PROVO, Utah — No. 16 BYU recorded its third consecutive score over 196.000 (196.625) to defeat Sacramento State (193.000) on Friday night at the Smith Fieldhouse.
BYU vs Sacramento State Final Results
The Cougars earned season-high team score on floor (49.425), in addition to nine individual season highs, to surpass the Hornets.
BYU took on vault in the first rotation with junior Avery Bennett and sophomore Sadie Miner leading the way with team-high scores of 9.850. The score was Bennett’s season high on the vault. Junior Haley Pitou tied her season high with a 9.825, while senior Shannon Evans and junior Abbey Miner scored 9.825. The Cougars earned their second-highest vault score of the season with a 49.175 to take a 1.300 lead over Sacramento State.
The second rotation on the uneven bars started off shaky with a fall by freshman Anyssa Alvarado. However, she persevered and stuck her dismount, managing a 9.125. Highlights on bars included junior Helody Cyrenne tying her season-high of 9.800 and Evans making her bars debut after coming off injury, pulling a 9.925. While BYU recorded its lowest bars score of the season with a 49.025, they increased their lead over the Hornets to 2.450.
"I felt like today they were a smidge on the flat side but I hope they can learn from it and learn to handle their adrenaline and nerves," head coach Guard Young said.
Evans, Sadie and freshman Lexi Mather led the Cougars in the third rotation on beam with scores of 9.825. Cyrenne followed with a 9.775, while junior Abbey Stainton recorded a 9.750. Freshman Elease Rollins, competing as an exhibitionist, scored a 9.900. As a team, BYU scored a 49.000 on the beam, widening the gap to 147.200-144.000.
The Cougars saved their best for last, scoring a season-high 49.425 on the floor routine. Sadie, Abbey, and Evans each scored a 9.900. Sadie earned a career high, while Abbey and Evans earned season high scores. Sophomore Brittney Vitkauskas and Stainton both tied their career highs with scores of 9.875 and 9.850. The result gave BYU a total score of 196.625 to win the meet by 3.725.
In addition to the team win, Evans recorded the all-around win with a total score of 39.475, her first time competing in all four events this season.
"Overall, I like exactly where we’re at," Young said. "We do see post-season and the NCAA tournament as something we want to go far in, and in order to do that we’ve got to have great days.”
Coming up, the Cougars remain at home to take on Boise State on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. MST at the Smith Fieldhouse. The meet will be BYU's second against the Broncos this season, as the Cougars defeated Boise State 196.100 to 194.450 on Jan. 31 in Boise. The meet will be broadcast live on BYUtv and on the BYUtv app. Tickets can be purchased on byutickets.com.