March 20, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 15th-ranked Penn State women's gymnastics team suffered a 196.300-195.575 setback to No. 12 Nebraska on Saturday evening. Freshman Sharaya Musser (Colorado Springs, Colo.) led the Lions with two individual event titles and a second place finish in the all-around.
Penn State finished the meet with a 49.375 on vault, a 49.325 on bars, a 47.700 on beam and a 49.175 on floor. The Cornhuskers totaled 49.225 on vault, 49.125 on bars, a 48.775 on beam and a 49.075 on floor.
Musser scored a 38.950 for second place in the all-around, while senior teammate Brandi Personett (Katy, Texas) finished third with a 38.800 and freshman Madison Merriam (Gaithersburg, Md.) placed fifth with a 38.575. Nebraska's Maria Scaffidi won the all-around with a 39.275.
The Lions opened the meet on vault with Musser winning her third title of the season on the event with a 9.950. Personett placed third with a 9.900 and Merriam tied for fourth with a 9.875 to tie her season-high. Junior Danielle Hover (Hamburg, N.Y.) and senior Rosie Smith (Waterford, Pa.) tied for sixth with a 9.825. Hover's score tied her season-best.
In the second rotation, the Nittany Lions moved to beam where Musser took top honors for the fifth time this season with a 9.900. Sophomore Natalie Ettl (Waukesha, Wis.) took second with a 9.875 to tie with senior Alexandra Brockway (Macungie, Pa.). Personett tied for fourth with a 9.850 and Merriam placed fifth with a 9.825. Nebraska's Kathryn Howard took home the title with a 9.875.
The Nittany Lions advanced to beam for the third rotation where senior Casey Rohrbaugh (Spring Grove, Pa.) and Hover tied for fourth with a 9.800. Hover tied her career-high on the event. Senior Allie Southard (Nanuet, N.Y.) took seventh with a 9.750, Musser place 10th with a 9.275 and Personett took 11th scoring a 9.100.
Penn State had two Nittany Lions tied their season-highs, one set a career-high and one tied her personal-best on floor. Personett led the Lions claiming her 10th title on the event this season and tying her career-high with a 9.950. Musser tied for third with a personal-best score of 9.850. Merriam and Southard, whose score tied her season-high, tied for sixth with a 9.800. Rohrbaugh and Smith each scored a 9.775 to take ninth.
What's Next?
The Nittany Lions travel to Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, March 27 for the 2010 Big Ten Championships. Championship action begins at 2 p.m. Penn State hosts the 2010 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Northeast Regional on April 10 with action beginning at 6 p.m. in Rec Hall.