Leiter leads No. 10 Huskers to victory over UCSB

Senior co-captain Derek Leiter won two events, tied for first in another and captured the all-around title to lead the No. 10 Nebraska men's gymnastics team to a 222.75-214.90 victory over No. 20 California Santa-Barbara Saturday night in Santa Barbara. Leiter tied NU's school record on floor exercise (9.90) set a season high in the all-around (57.30). The Lincoln Southeast product also tied his season high on vault with a score of 9.90 and won the pommel horse with a 9.60. His floor exercise score tied the school record held by former Husker NCAA champions Scott Johnson, Chris Reigel, Dennis Harrison and Richard Grace.

Senior Asher Lichterman (Cape Town, South Africa) also captured an event title for the Huskers, who improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in dual meets. Lichterman won the still rings with a 9.55.

Junior Martin Fournier (St. Hubert, Quebec) placed second in the all-around with a score of 55.150 and established a career high on parallel bars with and event-winning mark of 9.850.

Overall, Nebraska won five of six possible events in their first meet without three-time national champion and senior co-captain Marshall Nelson, who has been sidelined for the remainder of the 2000 season with a torn left ACL. However, the Huskers did welcome back the 1999 NCAA all-around champion, Jason Hardabura. After a three-week absence because of shoulder and back problems, Hardabura competed in three events. Hardabura placed third on pommel horse (9.35), sixth on vault (9.10) and seventh on floor (9.05).

The Huskers trailed after the first event, scoring a 36.80 on pommel horse to UCSB's 37.650 on floor. But Nebraska took a 73.850-73.050 lead after the second event, nearly scoring a season-high on floor with a 37.050.

On NU's third event, still rings, the Huskers set a team season-high with a 37.30 despite resting Hardabura and competing with four competitors. Sophomore Jeff Kelly (Grand Island, Neb.) scored a career-high 9.050 on the event.

Nebraska returns to action with two meets this weekend. The Huskers travel to No. 4 Iowa Feb. 25 for a 7 p.m. dual. Feb. 27, NU plays host to its final home contest of the season, a 7 p.m. dual with No. 6 Oklahoma at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Event Finals Results (Top three finishers):

Team Score
Nebraska	222.75
Cal Santa Barbara	214.90
Floor Exercise
1.	Derek Leiter, NU	9.90
	Cody Casey, SB	9.90
3.	Daniel Levine, SB	9.40
Pommel Horse
1.	Derek Leiter, NU	9.60
2.	Michael Kelley, SB	9.40
3.	Jason Hardabura, NU	9.35
Still Rings
1.	Asher Lichterman, NU	9.55
2.	Derek Leiter, NU	9.45
3.	Martin Fournier, NU	9.25
Vault
1.	Derek Leiter, NU	9.9
2.	Cody Casey, SB	9.75
3.	Asher Lichterman, NU	9.55
Parellel Bars
1.	Martin Fournier, NU	9.85
2.	Derek Leiter, NU	9.55
	Asher Lichterman, NU	9.55
Horizontal Bars
1.	Cody Casey, SB	9.30
2.	Martin Fournier, NU	9.25
3.	Israel Alatriste, SB	9.15
All-Around
1.	Derek Leiter, NU	57.30
2.	Martin Fornier, NU	55.15
3.	Cody Casey, SB	53.60