Parsons, Carter Lift Huskers Past ISU

Lincoln ? The No. 8 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team posted a score of 196.50 to claim its second win of the season over conference rival Iowa State (195.45) Sunday afternoon at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. In front of a crowd of 1,116 fans, the 15-3 Huskers scored a 49.0 or better on vault, bars and beam and took all five individual event titles.

 

Junior Emily Parsons captured four event crowns for the fourth week in a row, finishing first on vault (9.925), beam (9.90), floor (9.925) and the all-around (39.575). Parsons owns a total of 76 individual titles in her Husker career and stands just one crown away from tying Richelle Simpson for the all-time lead with 77 career first-place finishes. Sophomore Kylie Stone took the bars title with a career-high 9.90, while finishing third in the all-around (39.275).

 

Senior Stephanie Carter also had a career night for the Huskers, posting the best numbers of her career on bars (9.85) and floor (9.90) to finish second on both events. Carter added a 9.875 on vault for third-place honors.

 

“Emily is just unbelievable,” head coach Dan Kendig said. “It doesn’t matter who we’re going against, she’s winning four events every time out and anchoring us on three events. She comes out in the clutch when we need her most.

 

“And I was so proud of Stephanie today. She came up with personal bests on bars and floor. We’ve known she’s capable of those scores, and she has really been able to handle the pressure of big routines this year. Steph is already a great tumbler, but her routine is just getting so much better. She has improved her dance, she’s enjoying her performance, and we’re enjoying watching her on all three events.”

 

Nebraska opened the meet on vault, where Parsons led the way with a 9.925 to take her first event crown. Carter added a score of 9.875 to finish third and tie her season best, while senior Michele Zabawa and junior Desire’ Sniatynski matched marks of 9.825 for fourth. Stone and freshman Maria Scaffidi posted a 9.75 each, bringing NU to an event score of 49.20, just ahead of the Cyclones’ first-rotation bars total of 49.10.

 

The Huskers then moved on to bars, where Stone set the pace with a 9.90 for a first-place finish. Carter earned a career-high 9.85 to finish in a tie for second with junior Brittney Williams and Zabawa, and Parsons, whose score was a season high, notched a 9.825 for seventh. Nebraska finished the rotation with a 49.275 and a running score of 98.475 to maintain its lead over ISU (98.10).

 

NU continued on to the third rotation on beam, where Parsons let the way with a 9.90, while sophomore Tricia Woo was close behind in third with a 9.875. Freshman Kathryn Howard and Zabawa earned identical marks of 9.825 to finish fourth, and Sniatynski finished sixth with a 9.80. The Huskers wrapped up beam with a 49.225 and a running score of 147.70 to take a commanding lead over the Cyclones (146.95).

 

Nebraska capped the afternoon on floor, where Parsons walked away with the event title with a 9.925. Carter took second with a career-high 9.90, and Stone’s 9.875 left her in third. Sniatynski finished fifth (9.825), and freshman Maria Scaffidi contributed a 9.275. NU finished with an event score of 48.80 and a final team total of 196.50 to seal the win over IowaState, which totaled a 195.45 on the day.

 

“We want to finish off what we start, and it was frustrating to almost give away the meet on floor at home,” Kendig said. “That shouldn’t happen when we have one of the best floor teams in the country. Overall, our gymnastics was better today, and we’re getting better. It’s encouraging that we have so much potential, but we need to shoot for the top and fight for our spot there.”

 

Nebraska travels to No. 6 LSU next Friday, March 16 at the PeteMaravichCenter in Baton Rouge, La. Competition is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

 

Name                                     Vault      Bars       Beam     Floor       All-Around

Stephanie Carter                 9.875      9.85                        9.90

Kathryn Howard                                                   9.825

Sabrina Long                      

Vanessa Meloche                                              

Molly Ohnoutka                   

Emily Parsons                     9.925      9.825      9.90        9.925      39.575

Maria Scaffidi                        9.75                                        9.275     

Desire’ Sniatynski               9.825      9.20        9.80        9.825      38.65

Kylie Stone                            9.75        9.90        9.75        9.875      39.275

Brittney Williams                                  9.85

Tricia Woo                                                             9.875      9.175

Michele Zabawa                  9.825      9.85        9.825

 

Team Scores                       Vault      Bars       Beam     Floor       Total

Nebraska                           49.20      49.275   49.225   48.80      196.50

Iowa State                             49.00      49.10      48.50      48.85      195.45

 

All-Around: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (39.575); 2. Janet Anson, ISU (39.40); 3. Kylie Stone, NU (39.275); 4. Nikki Dilbert, ISU (39.125); 5. Megan Barnes, ISU (38.675)

 

Vault: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (9.925); 2. Megan Barnes, ISU (9.90); 3. Stephanie Carter, NU (9.875); 4. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (9.825), Michele Zabawa, NU (9.825)

 

Bars: 1. Kylie Stone, NU (9.90); 2. Stephanie Carter, NU (9.85), Brittney Williams, NU (9.85), Michele Zabawa, NU (9.85), Nikki Dilbert, ISU (9.85), Katie Lasher, ISU (9.85)

 

Beam: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (9.90), Janet Anson, ISU (9.90); 3. Tricia Woo, NU (9.875); 4. Kathryn Howard, NU (9.825), Michele Zabawa, NU (9.825)

 

Floor: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (9.925); 2. Stephanie Carter, NU (9.90); 3. Kylie Stone, NU (9.875), Janet Anson, ISU (9.875); 5. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (9.825)