Huskers beat the field at Rutgers

No. 6 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team celebrated their 1st road win Saturday afternoon in a quad meet hosted by Rutgers in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Huskers won their third meet of the 2015 season by scoring high marks to meet their high expectations.

Huskers‘ first rotation was on bars.  All five gymnasts scored above a 9.80. Jesse DeZiel scored her season-high of 9.90.  Hollie Blanske followed up with a 9.85 while both Danielle Breen and Jennie Laeng earned marks of 9.825. Jennifer Lauer scored a 9.80 to help the squad make a strong bid in the event. In their first rotation, Rutgers scored 48.975 on vault, Southern Connecticut tumbled to a score of 47.475 in floor exercise and Brockport scored 47.400 on beam. After the end of the rotation, NU had earned a season high team score of 49.20 and led the meet.

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Nebraska was stung by two falls in their second rotation on the beam. The girls steadied their nerves to complete their routines. Jennie Laeng led the Huskers with a 9.85, followed by Jessie DeZiel and Grace Williams tied with 9.825. The team score of 48.25 was not enough to win the rotation. Rutgers led all four squads in the second rotation with a score of 49.10 on the bars, the highest team score in that event. After two events, Rutgers led the meet with a 98.075.

Huskers regained their composure and confidence in the third rotation on floor exercise. Two Huskers, Blanske and Williams, tied for top score with 9.90. Desire’ Stephens added on a 9.85 and Kamerin Moore earned a 9.725 in her first routine of the day. Huskers regained the meet lead with their team score of 49.200 in floor exercise. Rutgers posted a 48.425 score on beam.

After three events, Nebraska led all four squads with a score of 146.65. Nebraska saved their “best” for last and ended the meet with a flourish. Their vault rotation earned the highest team score in any event for the meet with 49.60 points. Ashley Lambert, in her only routine of the day, scored her second perfect 10.00 in two weeks.

NU continued to show both individual and team strength in the vault.  Hollie Blanske tied her career-high mark of 9.95, as DeZiel and Moore had identical scores of 9.90. The Huskers topped the field with a score of 196.25 as Rutgers finished second with 195.375 followed by Southern Connecticut at 190.450 and Brockport with 188.075. Nebraska gymnasts won 3 individual events with DeZiel taking the All-Around title. With their vault performance today, Nebraska demonstrated why they are the No.1 vault team in the nation.

Coach Kendig may not have numbers this season but he has amazing gymnasts. Each meet sees them setting new personal bests in each event. Ashley Lambert continues to impress her coach, her teammates and people around the gymnastics world. Her name is now in the record books at Nebraska. She is the only Nebraska gymnast to have ever posted back-to-back perfect 10’s in a single event.

Huskers travel to Ann Arbor Saturday, Jan. 31, to face No. 4 Michigan in a Big Ten battle. This meet could decide who wins the conference title. Nebraska, as the reigning Big Ten champions, are anxious to defend their title against the highly ranked Wolverine squad. The meet begins at 3 p.m. CT. Stay tuned for updates and as always, GO BIG RED!!