Clutch Beam Performance Leads NU Past No. 7 Arkansas

Fayetteville, Ark. - The No. 9 Nebraska women's gymnastics team posted the ninth-highest away meet score in school history and captured three event titles in its 197.000-196.300 upset of the No. 7 Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday night in Fayetteville, Ark. The Huskers improved to 10-1 on the season and have now defeated two top-10 opponents on the road.

Junior Janelle Giblin won the vault title for the fifth time this season and second time in a row with a 9.95, while Giblin, Lora Evenstand and Emily Wong all tied for the bars title. Wong also won the beam title with a 9.90. Arkansas' Jaime Pisani won the all-around with a score of 39.525. Emily Wong finished in second in the all-around with a career high 39.50, while DeZiel finished in third with a 39.225.

"This is probably the most proud I've been of this team all season," Head Coach Dan Kendig said after the meet. "We came into, I'm not going to say a hostile environment, but they had a great crowd. They're (Arkansas) a great team and we were in a battle today. It was back-and-forth."

With a slim 147.725-147.275 lead heading into the Huskers' final event on beam, NU posted three career high scores to hold off the Razorbacks. True freshman Jennifer Lauer led the event off with a career best 9.875. After a fall from Brittany Skinner in the second routine, NU reeled off four routines in row which totaled higher than 9.80 to lead them to victory. Giblin and Schleppenbach both tied their career highs with 9.85s, while Wong posted a 9.90 and DeZiel scored a 9.80.

"Jennifer Lauer started us off on beam with a huge score and set the tone," Kendig said. "Brittany had some trouble on the mount, but our next four hit big. Janelle had a great routine. Jessie had a wobble or two, but nothing big. She stayed on and that's what we needed her to do. Emily Wong rocked beam all the way through. Jamie Schleppenbach went up and rocked it to finish it off."

The Huskers overcame a fall on one routine on the bars to finish the event with an overall score of 49.10 in the first rotation. NU was led by Wong, who scored a season-high 9.875 to kick the Huskers off. Giblin and Evenstad both matched Wong with 9.875s, while DeZiel started her night off with a 9.725. Giblin's score marked only the second time the No. 1 ranked junior hasn't scored a 9.90 this season. Skinner posted a 9.75 to round out the Huskers' action on the bars.

Nebraska recorded two career highs on vault and reclaimed the lead after the second rotation at 98.525-98.425. Skinner posted NU's first score with her career high 9.925, while Giblin had a 9.95 for the second straight week, which is also a career high, en route to capturing the event title. Wong scored her second 9.875 of the night, while Schleppenbach put up a 9.85 and DeZiel finished the event off with a 9.825.

After reclaiming the lead on the vault, NU was able hold onto the lead after a pair of clutch performances in its last two routines from DeZiel and Evenstad on floor. Evenstad posted a team-high 9.90 in the last routine, after DeZiel scored a 9.875. Wong put up a 9.85, while Schleppenbach and Skinner posted scores of 9.775 and 9.80, respectively, to begin the Husker event.
 
The Huskers will return to action on Sunday, March 4, when they return to the Devaney Center a home meet against the No.1 Florida Gators. Action is set to begin at 2 p.m. Next weekend is also the Huskers annual Alumni Weekend. For more information, visit Huskers.com.

Name                            Vault       Bars       Beam       Floor      All-Around

Katelyn Busacker           ---            ---           ---             ---            ---

Deanna Barmore            ---            ---          ---              ---            ---

Jessie DeZiel                 9.825        9.725     9.80        9.875         39.225

Lora Evenstad               ---            9.875          ---           9.90           ---

Janelle Giblin                 9.95         9.875         9.85        8.975       38.65

Amanda Lauer               ---            ---           ---            ---            ---

Jennifer Lauer               9.775       ---           9.875            ---            ---

Kassandra Nathe          ---            ---           ---             ---            ---

Jamie Schleppenbach   9.85        8.925          9.85        9.775       38.40

Brittany Skinner            9.925        9.75         9.10         9.80         38.575

Desire' Stephens          ---           ---           ---             ---            ---

Emily Wong                 9.875       9.875      9.90         9.85            39.50

Team Score                  Vault            Bars            Beam         Floor            Total

Nebraska                        49.425           49.10           49.275        49.20            197.000

Arkansas                        49.375            49.050         48.580        49.025          196.30