No. 9 Huskers Sweep UIC, Air Force at Chicago

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Chicago, Ill. ? The ninth-ranked Nebraska gymnastics team ended its regular season on a high note as it swept No. 11 UIC and No. 15 Air Force at the University of Illinois at Chicago on Friday night. The Huskers posted a total team score of 340.05, blasting both UIC (334.20) and Air Force (325.30).

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Nebraska took top honors on three of seven events, while seven Husker gymnasts earned top-three individual results on seven different events. Freshman Josh Dilworth stepped up big for the Huskers, earning event titles on both vault and floor exercise, while sophomore Anthony Ingrelli tied for first on still rings.

 

The Huskers got off to a rough start on pommel horse in the first rotation with a score of 53.30, which was nearly three points less than their score last weekend against Minnesota and ArizonaState. Despite the low team score, senior James Mauldin earned a second-place finish on the apparatus, posting a score of 13.75 for the Huskers. Junior Kyle Shanahan helped NU with a score of 13.35, while senior T.J. Schmidt and junior Josh Rusler also added matching scores of 13.20 to the team total. After the first rotation, UIC led the standings with a score of 56.00, while Air Force was in second (55.35) and Nebraska was in third (53.50).

 

Nebraska couldn’t seem to stick a landing on still rings in the second rotation, pulling together a score of 56.80. Ingrelli was a highlight to the Husker lineup, tying for his second still rings title of the season with a score of 14.70. Junior Tony Maras was close behind with a score of 14.50 for fourth place. Robinson and Mauldin also added scores of 13.65 and 13.95, respectively. Shanahan improved last weekend’s effort, posting a new season-high score of 13.30. Despite the unusually low still rings score, Nebraska moved into first place after the second rotation with a score of 110.30. UIC dropped to second with a score of 110.20, while Air Force moved to third with a score of 109.30.

 

NU shook its nerves in the third rotation, notching a score of 57.95 on floor exercise. Dilworth led the way for Nebraska, earning the first event title of his collegiate career with a score of 15.00. Shanahan followed close behind in second place with a season-high score of 14.70 for the Huskers, blasting his pervious high of 14.25. Schmidt and Rusler also added to the team total with scores of 13.85 and 14.40, respectively. Midway through the meet, Nebraska continued to lead the standings with a score of 168.25, while UIC remained in second (166.00) and Air Force stayed in third (161.85).

 

Nebraska kept on the right track in the fourth rotation, posting a score of 56.50 on parallel bars. Shanahan was again a top competitor for NU, notching another season-high score of 14.25. Sophomore Bear Danley wowed his hometown Chicago crowd with a career-high of 13.85. Schmidt contributed a 14.10, while Robinson posted a 14.15. Senior Jacob Ives also earned a new career-high with a score of 13.45. After four rotations, UIC took the lead with a score of 225.30, while Nebraska fell to second (224.75) and Air Force remained in third (212.95).

 

The Huskers continued on to high bar in the fifth rotation, earning a score of 54.55. Nebraska nearly swept the top-five spots on high bar, as Rusler placed second with a score of 13.75, Shanahan placed third with a score of 13.70 and Danley placed fourth with a score of 13.65. Redshirt freshman Cory Baumgarten also contributed to the NU standings with a career-high of 13.45.

 

Nebraska was in a neck-and-neck battle with UIC, as the Flames led NU, 280.20-279.30 heading into the sixth and final rotation. However, Nebraska was able to surge ahead of the Flames with an outstanding effort on vault. The Huskers posted a score of 60.75 on vault behind Dilworth and Baumgarten. Dilworth captured his second event title of the night with a score of 15.85, while Baumgarten cracked the top-three with a score of 15.25 for third place.

 

Nebraska’s win over UIC and Air force marks the end of the regular season for the Huskers, who finish 2009 with a record of 4-7. The Huskers also advance to a 2-0-0 series record with the Flames and an18-2-0 series with Air Force. NU will now gear up for postseason action, staring with the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on Saturday, April 4, in Palo Alto, Calif., at 6 p.m. Central. 

 

 

Team Results                                    Score
1. Nebraska                                       340.05
2. UIC                                                334.20

3. Air Force                                        325.30 

 

All-Around Results                           Score
1. Neal Thompson, UIC                       82.85
2. Anthony May, UIC                          82.10
3. John Robinson, Nebraska            81.80                                  

                                          

Individual Event Results

Floor Exercise                                 Score
1. Josh Dilworth, Nebraska              15.00
2. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska           14.70
3. Aaron Zaiser, Air Force                   14.40

 

Pommel Horse                                 Score
1. Neal Thompson, UIC                       13.80
2. James Mauldin, Nebraska            13.75
3. Jacob Houder, Air Force                  13.70

 

Still Rings                                        Score
1T. Anthony Ingrelli, Nebraska         14.70
     Jacob Schonig, Air Force                  

     Nikolai Korepanov, UIC

 

Vault                                                 Score
1. Josh Dilworth, Nebraska                15.85
2. Joel Uptmor, Air Force                      15.30
3. Cory Baumgarten, Nebraska          15.25

 

Parallel Bars                                     Score
1. Neal Thompson, UIC                         14.65
2. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska              14.25
3. Anthony May, UIC                             14.20   

                    

High Bar                                            Score
1. Andrew Stover, UIC                          14.60
2. Josh Rusler, Nebraska                    13.75
3. Kyle Shanahan, Nebraska               13.70