SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Led by a career high 39.025 in the all-around from freshman Lauren Rice, the Sacramento State gymnastics team scored a season-high in a 194.925-194.800 victory over UC Davis on Friday night at The Nest. The score was also a season best for the Aggies.
Rice broke the 39-point barrier for the first time with a 9.750 on vault, 9.850 on bars, 9.625 on beam and a 9.825 on floor. Her bars and floor scores were a career best and her all-around total helped her finish first overall.
Sacramento State opened the night on vault with a 48.400. Rice and fellow freshman Annie Juarez tied for third overall with each receiving a 9.750. Julia Konner added a 9.725 to place fifth. The team score placed the Hornets slightly behind UC Davis which scored 48.800 on bars led by a 9.850 from Lisa Wiktorski.
Sacramento State moved ahead during the second rotation with the help of a season high 48.925 on bars. Rice tied for first on the event while Cassie Benning matched her career best with a 9.825 to tie for third. Kalliah McCartney was fifth with a 9.800 and freshman Courtney Soliwoda had a career high 9.750 to place sixth. The Aggies scored 48.400 on vault during the rotation which allowed the Hornets to pull ahead 97.325-97.200.
The lead swung back in UC Davis' favor in the third rotation. The Aggies scored 48.625 on floor compared to a 48.475 from Sacramento State on beam to open up a .025 advantage. The Hornets counted five beam scores ranging from 9.625 to 9.775. McCartney received a 9.775 to tie for third and Benning and Alyssa Anderson tied for sixth with 9.725s.
Needing to rally during the final rotation, Sacramento State scored 49.125 on floor to pull back ahead. The team score is tied for the eighth best in school history and the Hornets accounted for the top three individual scores in the meet. Juarez captured her first event title with a career high 9.875. Benning matched her all-time best with a 9.850 to come in second and Rice was third. McCartney tied for fourth with a 9.800.
Like the meet, the all-around was also extremely close. Rice just edged UC Davis' Tiana Montell (38.975) and McCartney (38.950).
SACRAMENTO STATE 194.925, UC DAVIS 194.800
VAULT: 1. Tiana Montell, UCD, 9.800; T3. Lauren Rice, Annie Juarez 9.750; 5. Julia Konner 9.725; 8. Caitlin Soliwoda 9.600; 9. Kalliah McCartney 9.575; 10. Tina Necas 9.525.
BARS: 1. Lauren Rice, SAC; Lisa Wiktorski, UCD, 9.850; T3. Cassie Benning 9.825; 5. Kalliah McCartney 9.800; 6. Courtney Soliwoda 9.750; 9. Kayla Wonderly 9.700; 12. Alyssa Anderson 8.550.
BEAM: 1. Stephanie Stamates, UCD, 9.875; T3. Kalliah McCartney 9.775; T6. Cassie Benning, Alyssa Anderson, 9.725; T10. Courtney Soliwoda, Lauren Rice 9.625; 12. Kayla Wonderly 9.200.
FLOOR: 1. Annie Juarez, SAC, 9.875; 2. Cassie Benning 9.850; 3. Lauren Rice 9.825; T4. Kalliah McCartney 9.800; 6. Julia Konner 9.775; T7. Dallas Smith 9.750.
ALL-AROUND: 1. Lauren Rice, SAC, 39.050; 2. Tiana Montell 38.975; 3. Kalliah McCartney 38.950.
