NU posts second-highest mark of season in loss to No. 3 Penn State

The No. 10 Nebraska men's gymnastics team fell to No. 3 Penn State 231.05-223.70 Saturday night in University Park, Pa., but Husker coach Francis Allen wasn't disappointed with the loss. For the second time this season and for the first time since losing three-time NCAA national champion Marshall Nelson (Greeley, Colo.), the Huskers (5-4 overall and 2-4 in dual meets) scored higher than 223 points.

"Tonight, we looked like a team that wants to qualify for nationals," Allen said. "I was really happy. We hit 76 percent of our routines. We struggled on parallel bars, or we would have scored 225 or 226."

The nation's top 12 teams qualify for the NCAA Championships, March 30-April 1 in Iowa City, Iowa. Nebraska was in need of a high score, Allen said, because in its last two meets, the injury-riddled Huskers had posted their two lowest marks since the NCAA switched to the current count-four score format after the 1995 season.

Senior co-captain Derek Leiter (Lincoln, Neb.) helped NU break out of its slump with a career-high 57.80 in the all-around. Leiter, the nation's No. 1 all-arounder and vaulter in last week's NACGC rankings, finished second in the all-around, first on vault (9.75) and third on still rings (9.60)and pommel horse (9.675).

Senior Blake Bukacek (Lincoln, Neb.), whose contributions had been limited this season because of a torn left ACL,also gave the Huskers a lift. Bukacek, who placed second on high bar at the 1999 national meet, scored a season-high 9.5 on high bar in his third appearance on the event this season. Nick Batliner (Lincoln, Neb.) scored a career-high score of 9.35 to place sixth on vault.

Nebraska scored a season-high 37.70 on high bar, which has been its worst event throughout the 2000 season.

Once again, the Huskers competed without all-arounders Grant Clinton (Katy, Texas)and Jason Hardabura (Oakville, Ontario), the 1999 NCAA all-around champion. Clinton continues to suffer from muscle spasms in his back and may return next week. Hardabura will undergo season-ending back surgery on Monday.

The Huskers return to action March 11 when they travel to No. 11 Minnesota for a 1 p.m. meet.

No. 3 Penn State 231.05
No. 10 Nebraska 223.70

Event Finals Results (Top three finishers):
Nebraska gymnasts in bold.

Floor Exercise
1.	Kevin Donohue, PSU	9.65
2.	Jose Palacios, PSU	9.625
3.	Ted Johnson, PSU	9.60
Pommel Horse
1.	Brandon Stefaniak, PSU	9.875
2.	Jose Palacios, PSU	9.775
3.	Derek Leiter, NU	9.675
Still Rings
1.	Chris Lakeman, PSU	9.90
2.	Jose Palacios, PSU	9.675
3.	Derek Leiter, NU	9.60
Vault
1.	Derek Leiter, NU	9.75
2.	Jose Palacios, PSU	9.675
3.	Rob Saliski, PSU	9.625
Parallel Bars
1.	Tobias Ekman, PSU	9.70
2.	Dominic Brindle, PSU	9.60
3.	Jose Palacios, PSU	9.575
Horizontal Bars
1.	Adam Benas, PSU	9.85
2.	Dominic Brindle, PSU	9.775
3.	Tobias Ekman, PSU	9.70
All-Around
1.	Jose Palacios, PSU	57.925
2.	Derek Leiter, NU	57.80
3.	Tobias Ekman, PSU	57.325