Huskers Snag Season-High in Loss to Stanford

Lincoln ? Despite battling an injury-plagued lineup, the No. 10 Nebraska men’s gymnastics team notched a season-high team score of 206.30 in its loss to No. 5 Stanford (216.85) Sunday afternoon at the DevaneyCenter.

 

A string of injuries to the Husker freshman class over the last two weeks left Nebraska able to put a full six-man lineup on just four events. Despite the setbacks, Nebraska still managed its team best performance behind high scores on the pommel horse (35.35), vault (34.95) and parallel bars (35.40).

 

“We had a skeleton crew out there this afternoon, and the team was still able to pull together and overcome those obstacles,” head coach Francis Allen said. “If we get some of those injured athletes back, we’re going to be an impressive young team toward the end of the season.”

 

Much of NU’s success is owned to a trio of Nebraska natives, senior Jason Wassung, junior Stephen T?trault and sophomore T.J. Schmidt, who have continually spearheaded the Husker efforts in 2007. Wassung claimed the runner-up spot in the all-around with a season-high score of 52.80, followed by T?trault in third (51.20). Schmidt captured Nebraska’s lone event title of the afternoon with his a score of 9.25 on the parallel bars, his fourth title of the season.

 

“Jason, Stephen and T.J. had proven time and again that we can rely on them to perform,” Allen said. “It’s nice to have that kind of leadership on such a young team. They continue to get better every meet, and I look for them to keep going on that path over the next few weeks.”

 

Nebraska struggled on the floor exercise to start the meet, before finding its rhythm on the pommel horse with a season-high team score of 35.35, an improvement of nearly two points over NU’s previous season  best. The Huskers were led by Schmidt and T?trault, who both posted season-high marks of 9.25 and 9.15, respectively. Schmidt’s score was also a career high and earned him second place, while T?trault finished third.

 

Nebraska also welcomed a surprise addition back to the pommel horse lineup, as freshman Kyle Shanahan scored a solid 8.15 after suffering an injury two weeks ago that was expected to keep him out of competition indefinitely. Although Shanahan’s return to the all-around is still undetermined, he will be able to compete on a limited basis over the next several weeks.

 

The Huskers were led on the still rings once again by freshman Tony Maras, who tallied an impressive 9.30, his second highest rings score of the season. Schmidt added a score of 8.90 while Wassung finished NU’s ring set with a 9.00, giving Nebraska a team score of 35.20.

 

Despite performing a new routine for the first time this season, Maras also came out strong on the vault and landed a score of 8.90 to tie his season high and finish second in the event behind Stanford’s Greg Ter-Zakhariants (8.95). Wassung stuck his landing for a season-high score 8.75 and freshman Josh Rusler matched him (8.75) to tie for third place and help the Huskers to a season best team mark of 34.95.

 

Nebraska continued to roll on the parallel bars, beginning with a career-high score of 8.45 from sophomore James Mauldin. The Husker trio of Schmidt, T?trault and Wassung finished the rotation with Schmidt leading the way with a solid set for a 9.25, followed by an 8.75 from T?trault and an 8.95 from Wassung for third place.

 

On pace to better its season-high team score, Nebraska entered the final high bar rotation a bit shorthanded. In fact, only four members of NU’s six-man high bar lineup were able to compete. With the pressure on and little room for error, the four Huskers pulled through, inching toward an event score of 31.65 to land the season-best team mark of 206.30 over their previous best of 205.95, which NU earned in its last home meet on Feb. 2.

 

The Huskers will have yet another chance to better that mark next weekend as they take on Minnesota at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 11 at the DevaneyCenter. The meet will also feature the Nebraska women as they face IowaState in double dual action.

 

Team Results                Score

1. Stanford                    216.85 

2. Nebraska                   206.30             

 

All-Around                                 Score

1. David Sender, Stanford           54.05

2. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     52.80

3. Stephen T?trault, Nebraska     51.20

 

 

Event Results (Top Three Only)

 

Floor Exercise                           Score

1. Dylan Carney, Stanford           9.40

2. G. Ter-Zakhariants, Stanford    9.25

3. Eli Alcaraz, Stanford               9.00

 

Pommel Horse                           Score

1. Chris Harper, Stanford            9.40

2. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska          9.25

    Stephen T?trault, Nebraska     9.25  

 

Still Rings                                 Score

1. Alex Schorsch, Stanford         9.65

2. Bryant Hadden, Stanford         9.45

3. David Sender, Stanford           9.40

 

Vault                                         Score

1. G. Ter-Zakhariants, Stanford    8.95

2. Tony Maras, Nebraska            8.90

3. Josh Rusler, Nebraska            8.75

   Jason Wassung, Nebraska      8.75

 

Parallel Bars                              Score

1. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska          9.25

2. Chris Harper, Stanford            9.15

3. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     8.95

   

High Bar                                    Score

1. Dylan Carney, Stanford           9.70

2.  David Sender, Stanford          9.25

3. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     9.05