The unmistakable smell was present in the air, it could even be felt lurking around the corner: It was the sweet smell of victory.

Sac State came to Hornet Gym Saturday night ready to compete, and demolished the competition. The women?s gymnastics team scored a school record 195.275 to become back-to-back champions of the Western Independent Championships.

Sac State was able to outscore four other teams en route to its record setting night. Finishing behind Sac State was San Jose State with a score of 194.275, UC Davis at 193.050, Seattle Pacific at 189.675, and rounding out the competition was Alaska Anchorage at 178.725.

Head coach Kim Hughes said it was an exciting win and everything came together at the right time.

“The best part of it was that we peaked at the right time. That is a coach?s dream,” he said. “I always knew the team had this in them. To compete is tremendous.”

Besides setting a new team-high score, 10 other records were either tied or broken on the night. The team tied a school record on floor with a score of 49.200. That tied a team-high set earlier this year at UC Davis.

In individual scores, freshman Binta Coleman and senior Elizabeth Lutz tied a school record on beam with scores of 9.875. On floor, seniors Jami Scoville and Jolane Parr tied their career high with a score of 9.900, while Coleman scored a 9.800 for a new career high. Coleman also set a school record in the all-around with a 39.175. Junior Lori Gillette and sophomore Toni Petersen and Gillette each recorded a career high with a 9.850 on bars. Parr scored a 9.925 on bars, a career high for the senior in her last home event.

Coleman believed the team went out and did their best, and it showed.

“I think it was because it was the last meet, and our emotions were real high and we just wanted to compete,” Coleman said. “We practiced hard and wanted to come out and do our best.”

The Hornets came out on fire, starting on floor. Petersen and Coleman came out and performed well, recording scores of 9.825 and 9.800, respectively. But the senior class wanted one more memorable floor routine to remember. Scoville and Parr would follow those routines with 9.900 scores.

Parr closed out her career as a Hornet with a career night, setting or tying two career highs.

“I tied my best on floor, and I?ve done well in the last few meets,” Parr said. “It?s always nice to go out on a high note.”

On bars, Sac State would score a 49.125, with three players setting career highs. Three Hornets would finish in the top two places on the night. Parr finished in first with a 9.925, followed by Gillette and Petersen with scores of 9.850.

“That was the best routine she (Parr) has ever done,” Hughes said.

The team would end the night on beam, probably the most challenging event for the Hornets during the season. The team excelled with Coleman and Lutz tying a school record of 9.875.

After Coleman executed her dismount, she clenched both fists, showing the crowd that she had put together a perfect routine. According to Hughes, Lutz “hit a terrific beam routine.”

Despite the big night, many from the Hornet squad still could feel the loss to UC Davis from a week earlier, and they wanted nothing more than to beat them.

“Losing to Davis last week didn?t help any,” Hughes said. “They made that decision to beat Davis.”

Looking back on the season, Hughes noted it was a bumpy ride, but it was nice to have as great a finish as the team had.

“It was a very rewarding start, we were number 18 in the nation after the third week. Then we had the flu and injuries that killed us. That took it out of us. That is why our numbers dropped off. Those were difficult times,” he said. “The comeback at the end of the season was challenging. We came home, had a poor showing at the Sacramento Invitational, then tonight we performed well.”