Gymnastics set records in win
February 20, 2016
The Sacramento State gymnastics team put together a record-setting performance Friday night in their 196.475-195.300 win over the San Jose State Spartans.
The Hornets’ team score broke the previous school record (196.000) that was set last season in a meet against Utah State on March 15, 2015.
Head Coach Randy Solorio said it was his team’s practice that led to the record-breaking extravaganza that took place Friday night.
“They trained so well [this week],” Solorio said. “They knew that all they had to do was what they do in practice. At the meet, that’s the way we approached it. There was no anxiety, no stress.”
This meet was a total team effort with career-highs and school records being set or matched by multiple gymnasts, a tribute to the Hornets’ depth this season.
“From our first person up to our last person up, we are deep and strong,” Solorio said. “Even the athletes that aren’t competing, [and are] waiting to get in are strong so it just pushes everyone to be that much better.”
The Hornets were led by senior Kalliah McCartney, who finished first in the all-around with a season high 39.350, and sophomore Lauren Rice, who finished third with a career best 39.275.
Sac State started the meet on the vault, where junior Julia Konner led the Hornets with a career high-tying 9.875 to win the event individually and help the team to a season high 49.000.
The second rotation took Sac State to the uneven bars, an area where the Hornets have struggled lately. However, the bars were no match for Sac State on Friday, as the Hornets set the school record with a team score of 49.400.
The team was able to set that mark behind freshman Jackie Sampson, senior Alyssa Anderson and sophomore Caitlin Soliwoda, who all turned in career-highs on bars.
In the third rotation, senior Cassie Benning scored a team-high 9.825 on beam to help the Hornets tie San Jose State with matching team scores of 48.800 to bring their overall score to 147.200 entering the fourth and final rotation.
The final rotation was the floor exercises, an area the Hornets have performed well this season, and Friday’s meet was no different.
Both McCartney and Rice cleared the 9.900 mark and the team finished the rotation with an impressive score of 49.275, another season high to complete their record-breaking night.
The team will hit the road next week for a four-team meet at the University of Nebraska, where they will also face the University of Bridgeport and Northern Illinois University.