Feb. 8, 2014
197.225 No. 8 Nebraska (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) |
University Park, Pa. • Rec Hall • Attendance: 2,120 | 196.150 Penn State (8-2, 2-1 Big Ten) |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; February 8, 2014 - The No. 23 Penn State women's gymnastics program posted season-high scores on the balance beam, uneven bars, and vault, but No. 8 Nebraska grabbed the victory on Saturday night at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions tied their season-best team score, but the Cornhuskers came away with the 197.225 - 196.150 win.
The Nittany Lions put together a solid showing that included three gymnasts with all-around scores of 39.000 or better - Randi Lau (Honolulu, Hawaii) at 39.100, Kassidy Stauder (Palmerton, Pa.) at 39.350 and Krystal Welsh (Bowie, Md.) at 39.175 - and two gymnasts tied for individual event titles on three different apparatus.
Penn State's highest scoring event of the night was the vault, where they posted a season-best score of 49.150. Freshman Emma Sibson (Allen, Texas) led the way for Penn State with a career-best score to tie for the event title at 9.950 with the Cornhuskers Jessie DeZiel. Sibson's score is also tied for the eighth best score in school history with eight other Nittany Lions.
Stauder continued her solid senior season by tying for a pair of individual event titles by setting new personal-best scores on the uneven bars and balance beam. She dazzled the Rec Hall crowd with a score of 9.900 on the uneven bars and 9.925 on the balance beam, anchoring both of the events for the Nittany Lions.
Stauder, who was awarded the Ann Carr Award for the most inspirational performance of the meet, also set a new personal-best and a team-best score of 39.350 in the all-around. She scored 9.750 on the vault and notched a 9.775 on the floor exercise.
Freshman Nicole Medvitz (Paramus, N.J.) set a new career-high on the balance beam with a 9.825 and was the No. 2 Penn State performer on the event and finished seventh overall. Welsh posted a career best score of 9.875 on vault, as well, to tie for fourth overall.
The Cornhuskers took the crown on floor in a tie between Hollie Blanske and Emily Wong with identical scores of 9.900.
Penn State will remain at home next weekend when they host their final double dual of the season against Illinoi on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. The men's team will also compete against the Illini, with all four programs currently ranked among the top 25 teams in the country.
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