Nebraska Topples No. 12 Pioneers

Lincoln ? No. 11 Nebraska posted a score of 195.925 for a victory over No. 12 Denver’s 195.65 in front of 1,815 fans at the DevaneyCenter Saturday night. The Huskers, who scored a 49.0 or better on vault, beam and floor, improved to 4-3 on the year and snapped a two-meet losing skid with the win.

 

Senior Emily Parsons claimed two event titles with first-place finishes on vault and floor, marking a career high on floor (9.975) and a season best on vault (9.975). The St. Charles, Mo., native now has a career total of 103 event titles at Nebraska.

 

Senior Desire’ Sniatynski captured the bars title with a career-high-tying 9.90 and placed second in the all-around (39.425), while junior Tricia Woo took top honors on beam with a 9.90.

 

Denver’s Jessica Lopez, a three-time All-American and Olympic qualifier for Venezuela, earned the all-around crown with a total of 39.50.  

 

“Desire’ had a fantastic meet tonight,” Head Coach Dan Kendig said. “She was right on with all four events, and her routines were some of the best we’ve seen from her all season. Tricia also had a great night for us, leading us off with a big vault score and then two awesome routines on beam and floor. And, of course, Emily was lights out on vault and floor, so we had a lot of bright spots from this meet.”

 

Nebraska opened the meet on vault, where Parsons set a season high with a 9.975 for first, receiving a score of 10.0 from one judge. Woo placed second with a 9.85, while Sniatynski finished just behind in fourth (9.825). Sophomore Maria Scaffidi added a 9.75, and freshman Erin Davis tallied a 9.70, helping NU finish the rotation with a 49.10, ahead of the Pioneers’ bars total of 48.65.

 

The Huskers continued on to bars, and Sniatynski posted a career-high-tying 9.90 for the event title. Scaffidi’s score of 9.875 was a career high that earned her runner-up honors, while Parsons’ 9.775 left her in fourth. Sophomore Kathryn Howard contributed a 9.70, and with just five gymnasts in the bars lineup, NU was forced to count a 9.10 from freshman Brittnee Habbib. Nebraska wrapped up bars with a 48.35 and a running score of 97.45 behind DU’s 97.50.

 

NU moved on to the third rotation on beam, and Woo tied for first with Lopez with a score of 9.90. Sniatynski and Habbib tied for third (9.85), and Howard finished fifth with a 9.825. Scaffidi added a 9.70, bringing the Huskers to a team total of 49.175 and a running score of 146.575 ahead of the Pioneers’ 146.425.

 

Nebraska capped the evening on floor, where Parsons stole the show by tying her career high of 9.975 to take the event title. Woo placed third with a season-best 9.90, and Sniatynski’s 9.85 left her in a tie for fourth. Scaffidi put up a strong 9.825, and Davis made her career floor debut with a 9.80. The Huskers combined for a season-high event score of 49.35 and a final team total of 195.925, edging Denver, which totaled a 195.65 on the day.

 

“I am so proud of the effort this team gave tonight,” Kendig said. “Denver gave us everything they had, and we responded with a complete meet. At the halfway point, we were down and then came back with big scores on beam and floor. ?Quit’ does not seem to be in this team’s vocabulary. They’re fighting for every tenth, and it shows.”

 

Nebraska returns to action next Friday, Feb. 29 with a dual at Kentucky. Competition is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky.

 

Name                                     Vault      Bars       Beam     Floor       All-Around

Erin Davis                             9.70        ---            ---            9.80        ---

Brittnee Habbib                    ---            9.10        9.85        9.675      ---

Kathryn Howard                   ---            9.70        9.825

Sabrina Long                       ---            ---            ---            ---            ---

Vanessa Meloche               ---                            ---            ---            ---

Emily Parsons                     9.975      9.775      9.625      9.975      39.35

Stephanie Seich                  ---            ---            ---            ---            ---

Maria Scaffidi                        9.75        9.875      9.70        9.825      39.15

Desire’ Sniatynski               9.825      9.90        9.85        9.85        39.425

Kylie Stone                            ---            ---            ---            ---            ---

Brittney Williams                  ---            ---            ---            ---            ---

Tricia Woo                             9.85        ---            9.90        9.90        ---

 

Team Scores                       Vault      Bars       Beam     Floor       Total

Nebraska                       49.10      48.35      49.125   49.35      195.925

Denver                                   48.85      48.65      49.175   48.925   195.65

 

All-Around: 1. Jessica Lopez, DU (39.50); 2. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (9.425); 3. Emily Parsons, NU (39.35); 4. Maria Scaffidi, NU (39.15)

 

Vault: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (9.975); 2. Tricia Woo, NU (9.85), Jessica Lopez, DU (9.85); 4. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (9.825), Courtney Butler, DU (9.825)

 

Bars: 1. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (9.90); 2. Maria Scaffidi, NU (9.875); 3. Jessica Lopez, DU (9.825); 4. Emily Parsons, NU (9.775); 5. Courtney Butler, DU (9.75)

 

Beam: 1. Tricia Woo, NU (9.90), Jessica Lopez, NU (9.90); 3. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (9.85), Brittnee Habbib, NU (9.85); 5. Kathryn Howard, NU (9.825), Ellen McCarthy, DU (9.825), Lauren Garan, DU (9.825), Nikki Brown, DU (9.825)

 

Floor: 1. Emily Parsons, NU (9.975); 2. Jessica Lopez, DU (9.925); 3. Tricia Woo, NU (9.90); 4. Desire’ Sniatynski, NU (9.85), Sasha Sullivan, DU (9.85)