Huskers Set Season-High Score in Loss to Oklahoma

Lincoln, Neb. ? The No. 10 Nebraska men’s gymnastics team scored a team mark of 337.600 in front of 450 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center against the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday afternoon. Despite strong individual scores across the board, NU’s performance wasn’t enough to prevail over Oklahoma, which posted a score of 354.300 for the win.

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“I saw some good things and I saw some things that weren’t so good,” Nebraska Coach Francis Allen said. “But I don’t like to dwell on the bad things. (John) Robinson did really well. His hand was in bad shape and he hasn’t been able to practice much this week, but he’s doing the right things in the competition. T.J. (Schmidt) did some good things and (James) Mauldin is really coming around. Our ring team is coming together and we’re going to need them down the road. I was happy to see (Kyle) Shanahan back in the lineup. The first home meet is always an eye opener. We just need to get healthy if we’re going to be a good team.”

 

Individually, senior T.J. Schmidt earned his first pommel horse title of the year with a score of 14.65. Freshman Josh Dilworth placed third on vault with a score of 15.85, while junior John Robinson notched a third-place finish in the all-around with a season-high score of 84.70.

 

Nebraska followed Olympic order from start to finish, entering the first rotation on floor exercise. Behind several strong performances, the Huskers pulled together a season-best score of 55.55. Senior Jacob Ives started the Huskers off on floor, igniting a string of season-high scores. Ives earned a new season-high of 13.10, while junior Josh Rusler also notched a new season-high of 13.55. Freshman Josh Dilworth and senior T.J. Schmidt continued the record setting streak, each earning season-high and Nebraska team-high scores of 14.20 on floor exercise.

 

NU struggled in the second rotation, only putting together a score of 54.60 on pommel horse. Despite several falls early in the lineup, Schmidt and Robinson ended the event on high notes. Schmidt not only earned the event title, but also set a new season-high score of 14.65. Robinson also set a new season-high with a score of 13.80. After two rotations, the Huskers dropped behind the Sooners, 110.150-114.350.

 

The Huskers kept swinging on the still rings in the third rotation, tallying a team total of 56.75. Although NU was unable to establish a new team-high score on the event, individually, Robinson crushed his previous still rings season-high of 14.10 with a new season-high of 14.35. He also held the highest score for the Huskers on still rings.

 

Nebraska gained a boost of momentum in the fourth rotation, posting a season-high score of 61.35. Several Huskers also captured season bests, including Ives (15.05), sophomore Garret Durst (15.20) and Robinson (1525). The best vault of the day for the Huskers came from Dilworth, who notched a season- and team-high score of 15.85, which earned him a third-place finish on the event. After the fourth rotation, Nebraska continued to fall behind Oklahoma, 228.250-236.550.

 

The Huskers had a rocky fifth rotation, as they scored a 55.85 on parallel bars. Seniors James Mauldin led NU on parallel bars with a season-high score of 14.35, which blasted his Rocky Mountain Open score of 13.20. Schmidt held NU’s top score, as he posted a 14.55 on the event.

 

Despite several rough rotations, Nebraska finished strong in the sixth rotation, posting a score of 53.50 on high bar. Junior Kyle Shanahan competed on the high bar for the first time this season, earning a score of 13.85. Robinson also scored a new season-high of 13.75 on the event. Nebraska’s score on high bar would not be enough to send the Huskers ahead of Oklahoma. With two losses to OU on the year, Nebraska falls to 1-2 on the season.

 

The Huskers are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Stanford Open in Palo Alto, Calif. Nebraska will continue its road tour until Sunday, March 8, when it hosts Air Force in a double dual with the NU women’s team.

 

 

Team Results                                       Score

1. Oklahoma                                          354.300
2. Nebraska                                           337.600

 

All-Around Results                               Score

1. Chris Brooks, Oklahoma                     89.20

2. Stephen Legendre, Oklahoma              87.85

3. John Robinson, Nebraska                84.70

 

Individual Event Results 

Floor Exercise                                      Score

1. Bobby Shortle, Oklahoma                    14.90

2T. Patrick Piscitelli, Oklahoma               14.65

      Steven Legendre                               14.65         

 

Pommel Horse                                     Score

1. T.J. Schmidt, Nebraska                    14.65

2. Jason Laughton, Oklahoma                14.45
3. Kyle McNamara, Oklahoma                13.95               

 

Still Rings                                            Score

1. Steven Legendre, Oklahoma               14.90

2. Kyle McNamara, Oklahoma                14.80

3. Chris Brooks, Oklahoma                     14.75

 

Vault                                                    Score

1. Steven Legendre, Oklahoma               16.30
2. Chris Brooks, Oklahoma                     16.10

3. Josh Dilworth, Nebraska                   15.85

 

Parallel Bars                                        Score

1. Chris Brooks, Oklahoma                     15.30

2. Kyle McNamara, Oklahoma                14.85

3. Steven Legendre, Oklahoma               14.60

 

High Bar                                               Score
1. Chris Brooks, Oklahoma                     15.05
2. Jason Laughton, Oklahoma                 14.55
3. Stephen Legendre, Oklahoma             14.45