The Nebraska women’s gymnastics team traveled to Fort Worth, TX over the weekend to compete in the 2015 NCAA gymnastics tournament. The season ended earlier than they had hoped as they placed 4th in the Friday evening semifinal with a team total of 196.675.
Huskers opened the meet on the beam. Over the course of the season, the balance beam presented problems for Big Red gymnasts. Once again it was their downfall. Husker freshmen Danielle Breen and Grace Williams had the highest scores of 9.80. The rest of the squad followed behind with scores of 9.7+. The combined team marks totaled 48.875. It was not the start the Huskers had hoped for and that low score proved difficult to make up for the rest of the evening.
After a bye in the 2nd rotation, NU recovered their composure in the 3rd rotation on floor exercise. Huskers scored a big 49.425 led by Hollie Blanske’s 9.925 mark. Ashley Lambert tumbled her way to a score of 9.90 followed by Jessie DeZiel and Jennifer Lauer with their 9.875’s. Senior Desire’ Stephens added her 9.85 while Grace Williams followed with a 9.80. After 3 rotations, the Huskers sat in 5th place with a total score of 98.300.
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Nebraska moved to the vault which was often their best apparatus over the course of the season. DeZiel led the Big Red with her 9.90, followed by a 9.875 from sophomore Ariel Martin. Ashley Lambert had a strong 9.825, while Laeng and Stephens completed the rotation with a pair 9.80s. The team total for the vault was a strong 49.200.
Big Red had another bye in the 5th rotation. In the 9th rotation of the semifinal, Nebraska tallied a 49.175 on bars. DeZiel had the top score for the Huskers with her 9.875 followed closely by Williams with a 9.85. Laeng and Blanske each scored a 9.825, followed by Stephens with her a 9.80. Breen struggled to a 9.75 score to complete the rotation. The team total at the end of competition sat at 196.675.
Placing 4th behind Oklahoma, Alabama and Auburn, the Nebraska gymnastics team would not move on to the Super Six event on Saturday. However, three Huskers earned All-American honors for their performances in the semifinal. Senior Jessie DeZiel was awarded second-team All-America awards on vault (fifth place) and first-team honors in the all-around (sixth place).
Senior @DEZIELorNoDeal recognized for her sixth-place all-around finish Friday! #GBR pic.twitter.com/RF6HBRbQIb
— Nebraska Women's Gym (@HuskerWGym) April 19, 2015
Sophomore Ashley Lambert earned her first All-American honors by placing on the second-team for floor for her sixth-place finish. Junior Hollie Blanske earned second-team honors in the all-around. Because Hollie Blanske also garnered first-team All-America honors on floor exercise after tying for second place with 9.925, she earned the right to compete in the individual event finals on Sunday afternoon. Her routine on the floor was award a score of 9.85, giving her an 11th place finish.
Blanske's floor score will end in 11th place. What a year for the junior and three-time All-American! The 2015 season is officially a wrap.
— Nebraska Women's Gym (@HuskerWGym) April 19, 2015
Huskers finished the season with an overall record of 5 – 1 and 4 – 1 in the Big Ten. They celebrated many individual and team accomplishments. Seniors Jessie DeZiel, Amanda Lauer, Jennifer Lauer and Desire’ Stephens leave with fond memories of their Husker careers on the mat. Husker Nation wishes them well.