Stone Advances to NCAA Championships, Huskers Come in Third at Regionals

Raleigh, N.C. ? Junior Kylie Stone qualified as an individual for the NCAA Championships as the No. 13 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team finished third at the NCAA Southeast Regional at N.C. State Saturday night. The Huskers (16-7) posted a score of 195.45 to finish behind Georgia (197.70) and Penn State (195.80). NU placed ahead of West Virginia (194.225), North Carolina (194.125), and N.C. State (193.80).

Stone will perform as an all-arounder at the Championships in Lincoln on April 16-18.

“I’m happy for Kylie,” Head Coach Dan Kendig said. “After sitting out a year, it says a lot for her to come back and qualify, but nothing is going to replace the fact that we won’t be there as a team. I’m heartbroken for Tricia (Woo) and Brittney (Williams); they both came so close, down to the last competitor. The thing is, I love this team and I can’t tell you that enough. They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do and I’m heartbroken for them. They’ve made sacrifices and worked hard all year long.”

Stone led Nebraska’s all-around rotation, with a score of 39.20 for a fourth-place finish. The Huskers narrowly missed out on qualifying individual on bars and beam, with Williams (9.90) and Woo (9.90) each taking second in their respective events. Georgia took the spotlight, tallying two 10.0 marks on the night on vault and beam.

NU opened the competition on floor, where Lora Evenstad led the way with a 9.85 and Tricia Woo followed with a mark of 9.825. Kylie Stoneadded a 9.80. Erin Davis rounded out the event, as she posted a score of 9.75. The Huskers had to count two steps out of bounds as they received an event score of 48.85 and finished second behind N.C. State (48.875).

Nebraska then moved on to vault, where Stone posted a 9.85, and Kassandra Nathe and Davis each hit a 9.825. Evenstad and Fyffe followed, receiving scores of 9.80 each. Nebraska totaled an event score of 49.10 and an overall mark of 97.95, taking first heading into the Huskers’ first bye rotation of the meet.

Following a bye, Nebraska continued to bars, where Brittney Williams tied her career high score of 9.90. Stone helped the Huskers with a 9.875 and Nathe hit a 9.80. Howard posted a mark of 9.70, but Nebraska was forced to count a fall with Evenstad’s 9.30. The Huskers finished with an event score of 48.575. They headed into the fifth rotation in second place (146.525) behind Penn State’s 146.55.

NU finished the night on beam with Woo leading the way with a team-high 9.90. Habbib hit a 9.825 and Howard posted a 9.80. Fyffe scored a 9.725 and Stone capped the rotation with a 9.675. The Huskers finished with an event score of 48.925 and a total of 195.45. NU fell to third place, behind Georgia’s 197.70 and Penn State’s 195.80.

With its third-place showing, Nebraska did not advance to the NCAA Championships for the second time in ten years. The Huskers complete the year with a 16-7 record.

“I know we’re young, but we worked hard,” Kendig said. “We were up against the wall here, but I’ve got a great coaching staff and we’ve worked hard all year. We were so unified as a team and a staff, but we weren’t able to close the deal tonight. It is going to be a long nine months before we start competing again.”

Nebraska hosts the 2009 NCAA Championships April 16-18 at the Devaney Center. Tickets are available through the Nebraska ticket office at 800-8BIGRED or at www.huskers.com.

 

Name                                     Vault      Bars       Beam     Floor       All-Around

Erin Davis                                9.825         ---            ---      9.75           ---

Lora Evenstad                         9.80       9.30            ---        9.85          --- 

Kristin Fyffe                             9.80          ---          9.725      ---            ---

Brittnee Habbib                       ---          9.125         9.825     9.625       ---

Kathryn Howard                      ---          9.70           9.80         ---           ---

Kassandra Nathe                    9.825     9.80           9.625     9.60         38.85

Kylie Stone                              9.85      9.875         9.675      9.80         39.20

Brittney Williams                      ---          9.90             ---           ---            ---                    

Tricia Woo                              9.70          ---            9.90     9.825         ---

 

Team Scores                       Vault      Bars       Beam     Floor       Total

Nebraska                               49.10     48.575    48.925      48.85            195.45

Georgia                                 49.525    49.40      49.55      49.225           197.70

Penn State                            49.25      48.80      48.525    49.225             195.80

West Virginia                         48.75      48.25       48.35     48.875             194.225

N.C. State                              48.875    48.60      47.175    49.15               193.80

North Carolina                        49.10     47.75      48.35      48.925              194.125