OPENING PASS
• The Sacramento State gymnastics team will continue a couple of streaks this weekend when the team travels to San Jose State to face the 34th-ranked Spartans on Friday, Jan. 28, in Spartan Gym. The meet will mark the third consecutive week that the Hornets have competed away from home and also the third against a ranked opponent during that stretch.
• Sacramento State also hopes to continue a different streak as the team has increased its score each week of the year. The Hornets scored a season-high 190.950 in the loss at Southern Utah which dropped its record to 2-3 on the season.
• San Jose State is 5-1 after winning a three-team home meet which featured Utah State and Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The Spartans scored a season-best 194.700 and were led by Thomasina Wallace, who finished first on vault, beam and floor as well as the all-around. Wallace returns to the lineup for the SJSU after missing the final portion of last season due to an injury. In 2009, she advanced to the NCAA Championships in the all-around and was the NCAA regional bar champion.
• Sacramento State leads the all-time series against SJSU, 38-30-1, but is 9-12-1 in Spartan Gym. The 69 total meetings between the two schools is the most for the Hornets.
THE LAST TIME OUT
Behind
Nicole Meiller’s first place tie on bars, Sacramento State easily produced its highest score of the season in a dual meet against Southern Utah at Centrum Arena. However, the host Thunderbirds remained undefeated on the season with a 195.750-190.950 victory.
Meiller anchored the bars lineup during the first rotation and led the team with a 9.800. That score tied her with SUU’s Caitlin Kennedy and Brooke Cersosimo for the top spot.
As a team, the Hornets set season highs on three events. Sacramento State totalled 48.200 in the vault with all six vaulters scoring 9.525 or better. The team also tallied a 47.775 on bars and 47.000 on beam.
Along with Meiller, the team also saw
Kailey Hansen tie for second on vault (9.750) and finish fourth on floor (9.775).
ONE IN, ONE OUT
Sacramento State appeared to be one step closer to returning to full strength when senior
Jasmine Lipka was cleared to compete at the start of the week. The senior has missed the first three weeks of the year while recovering from mononucleosis. Against San Jose State, Lipka is slated to compete on bars, beam and floor.
Last season, the Anchorage, Alaska, native set career highs on each of those events while leading the team with an RQS of 9.790 on floor.
While the return of Lipka is a big boost to the team, the Hornets suffered a set back when Meiller was scratched from the lineup with a pectoral strain.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
The Hornets have gone young in the early part of 2011. In last week’s meet at Southern Utah, Sacramento State freshmen accounted for 10 of the team’s 20 countable scores.
The group features a pair of gymnasts (Hansen and
Kaila Kilwein) who have competed in three different events during the year. Hansen has been an immediate impact, leading the team on floor with an average of 9.767. Kilwein had her best meet of the year at SUU, scoring 9.550 on vault and 9.650 on floor.
Also part of the youth movement are
Elideth Guerrero (bars, beam),
Maddie Montoya (vault, floor) and
Katie Osaki (vault, floor). Osaki, who’s mother competed for the Hornets as well, scored 9.650 on vault and received a 9.725 on floor against the Thunderbirds.
PLAN B
Although
Amanda Bieber is in her fifth year with the team she is regularly contributing for the first time since 2008. Bieber has been plagued by shoulder injuries throughout her career but has returned to the lineup to lead the team on vault with an average of 9.692. This year, all three of her vaults have been above 9.650, including a high of 9.725 in the season opening Sacramento State quad meet.
The Littleton, Colo., has also been in the lineup on beam and floor but will not compete in those events this week due to her shoulder.
Bieber has also taken a leadership role on the team, serving as a team captain for the second-consecutive season.
