Huskers Close Regular Season with Win at Penn State

State College, Pa. – The No. 12 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team brought the regular season to a close with a 196.30-195.575 win over No. 15 Penn State Saturday night at Rec Hall in State College, Pa. The 15-3 Huskers scored a 49.0 or better on vault, bars and floor and took an event title on beam in addition to posting numerous career and season high scores.

Maria Scaffidi took first in the all-around for Nebraska, hitting a 39.275. 

“We started today on bars and had a good day,” Head Coach Dan Kendig said. “We had good vaults again, not as many sticks we needed. (Brittnee) Habbib started us off on floor; we had good routines all the way through, we just need to be a little sharper. We came up on beam up a point and our beam routines were awesome. That was the hit of the day.”

Nebraska opened the meet on bars, where Scaffidiand Kassandra Nathe both hit scores of 9.85 to tie for fourth. The mark was a season-high for Scaffidi and tied Nathe’s career high. Lora Evenstad and Kathryn Howard each received a 9.825. Brittany Skinner tallied a 9.775, bringing NU to an event score of 49.125 behind Penn State’s first-rotation vault total of 49.375.

The Huskers then moved on to vault, where Erin Davis led NU for another week, hitting a score of 9.925 for second. Maddie Steinauer earned a share of fourth-place in the event with a career-high 9.875, after tying her previous career-high score four times. Kristin Fyffe and Evenstad both hit a 9.825, while Skinner added a 9.775. Nebraska finished the rotation with a 49.225 and a running score of 98.35 compared to PSU’s 98.70.

NU bounced back on floor in third rotation, where Evenstad notched a 9.90 to take second, marking the seventh time this season she has hit a score of 9.90 or better. Scaffidi hit a 9.85 to tie for third, while Brittnee Habbib received a 9.825 of her own. Skinner rounded out the event for NU with a 9.70. The Huskers wrapped up floor with a 49.075 and a running score of 147.425 to sneak past the Nittany Lions (146.40).

Nebraska capped the evening on beam, where the Huskers went one-two-three in the event standings. Howard led the way as she matched her season-best score of 9.875 for first. Habbib tied her career-high score of 9.85 for fifth time to take second, and Scaffidi hit a 9.825 to come in third. Fyffe also tied her career high, scoring a 9.80. Skinner received a 9.525, and NU finished with an event score of 48.775 and a final team total of 196.20 to top Penn State, which totaled a 195.575 on the night.

“All things considered, we went 196.30, a little here and a little there,” Kendig said. “That is what we need to keep focusing on. The girls are healthy; I think they did a nice job. Their spirits are up and we’re ready to come back for Big 12s.”

Nebraks returns home next week to host the 2010 Big 12 Championships at the Devaney Center on Saturday, March 27 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available through the Nebraska Ticket Office at Huskers.com or by calling 800-8BIGRED. The Huskers have been crowned Big 12 champions eight times.

 

Name                            Vault       Bars       Beam       Floor      All-Around

Hannah Bower                 ---            ---            ---            ---            ---

Erin Davis                     9.925         ---            ---            9.80         ---

Lora Evenstad               9.825        9.825       ---            9.90           ---

Kristin Fyffe                  9.825         ---            9.80         ---            ---

Janelle Giblin                  ---            ---            ---            ---            ---

Brittnee Habbib               ---            9.325       9.85        9.825        ---

Kathryn Howard              ---            9.825      9.875        ---            ---

Kassandra Nathe            ---            9.85       9.275         ---            --

Maria Scaffidi                 9.75        9.85       9.825        9.85            39.275

Brittany Skinner             9.775       9.775     9.425        9.70            38.775

Maddie Steinauer            9.875       ---            ---            9.30        ---

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

 

Team Score                  Vault            Bars            Beam         Floor            Total

Nebraska                        49.225         49.125         48.775        49.075            196.20

Penn State                     49.375         49.325         47.70          49.175            195.575