DAVIS, Calif. — Led by a victory on beam from Amber Koeth, the Sacramento State gymnastics team improved its team score by over a half point from the season opener in a dual meet at UC Davis on Sunday afternoon. The Aggies, who were ranked 19th in the country after the first week of the year, scored 194.075 while the Hornets ended with a 191.450.
The highlight of the meet for Sacramento State came during its final competitive routine where Koeth matched her career high with a 9.900. The score is tied for the sixth best in school history and equaled her performance against San Jose State from the 2020 season.
Koeth's score sparked the Hornets to a 48.425 team score on the event which gave the team the win on the event. Along with Koeth's 9.900, the team also counted a 9.700 from Sarah Fitzgerald, a 9.625 from Emma Morgenthaler and a pair of 9.600s from Grace Gilman and Simone Dumas-Guzman.
Sacramento State began the meet on bars with a 47.700. Shaye Mathias anchored the lineup with a team best 9.650 to tie for fifth place. Morgenthaler competed for the first time this season on the event and ranked second on the team with a 9.600.
The Hornets posted a 48.100 on vault in the second rotation. The freshmen trio of Taija Wells, Sarah Fitzgerald and Morgenthaler each scored 9.725 to lead the team and tie for fourth overall.
Floor, again, proved to be the problematic event for Sacramento State as the team finished with a score of 47.225. Morgenthaler scored 9.700 to place fifth overall.
UC Davis' Kyla Kessler finished first in the all-around and on bars and tied for the top spot on vault. Kessler totaled 39.150 to win the all-around. Morgenthaler was second with a score of 38.650 in her first collegiate all-around.
Sacramento State will have a week away from competition before competing at San Jose State on Jan. 30.
Team Scores
1. UC Davis 194.075
2. Sacramento State 191.450
Vault
T1. Keanna Abraham, Kyla Kessler, UCD, 9.800; T4. Taija Wells, Sarah Fitzgerald, Emma Morgenthaler 9.725; 10. Torri Tavenner 9.550; 11. Grace Gilman 9.375; 12. Destiny Watley 8.350.
Bars
1. Kyla Kessler, UCD, 9.775; T5. Shaye Mathias 9.650; 8. Emma Morgenthaler 9.600; T9. Torri Tavenner, Amber Koeth 9.525; 11. Sarah Fitzgerald 9.400; 12. Destiny Watley 9.000.
Beam
1. Amber Koeth, SAC, 9.900; 6. Sarah Fitzgerald 9.700; 7. Emma Morgenthaler 9.625; T8. Grace Gilman, Simone Dumas-Guzman 9.600; 10. Peyton Gillen 9.250
Floor
1. Megan Ray, UCD, 9.900; 5. Emma Morgenthaler 9.700; 6. Grace Gilman 9.500; 7. Amber Koeth 9.400; 8. Taija Wells 9.325; 9. Torri Tavenner 9.300; 12. Sarah Fitzgerald 8.725.
All-Around
1. Kyla Kessler, UCD, 39.150; 2. Emma Morgenthaler 38.650; 3. Sarah Fitzgerald 37.500.
