Huskers Edged by Hawkeyes in Iowa

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Iowa City, Iowa ? The ninth-ranked Nebraska gymnastics team dropped a nail biter to the Iowa Hawkeyes, 205.05-204.20, on Saturday in Iowa City. This is the second dual between the two programs that has been decided by less than a point, as Iowa topped Nebraska, 209.60-209.45, last season.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Despite the loss, Nebraska earned four individual event titles, including a pair from sophomore T.J. Schmidt on the pommel horse (8.85) and parallel bars (8.95). Schmidt shared his parallel bars crown with junior Stephen T?trault (8.95), while freshman Tony Maras added Nebraska’s third title with a 9.45 on the still rings. Maras’ score is the highest on any event for Nebraska in 2007.

 

“It’s great to see Tony get a really good score,” head coach Francis Allen said. “He’s working hard and it’s paying off.”

 

Senior Jason Wassung finished off the Husker event winners with the top spot on the high bar (8.50). Wassung also won the all-around with a season-high mark of 52.50, crushing his previous best of 51.60. The mark also matches his 2006 season best on the event and gave him the fourth all-around title of his career.

 

T?trault followed Wassung in second (51.80) in his first all-around appearance since Jan. 13 in Nebraska’s season-opener at the Rocky Mountain Open.

 

“I really think Jason and Stephen are doing a lot better,” Allen said. “They are being consistent and that’s what we’re going to need if we’re going to make a run at being among the top six this season.”

 

The Huskers came out swinging on the pommel horse to open the meet, scoring a season-high team score of 33.55 to top their previous best of 33.40. Nebraska was led by Schmidt who shared his third pommel horse title of the season with Iowa’s Jacob Becker (8.85). Wassung followed in second with a season-high of 8.55 and T?trault rounded out the top-three with an 8.45.

 

T?trault kept things going for Nebraska on the floor exercise, scoring a season-high mark of 8.90 over his previous best of 7.75. Impressively, the Lincoln native was competing on the event for the first time since NU’s season opener on Jan. 13. T?trault’s performance lifted his teammates, with freshman Josh Rusler adding a personal best of 8.65 and Wassung capping off the order with a 9.00 and a third-place overall finish.

 

Nebraska struggled on the vault in the third rotation, mounting a team score of 33.80 after posting a season-high of 34.80 against Oklahoma in NU’s last competition. Despite the team struggle, T?trault continued to shine, notching a score of 8.55 for third place in his return to the vaulting lineup after an almost five-week absence. Rusler also maintained momentum, leading NU in second place overall score of 8.65.

 

The Huskers regained their rhythm on the still rings, led by an amazing set from Maras who tied for the event crown with a career- and team-high score of 9.45. Maras’ performance was one of a slew of strong routines from the Huskers, including career-high marks from sophomore James Mauldin (8.05) and John Robinson (8.20) and season-highs from T?trault (8.65) and Wassung (9.20). Nebraska’s individual strength led to a season-best team score of 36.05, NU’s highest score on any event in 2007.

 

Unfortunately, the Huskers continued on a roller coaster evening, as they suffered several falls during the high bar rotation for a score of just 30.75. Nebraska’s only scores above the 8.0 mark came from T?trault with an 8.30 and Wassung with an 8.50 for the title.

 

The Huskers finished the meet with a solid score of 35.05 on the parallel bars behind the first-place tying scores of 8.95 from both Schmidt and T?trault, but the late surge wouldn’t be enough to top the Hawkeyes, who improved to 12-8-1 all-time against NU.

 

Nebraska’s meet at Iowa was its last regular-season road competition as the Huskers now return to Lincoln to enjoy a three-week home stand beginning next Sunday, March 4, as they take on Stanford at 2 p.m. at the Devaney Sports Center.

 

 

Team Results                Score

1. Iowa                          205.05             

2. Nebraska                   204.20                         

 

All-Around                                 Score

1. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     52.50

2. Stephen T?trault, Nebraska     51.80

3. Jonathan Buese, Iowa 50.75

 

 

Event Results (Top Three Only)

 

Floor Exercise                           Score

1. Geoff Reins, Iowa                   9.30

2. Curtis Kleffman, Iowa              9.20

3. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     9.00

 

Pommel Horse                           Score

1. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska          8.85

    Jacob Becker, Iowa                8.85

3. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     8.55

 

Still Rings                                 Score

1. Tony Maras, Nebraska            9.45

    Jacques Bouchard, Iowa         9.45

3. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     9.20

 

Vault                                         Score

1. Curtis Kleffman, Iowa              8.70

2. Josh Rusler, Nebraska            8.65

3. Stephen T?trault, Nebraska     8.55

 

Parallel Bars                              Score

1. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska          8.95

   Stephen T?trault, Nebraska      8.95

3. Jonathan Buese, Iowa 8.85

   

High Bar                                    Score

1. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     8.50

2.  Stephen T?trault, Nebraska    8.30

3. Matt Bieler, Iowa                    7.65