Huskers Sweep Air Force in Final Home Dual

Lincoln ? In a fitting finale to the 2007 regular season, the No. 10 Huskers set a season-high mark in topping No. 16 Air Force, 207.75-190.10 at the Devaney Center on Saturday night. Nebraska swept the top-three spots on four of six events in the win, while senior Jason Wassung notched the fifth all-around title of his career (52.40).

Nebraska captured the top three places on the pommel horse, vault, parallel bars and high bar against the Falcons, making it the first time the Huskers had swept any event this season. Junior Stephen T?trault and sophomore T.J. Schmidt each captured a pair of event titles in the win. T?trault’s came on the vault (9.00) and high bar (9.05), giving him his second and third titles of the season and a season-high all-around score of 52.00. Schmidt gained his fifth crowns on both the pommel horse (9.20) and parallel bars (9.25).

Nebraska came out exceptionally strong on the floor exercise to start the meet, earning a team score of 35.00, just shy of its season season high of 35.25. Senior Jon Charter made his final performance at the Devaney Center a good one, as he set a career-high mark of 8.70. Schmidt also notched a career best of 8.85 for second place in the event.

NU’s top scores continued to come on the pommel horse in the second rotation, beginning with a career best of 8.40 from sophomore James Mauldin for third place. Mauldin, who reached the podium for the first time in his career, was followed by a solid mark of 9.10 from T?trault for second before Schmidt took the title with a score of 9.20.

Still without its top ringman Tony Maras, who is out with a broken hand, Nebraska moved to the still rings in the third rotation. Mauldin again kicked off the event for the Huskers, improving to two-for-two on career-highs for the night with a career best of 8.50. Schmidt also continued his impressive evening, placing second with a mark of 8.90.

The Huskers struggled through the vault rotation, an event that has lost considerable depth due to injury in the past two weeks. However, T?trault, an All-American on the vault, was able to post a season best of 9.00 for his first event title on the vault since 2005. Wassung added a season best of 8.90 for second, while sophomore Eric Daigle and freshman John Robinson tied for third (8.15) to give the Huskers their second event sweep of the meet.

Nebraska moved to the parallel bars in the fifth rotation, historically its bread and butter event this year. That trend held true against Air Force as the Huskers posted a solid score of 34.75, behind the ever-present force of Schmidt, who earned his second event title of the meet with a score of 9.25. Schmidt was followed by Wassung (8.80) in second while Robinson placed third (8.35).

The Huskers capped off the regular season on the high bar, as T?trault earned his second event title of the evening with a season-high score of 9.05. Wassung also gave a memorable performance in his final routine at the Devaney Center for a score of 8.95 and second place on the event.

Nebraska’s win over Air Force marks the end of the regular season for the Huskers, who finish 2007 with a record of 3-9. NU will now gear up for postseason action, starting with the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on Saturday, March 31, in Berkeley, Calif., at 9 p.m. Central.

<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

Team Results                Score

1. <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska                   207.75

2. Air Force                   190.10

 

All-Around                                 Score

1. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     52.40

2. Stephen T?trault, Nebraska     52.00

3. Brennan Wolford, Air Force     45.40

 

Event Results (Top Three Only)

 

Floor Exercise                           Score

1. Greg Stine, Air Force              8.90

2. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska          8.85
3. Stephen T?trault, Nebraska     8.80

 

Pommel Horse                           Score

1. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska          9.20

2. Stephen T?trault, Nebraska     9.10

3. James Mauldin, Nebraska       8.40

 

Still Rings                                 Score

1. Greg Stine, Air Force              9.10

2. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska          8.90

3. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     8.75

 

Vault                                         Score

1. Stephen T?trault, Nebraska     9.00

2. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     8.90

3. Eric Daigle, Nebraska             8.15

    John Robinson, Nebraska       8.15

 

Parallel Bars                             Score

1. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska          9.25

2. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     8.80

3. John Robinson, Nebraska       8.35

   

High Bar                                   Score

1. Stephen T?trault, Nebraska    9.05

2. Jason Wassung, Nebraska     8.95

3. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska      8.60