Sacramento State travels to Southern Utah for an MPSF Friday night showdown against the defending conference champions. While Southern Utah is favored to win, the team could benefit from building momentum after a shaky start to the season. Beam falls have dragged down the Flipping Birds’ scores on multiple occasions, and they’ve only surpassed 196 once this season. As Southern Utah begins a three-meet home stand, securing strong scores is critical for NQS purposes. Watch for Ellie Cacciola, who has found her form on beam with scores of 9.900 and 9.875 in the last two weeks. Her consistency will be key for Southern Utah’s success.
Sacramento State, meanwhile, is off to a solid start with three mid-194 scores. The Hornets have a lot of strong individual routines but haven’t quite put everything together as a team. Beam is their standout event, currently ranked No. 26 nationally, with routines that showcase excellent split positions and confident acro series finishes. Sarah Lutrel and Rylin Zimmerman will be key athletes to watch on beam. However, bars has been a weak spot for the team, with four strong routines but struggles filling out the lineup due to an early-season injury to Rose Wilson. If Sacramento State can hit 48.600 or higher on bars in the first…
