Huskers Snag Season-High in Close Call to Gophers

Minneapolis, Minn.- The 10th-ranked Nebraska gymnastics captured second place in a nail-biting competition against No. 8 Minnesota and No. 9 Temple in Minneapolis, Minn., on Saturday night. NU fell by less than a point to Minnesota, 342.80-341.90, but was able to soar past the Owls (326.10).

 

Despite the loss, Nebraska earned three individual event titles, including a pair from junior T.J. Schmidt on the pommel horse (14.65) and the parallel bars (14.80). Sophomore Kyle Shanahan also captured his second high bar title of the year with a score of 13.95. Senior Stephen T?trault stepped up his level of competition, earning  second on pommel horse (14.55) and vault (15.75) before placing second in the all-around with a season high score of 84.20.

 

“This is exactly the type of motion I wanted to see this time of year,” Head Coach Francis Allen said. “We wanted to keep improving and we’re doing just that. This is the best Nebraska team I’ve seen for a couple of years so it’s very encouraging as we go up against Iowa, Air Force and then the teams of the MPSF.

 

With help from NU’s All-Americans, the Huskers came out swinging on the pommel horse to start the meet, scoring a season-high team score of 55.80 to top their previous best of 54.60. Schmidt claimed the event title with a career-high score of 14.65, while T?trault also set a new personal record score of 14.55 for second place. The Gophers took an early lead in the first rotation, scoring 59.35, while NU had 55.80 and Temple had 53.85.

 

Junior James Mauldin and freshman Anthony Ingrelli kept things rolling for Nebraska on the still rings, both scoring a 14.30 for second place. The duo’s performance lifted the team morale, as T?trault added a personal best of 14.05 to give the Huskers a score of 56.40 on still rings.

 

The Huskers then traveled to floor exercise in the third rotation, where they set a new season record of 57.50 to top their previous score of 57.10. Br?l? posted a season-high mark of 14.65 on floor as he tied for third place with Minnesota’s Colin McGuire. NU jumped to first place after the third rotation, as Minnesota posted a 169.25 and Temple had a 162.30.

 

Schmidt claimed his second parallel bars title with a score of 14.80 as the Huskers earned a season-high score of 57.25 in the fourth roation. Br?l? wasn’t far behind Schmidt, as he captured second place with a score of 14.55.

 

NU had a rough spot on high bar in the fifth rotation, scoring only a 53.35. However, Kyle Shanahan stepped up and earned his second high bar title of the year with a score of 13.95.

 

Nebraska finished up the meet on vault, where they scored a 61.60. T?trault blasted his former vault score of 15.40 as he tied Minnesota’s Cole Storer for second place. The individual surge would not be enough to score above the Gophers and Nebraska fell to 1-7 on the road this season.

 

The Huskers will have a two-week break before hosting Iowa at the BobDevaneySportsCenter on March 14 at 7 p.m. The meet will be a double dual with the Husker women’s team, as they will be taking on IowaState.

 

 

Team Results                                              Score

1. Minnesota                                                342.80
2. Nebraska                                                341.90

3. Temple                                                     326.10

 

All-Around Results                                    Score

1. Aaron Fortunato (Minnesota)                    84.70

2. Stephen T?trault (Nebraska)                 84.20

3. Kyle Shanahan (Nebraska)                   83.90

 

Individual Event Results

Floor Exercise                                          Score

1. Cole Storer (Minnesota)                          15.30

2. Adam Reichow (Minnesota)                    14.75

3T. DanielBr?l? (Nebraska)                    14.65

3T. Colin McGuire (Minnesota)                   14.65

 

Pommel Horse                                         Score

1. T.J. Schmidt (Nebraska)                       14.65

2. Stephen T?trault (Nebraska)               14.55

3. Kit Beikmann (Minnesota)                       14.25             

 

Still Rings                                                  Score

1. Luke Vexler (Temple)                             14.45

2T. James Mauldin (Nebraska)               14.30

2T. Mitchell Mays (Minnesota)                     14.30

2T. Anthony Ingrelli (Nebraska)               14.30

 

Vault                                                         Score

1. Mitchell Mays (Minnesota)                       16.45

2T.Stephen T?trault (Nebraska)                15.75

2T. Cole Storer (Minnesota)                        15.75

 

Parallel Bars                                            Score

1. T.J. Schmidt (Nebraska)                       14.80

2T. DanielBr?l? (Nebraska)                    14.55

2T. Sterling Kramer  (Temple)                     14.55

 

High Bar                                                 Score

1. Kyle Shanahan (Nebraska)                 13.95

2. Aaron Fortunato (Minnesota)                  13.80

3. Cole Storer (Minnesota)                         13.70