. The meet will be the first conference championship hosted by the Hornets since the team won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title in 2003.

Sacramento State won the WAC title in 2006 and 2007 before finishing fourth last year. The team was picked sixth in a preseason poll of the league’s coaches while defending champion Boise State earned the top spot.

Borisova Named WAC Gymnast of the Week, Again
For the second straight week, Marina Borisova was been named the Western Athletic Conference Gymnast of the Week. Borisova earned her latest honor after winning the all-around in a four-team meet at Washington on Feb. 16.

The Sacramento native scored 39.175 in the meet which featured the Huskies, seventh-ranked Stanford and Seattle Pacific. The senior’s meet was highlighted by a 9.800 on floor which tied her for second place. She also tied for fourth on vault with a 9.800 and tied for fifth on bars with a 9.825. Her finish on bars was the best by any non-Stanford gymnast.

In two meets this year, Borisova is averaging 39.162 in the all-around. Her average ties her for 15th nationally and is the highest mark by a gymnast outside of the SEC, Pac-10 or Big 12.

Let’s Hear it for the Boyce
Freshman Cayla Boyce has made the most of her opportunity early in her freshman season. The Lewisville, Idaho, native has jumped into the all-around after the Hornets lost Amber Basgall, Alycia Chan and Bethany Barrick for the first few weeks of the year. Boyce has responded well, placing second in the all-around at Washington. In the meet, she scored 9.575 on vault, 9.700 on bars, 9.825 on beam and 9.800 on floor. Her beam score not only led the team but tied her for fifth place in the meet.

Touched by an Angyal
Another pleasant surprise for the Hornets has been redshirt freshman Chantal Angyal. The San Diego native ranks second on the team on vault with an average of 9.663 and is third on floor with an identical average. Angyal spent her true freshman year at San Diego State but did not compete in college gymnastics. She came to Sacramento State over the summer and has help fill a couple of voids in her two events. At Washington, Angyal scored 9.700 on vault to rank second on the team. That mark is even more impressive when you realize it only had a 9.8 start value.