Women's GymnasticsJanuary 19, 2007

No. 5 Huskers Top No. 6 Iowa State

Name: Nebraska at Iowa State*
Start: 2007-01-20T01:00:00.000000Z
Location: Ames, Iowa

share this story

Ames, Iowa ? The No. 5 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team posted a score of 195.725 Friday night to defeat sixth-ranked Iowa State (195.325) in front of a crowd of 3,429 at Hilton Coliseum. The Huskers, who scored a 49.0 or better on vault and beam, improved to 5-1 on the season. NU’s win marked the first time Nebraska has posted a victory at ISU since finishing ahead of the Cyclones on Feb. 7, 2003.

NU won four out of five individual event titles, as junior Emily Parsons captured first-place finishes on vault (9.95), beam (9.85) and floor (9.925). Sophomore Vanessa Meloche also claimed the bars crown with a score of 9.825, while junior Desire’ Sniatynski was Nebraska’s top all-around finisher with a 38.925 for second place. Iowa State’s Janet Anson finished first in the all-around standings with a 39.125.

“Hats off to Emily Parsons tonight,” head coach Dan Kendig said. “She won three events tonight. Desire’ Sniatynski also did a god job on four events, and Kylie Stone and Maria Scaffidi both put their double back dismounts in on beam. Those are big steps for us, and now this team knows they can keep battling to come away with a win.”

Nebraska opened the meet on bars, where Meloche set the pace with a score of 9.825 for first-place honors. Senior Michele Zabawa and Sniatynski posted matching marks of 9.775 to tie for third, and freshman Maria Scaffidi followed up with a 9.675 to place seventh. Junior Brittney Williams also added a 9.625 to bring the Huskers to a team score of 48.675, just behind Iowa State’s 48.95 on vault.

NU then moved on to the vault and was led by Parsons’ first-place 9.95. Sophomore Kylie Stone earned a 9.825 to finish fourth, and senior Stephanie Carter placed just behind in fifth with a 9.80. Scaffidi posted a 9.75, while Zabawa added a 9.725 mark. The Huskers finished the rotation with a 49.05 event score and a running total of 97.725 to take the lead over the Cyclones (97.45).

Nebraska continued to the third rotation on floor, where Parsons was again the team’s event leader with a 9.925 that secured her the event title. Sophomore Tricia Woo took home a score of 9.875 for third-place honors, while Carter finished sixth with a 9.80 mark. Sniatynski posted a 9.725, and Stone added a 9.65 to give team an event total of 48.975. NU went into their final event with a running score of 146.70 and a close lead over ISU (146.275).

The Huskers capped the evening on beam, and Parsons walked away with her third event title with a 9.85. Woo and Stone tied for second with a 9.825 each, and freshman Kathryn Howard scored a solid 9.775 for seventh place. Sniatynski added a 9.75 to bring Nebraska to an event score of 49.025 and a 195.725-195.275 win over the Cyclones.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of our team and its performance tonight,” Kendig said. “We got stronger and stronger as the meet went on. We started out on bars with a little trouble, and then had great showings on vault and floor, but it was our beam team that really shined here. They were the heroes of the day to cap a great competition that was close all the way through. We stayed in it through that last rotation, and this win will positively affect our season as we go down the road.”

The Huskers will travel to their third consecutive away meet on Friday, Jan. 26 at Missouri, facing the Tigers at MU’s Hearnes Center at 7 p.m. Nebraska then returns to the Bob Devaney Sports Center for its first home competition on Feb. 2 to play host to Oklahoma alongside the Nebraska men’s dual with OU.

Name Vault Bars Beam Floor All-Around

Stephanie Carter 9.80 9.80

Kathryn Howard 9.775

Kylee Johnson

Sabrina Long

Vanessa Meloche 9.825

Molly Ohnoutka

Emily Parsons 9.95 9.85 9.925

Maria Scaffidi 9.75 9.675 9.60 9.15 38.175

Desire’ Sniatynski 9.675 9.775 9.75 9.725 38.925

Kylie Stone 9.825 9.10 9.825 9.65 38.40

Brittney Williams 9.625