%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Lincoln ? The No. 7 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team brought its home season to a close with a season-high 197.125-194.90 win over No. 25 Kentucky Friday night at the BobDevaneySportsCenter. In front of a crowd of 3,133 fans, the 16-4 Huskers scored a 49.0 or better on all four events and took five individual event titles.
Junior Emily Parsons captured three event crowns, finishing first on vault (9.925), beam (9.975) and the all-around (39.525). Parsons’, whose beam mark was a career best, became Nebraska’s all-time career event titles leader with a total of 79 crowns, passing two-time NCAA champion Richelle Simpson (77). Sophomore Kylie Stone finished first on floor with a 9.90, and junior Brittney Williams claimed her first career event title with a career-best 9.90 on bars.
“It was wonderful to see Emily win three more event titles tonight,” head coach Dan Kendig said. “It happens a lot, but by no means do we take a ?ho-hum’ attitude with the way she succeeds in the gym. She competes such high-level gymnastics at such a consistent rate, and it is so much fun to see. Emily’s performances are now a product of her being mentally tough. She does this day in and day out, and it is amazing to watch. She is a gifted, talented athlete, and she is well-deserving of every award she wins.
“It was so good to see Brittney finally get a 9.90 for her career high. She’s been so close to that for the past three seasons, and she has the confidence she needs to succeed going into the conference championships. And Kylie ? wow, what a big routine. She has really figured out her landings on floor, and she is capable of huge scores on every event. We can’t wait to see what she and the rest of this team will do in the postseason.”
Nebraska opened the meet on vault, where Parsons led the way with a 9.925 to take her first event crown. Senior Stephanie Carter added a season-high-tying score of 9.90 to finish second, while junior Desire’ Sniatynski and Stone tied for third with a pair of 9.825 marks. Freshman Maria Scaffidi and senior Michele Zabawa matched scores of 9.80 for fifth, bringing NU to an event score of 49.275 ahead of Kentucky’s first-rotation bars total of 48.55.
The Huskers then moved on to bars, where Williams set the pace with a career-high 9.90 to take the first event title of her career. Zabawa and Sniatynski earned scores of 9.875 to tie for second and set a season best for Zabawa, and Stone finished fourth with a 9.825. Parsons added a 9.775, and Nebraska finished the rotation with a 49.25 and a running score of 98.525 to maintain its lead over UK (97.40).
NU continued on to the third rotation on beam, where Parsons led the way with a career-high 9.975 to take her second title of the night. Sophomore Tricia Woo was close behind with a 9.85 for third-place honors, and Stone and freshman Kathryn Howard tied for fourth with 9.825s. Sniatynski’s contribution of 9.80 left her in sixth. The Huskers wrapped up beam with a season-high 49.275 and a running score of 147.80 to take a commanding lead over the Wildcats (146.60).
Nebraska capped the evening on floor, where Stone walked away with the event title with a 9.90. Scaffidi claimed a season-high 9.875, tying with Carter for third-place honors, while Parsons took seventh with a 9.85. Woo added a 9.825, and NU finished with an event score of 49.325 and a final team total of 197.125 to seal the win over Kentucky, which totaled a 194.90 on the night.
“This was an excellent day,” Kendig said. “We came in here with the frame of mind that we want to keep the momentum going through every rotation. It was exciting to see this team hit the 197 mark because we’ve been knocking on that door all season. This should give our team more confidence heading into the Big 12 Championships next weekend, but we still need to hit our routines to come away with a win. I think we’re capable of doing that, and we can’t wait to get to Columbia to challenge for the conference championship.”
Following the season-best win, Carter and Zabawa, along with former Husker gymnast and current NU diver Dani Millis, were honored in a special Senior Night ceremony. The highlight of the festivities came when Zabawa’s boyfriend of two years, Danen Boyd, proposed on the floor. Zabawa accepted the proposal, sending Husker fans to a standing ovation one final time.
“What a great way to end the night with Danen and Michele getting engaged,” Kendig said. “This is what college is all about ? building friendships and relationships with the people around you. Our three seniors are not only roommates, but friends, and they will take this experience, this memory, with them as life-long friends.
“We couldn’t be happier for Michele and Danen. It’s just so neat for our team to be a part of a special moment like that. This is a great story they’ll be able to tell for many years to come.”
Nebraska travels to Columbia, Mo., for the Big 12 Championships next Saturday, March 31. Competition is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Missouri’s HearnesCenter. Tickets are available online at www.mutigers.com or from the Missouri Ticket Office at 1-800-CAT-PAWS (1-800-228-7297.
Name Vault Bars Beam Floor All-Around
Stephanie Carter 9.90 9.60 9.875
Kathryn Howard 9.825
Emily Parsons 9.925 9.775 9.975 9.85 39.525
Maria Scaffidi 9.80 9.875
Desire’ Sniatynski 9.825 9.875 9.80 9.325 38.825
Kylie Stone 9.825 9.825 9.825 9.90 39.375
Brittney Williams 9.90
Tricia Woo 9.85 9.825
Michele Zabawa 9.80 9.875 9.75
Team Scores Vault Bars Beam Floor Total
Nebraska 49.275 49.25 49.275 49.325 197.125
Iowa State 48.85 48.55 48.30 49.20 194.90
All-Around: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (39.525); 2. Kylie Stone, NU (39.375); 3. Emilie Rymer, UK (39.075); 4. Hillary Ferguson, UK (38.875); 5. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (38.825)
Vault: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (9.925); 2. Stephanie Carter, NU (9.90); 3. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (9.825), Kylie Stone, NU (9.825); 5. Maria Scaffidi, NU (9.80), Michele Zabawa, NU (9.80), Krystle Cook, UK (9.80)
Bars: 1. Brittney Williams, NU (9.90); 2. Michele Zabawa, NU (9.875), Desire’ Sniatynski, NU 9.875); 4. Kylie Stone, NU (9.825); 5. Lucy Burgin, UK (9.80), Krystle Cook, UK (9.80)
Beam: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (9.975); 2. Heather Hite, UK (9.90); 3. Tricia Woo, NU (9.85); 4. Kathryn Howard, NU (9.825), Kylie Stone, NU (9.825)
Floor: 1. Kylie Stone, NU (9.90), Heather Hite, UK (9.90); 3. Maria Scaffidi, NU (9.875), Stephanie Carter, NU (9.875), Hillary Ferguson, UK (9.875), Krystle Cook, UK (9.875)