Oregon State
Nebraska
Beavers Score Big, Fall at Nebraska
March 08, 2015 | Women's Gymnastics
LINCOLN, Neb. – The No. 15 Oregon State gymnastics team posted its second-highest score of the season but fell to No. 7 Nebraska 197.225-196.700 Saturday evening at the Devaney Center. Sophomore Madeline Gardiner led the Beavers with a career-best score 39.450 in the all-around.
The Beavers, whose record dropped to 7-5 in 2015, trailed 98.725-98.100 at the halfway point before beating the Huskers on the beam and floor to close the gap in the late-going.
“We really needed to get a good score and to come all this way and perform so well is a great thing,” head coach Tanya Chaplin said. “We know that we'll be traveling for regionals and I've been really happy with the way this team has performed on the road this season.”
“We were dealt some adversity this week with Risa (Perez) out sick and Dani (Dessaints) out too and then to have Shireen Khamedoost fall in warm-ups and go out of the lineup. That's a lot of routines to fill and I'm really pleased with how everyone stepped up and did their job well. We beat (the Huskers) on the beam and floor and that's not an easy thing to do especially here.”
The Beavers began the meet on the uneven bars with six straight solid routines of 9.80 or better, a marked improvement over their last meet when the bars rotation was marred by three falls. Gardiner, who was thrust into the lineup during warm-ups, helped set OSU on a positive course with a career-best 9.875. Kaytianna McMillan matched Gardiner with a 9.875 and Chelsea Tang scored 9.850. Erika Aufiero tallied a 9.825 while Taylor Keeker and Silvia Colussi-Pelaez each marked at 9.80. OSU's cumulative bars score of 49.225 tied its season-best effort.
OSU trailed Nebraska 49.450-49.225 after the opening salvo moving to the vault where the Beavers have been extremely solid all season. Megan Jimenez was the Beavers' only stuck landing and received a 9.80. Keeker led the vault attack with a 9.825 and Gardiner added another 9.80. Oregon State's final vault tally of 48.875 marked the first time in six weeks it has failed to reach the 49-point mark on the apparatus.
Despite the solid if not high scoring second rotation, the Beavers re-grouped for the floor exercise. Nicole Turner and Cerise Witherby set up the lineup with a pair of 9.85's to start the comeback. A team-high 9.90 by Tang highlighted the rotation while Gardiner added a third score of 9.85 to the scorebook. Transfer Jamie Radermacher, who was performing her first competitive routine for OSU, drew the task of replacing fan favorite Risa Perez and notched a 9.85 of her own. OSU finished the rotation with a 49.300 on the floor, making it the sixth straight meet of 49+ points on the event.
Still trailing the Huskers 148.000-147.400 entering the final stanza, OSU stared down the balance beam and came away with a season-best 49.300. Gardiner recorded a career-best 9.925 while Tang added a 9.90 on a beautiful routine. McMillan scored 9.850 and Witherby tallied a 9.80. Colussi-Pelaez, who has re-worked her beam routine returned to the lineup after spending the last three weeks in exhibition, scored 9.825 to boost the beam team.
Oregon State returns home for the final time next week for Senior Night. The Beavers host San Jose State, Seattle Pacific and Lindenwood Saturday at 7 p.m.
Team Scores: No. 7 Nebraska 197.225; No. 15 Oregon State 196.700.
All-Around: 1. Jessie DeZiel (NEB) 39.550; 2. Hollie Blanske (NEB) 39.475; 3. Madeline Gardiner (OSU) 39.450.
Vault (48.875): 1. Jessie DeZiel (NEB) 9.975; T2. Desire' Stephens (NEB), Ashley Lambert (NEB), Hollie Blanske (NEB) 9.875. OSU Scores: Taylor Keeker 9.825; Madeline Gardiner 9.800; Megan Jimenez 9.800; Erika Aufiero 9.750; Taylor Ricci 9.700; Cerise Witherby 9.700.
Uneven Bars (49.225): 1. Jessie DeZiel (NEB) 9.900; T2. Madeline Gardiner (OSU), Kaytianna McMillan (OSU), Desire' Stephens (NEB) 9.875. Other OSU Scores: Chelsea Tang 9.850; Erika Aufiero 9.825; Taylor Keeker 9.800; Silvia Colussi-Pelaez 9.800 (Exhibition – Katelyn Ohlrich 9.600).
Balance Beam (49.300): 1. Madeline Gardiner (OSU) 9.925; T2. Chelsea Tang (OSU), Jennifer Lauer (NEB) 9.900. Other OSU Scores: Kaytianna McMillan 9.850; Silvia Colussi-Pelaez 9.825; Cerise Witherby 9.800; Katelyn Ohlrich 9.300.
Floor Exercise (49.300): 1. Hollie Blanske (NEB) 9.925; 2. Chelsea Tang (OSU) 9.900; 3. Jessie DeZiel (NEB) 9.875. Other OSU Scores: Nicole Turner 9.850; Cerise Witherby 9.850; Madeline Gardiner 9.850; Jamie Radermacher 9.850; Kaytianna McMillan 9.775.
Players Mentioned
