<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Salt Lake City, Utah? The Nebraska women’s gymnastics team posted a score of 195.975 Friday night to finish sixth at the Super Six Finals of the NCAA Championships at the University of Utah. The Huskers, who were making their ninth overall Super Six appearance, closed the year with a record of 26-12 on the season at Utah’s JonM.HuntsmanCenter.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
In front of 9,255 fans, NU finished behind two-time defending NCAA champion Georgia (197.85), Utah (197.25), Florida (197.225), UCLA (196.925) and Stanford (196.825).
NU opened the competition on floor, and junior Emily Parsons led the way with a 9.875. Senior Stephanie Carter and junior Desire’ Sniatynski followed with a pair of 9.775 marks, while sophomore Tricia Woo added a 9.75. Freshman Maria Scaffidi contributed a 9.725, helping the Huskers to a 48.90 event score heading into the second rotation behind Florida (49.225), Stanford (49.225) and UCLA (49.10).
Nebraska moved on to a commanding vault rotation rotation, scoring a 49.325 with a leading 9.90 from Parsons. Carter earned a 9.875 to close her collegiate career, and senior Michele Zabawa, sophomore Kylie Stone and Sniatynski matched scores of 9.85. Scaffidi added a 9.825, and NU finished with a running score of 98.225, just behind UCLA’s 98.25.
At the halfway point, Nebraska’s running score left the team with an uphill battle from sixth place (98.25), behind Utah (98.75), Georgia (98.75), Florida (98.55), Stanford (98.325) and UCLA (98.25). Following their bye, the Huskers continued to bars and were led by Zabawa’s 9.875 and Stone’s score of 9.85. Parsons added a 9.775, while Scaffidi and junior Brittney Williams notched marks of 9.75 and 9.675, respectively. NU finished the event with a 48.925 and headed into the fifth rotation with a running score of 147.15.
Nebraska capped the evening on beam, where freshman Kathryn Howard was the team’s leader with a career-best 9.90. Woo, Zabawa and Sniatynski equaled each other with scores of 9.85, which were season bests for Zabawa and Sniatynski. Despite a strong start, the Huskers were forced to count a fall in their total score, as Stone and Parsons both notched 9.375 scores after a fall apiece. Nebraska closed the day with a 48.825 on beam and a sixth-place NCAA finish.
“I’m very proud of our team tonight,” head coach Dan Kendig said. “They have worked really hard and accomplished things this year that people didn’t think they could do. I think we learned a lot today, and it will stay in our heads and our hearts to make a difference for next season. We are as good as any team here. Unfortunately, this wasn’t our day. But I feel like the future for Nebraska gymnastics is so bright, and we are excited about the progress we’ve shown and the potential we have for the 2008 season.”
Three Huskers ? Parsons, Zabawa and Woo ? will compete in Saturday night’s NCAA Individual Event Finals at the Huntsman Center at 8 p.m. Tickets are available through the University of Utah ticket office at (801) 581-8849 or at www.utahutes.com.
Name Vault Bars Beam Floor All-Around
Stephanie Carter 9.875 9.775
Kathryn Howard 9.90
Sabrina Long
Vanessa Meloche
Molly Ohnoutka
Emily Parsons 9.90 9.775 9.375 9.875
Maria Scaffidi 9.825 9.75 9.725
Desire’ Sniatynski 9.85 9.20 9.85 9.775
Kylie Stone 9.85 9.85 9.375 9.225
Brittney Williams 9.675
Tricia Woo 9.85 9.75
Michele Zabawa 9.85 9.875 9.85
Team Vault Bars Beam Floor All-Around
Nebraska 49.325 48.925 48.825 48.90 195.975
Georgia 49.525 49.425 49.325 49.575 197.85
Florida 49.40 49.275 49.225 49.325 197.225
Stanford 49.225 49.10 49.25 49.25 196.825
UCLA 49.40 49.10 49.15 49.275 196.925
Utah 49.375 49.10 49.40 49.375 197.25