Nebraska Sweeps Air Force in Final Home Dual

Lincoln, <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Neb.-The No. 10 Nebraska gymnastics team ended its regular season on a high note Saturday night as it captured a 353.650-335.100 victory over No. 15 Air Force in front of 300 fans at the BobDevaneySportsCenter. The Huskers not only ended the year with a season-high team score, but they also finished with a 5-7 record, which is their best since 2006.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

“They were an impressive group today,” Head Coach Francis Allen said. “We had to do a little fighting here and there, but overall we did well. When we get (Stephen) T?trault back and get him to do a little more, we will be impressive at the NCAA Championships. I think if we can keep at this pace and put more pressure on high bar and parallel bars and keep attitude on pommel horse and floor we will b e fine. People are going to start saying, ?Nebraska is sure coming around and doing it,’ and that’s what we want them to think.”

Nebraska took top honors on five events, four of which saw the Huskers in all three top spots. Also, for the second time this season, NU claimed the top-two spots on the all-around.

Sophomore Kyle Shanahan captured the all-around title for the second week in a row, posting a career-high 87.45 on the event. Shanahan also captured his second high bar title of the year with a career-high score of 15.10.

Sophomore all-arounder John Robinson also did an impressive job at the meet, claiming his second first-place title on vault (16.00) before finishing second in the all-around with a career-high of 86.30.

Freshman David Spitdowski earned his first event title of his career on floor exercise with a career-high score of 15.20, while junior T.J. Schmidt notched titles on both pommel horse (15.30) and parallel bars (15.20).

Nebraska started the meet with a solid performance on floor exercise, as all six gymnasts set career-high scores en route to a season-high team score of 59.55 on the event. Nebraska earned all top-three finishes, as Spitdowski earned his first top finish of the season with a score of 15.20. Shanahan claimed second with a score of 15.05, while sophomore Daniel Br?l? placed third with a score of 14.70.

The Huskers kept the momentum on pommel horse, as they set another season-high of 58.20. NU swept the top-three again, as Schmidt topped the field with a career-high score of 15.30. Freshman Bear Danley and senior Stephen T?trault tied for second place with career-high scores of 14.40. After two rotations, the Huskers led the Falcons, 117.750-109.800.

NU kept swinging on the still rings, pulling together a score of 59.05. Sophomore Tony Maras finished second on the event with a score of 14.85, while Shanahan made his first appearance in the top-three with a career-high score of 14.80.

Nebraska made a clean sweep on the vault in the fourth rotation as the Huskers scored a 61.35. Robinson claimed his first career event title with a score of 16.00.Br?l? tied his career-high score of 15.70 for second place, while Maras cracked the top-three on vault for the first time this season with a score of 15.50. At the end of four rotations, NU was ahead of Air Force, 238.15-223.75.

Schmidt claimed his fourth parallel bars title of the season with a career-high score of 15.20, as the Huskers earned a solid score of 58.45 on the event. Br?l? made another appearance in the top-three as he claimed second with a score of 14.60. Shanahan rounded out the top-three with a score of 14.35.

Nebraska finished up the meet on high bar, where they scored a season-high 57.05. Shanahan blasted his previous high bar score of 15.10, as he placed first with a score of 15.10. Sophomore Josh Rusler also made an appearance in the top-three as he placed third with a career-high score of 14.40.

Nebraska’s win over Air Force marks the end of the regular season for the Huskers, who finish 2008 with a record of 5-7. The Huskers also advance to a 16-2-0 series record with the Falcons. NU will now gear up for postseason action, starting with the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on Saturday, April 5, in Lincoln at 2 p.m. Central.

Team Results                                       Score

1. Nebraska                                          353.65
2. Air Force                                           335.10

All-Around Results                               Score

1. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska               87.45
2. John Robinson, Nebraska                86.30
3. Greg Stine, Air Force                          84.30

Individual Event Results

Floor Exercise                                                Score
1. David Spitdowski, Nebraska            15.20
2. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska               15.05
3. Daniel Br?l?, Nebraska                    14.70 

Pommel Horse                                     Score
1. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska                    15.30
2T. Bear Danley, Nebraska                  14.40
     Stephen T?trault, Nebraska            14.40

Still Rings                                            Score
1. Jacob Schonig, Air Force                    15.65
2. Tony Maras, Nebraska                     14.85
3. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska               14.80

 

Vault                                                    Score
1. John Robinson, Nebraska                16.00
2. Daniel Br?l?, Nebraska                    15.70
3. Tony Maras, Nebraska                     15.50

Parallel Bars                                        Score
1. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska                    15.20
2. Daniel Br?l?, Nebraska                    14.60
3. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska               14.35

High Bar                                              Score
1. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska               15.10
2. Greg Stine, Air Force                          15.55
2. Josh Rusler, Nebraska                     14.40