Jan. 30, 2010
LINCOLN, Neb. – The No. 11 Missouri Tigers (5-1) kept the meet close for a time but were not able to push past No. 9 Nebraska (5-0). The Cornhuskers posted a 194.700 to best the Tigers team score of 193.275. Senior All-American Sarah Shire posted a 38.875 in the all-around to take the 15th title of her career, including the vault, beam and floor titles.
The meet, which was originally scheduled for 7 p.m., was moved to 11:30 a.m. Friday after weather delayed the start of Nebraska's men's basketball game.
The Tigers started the meet on bars for the first time this season. Freshman Lauren Swankoski (Chadds Ford, Pa.) led it off for the team with a 9.750. Senior Danielle Guider (Nutley, N.J.) and sophomore Allie Heizelman (Cypress, Texas) kept it going with a 9.675 and a 9.650, respectively. Senior Becky Scholle (Chesterfield, Mo.) received a 9.700 followed by sophomore Mary Burke's (Inverness, Ill.) 9.750. Missouri finished the first rotation trailing Nebraska 48.850-48.525.
On vault, freshman Tori Howard (Chesterfield, Mo.) earned the Tigers a 9.700 that made way for a pair of 9.825s from Swankoski and junior Alex Gold (Plano, Texas). Burke was next with a 9.775 and Shire posted a 9.850 to win the event title for the second straight week.
At the halfway mark, Missouri and Nebraska were tied at 97.500 going into the last two rotations.
Missouri started the second half of the meet on floor with Gold posting a 9.725. Guider scored a 9.525, while Swankoski earned a 9.500 for the team. Shire closed it out with a 9.850 and the floor title. Heading into the fourth and final rotation, the score stood 145.950-145.150 with Nebraska in the lead.
Burke was first up on beam and earned a 9.575. Guider and Gold were next in the rotation with a 9.500 and a 9.475, respectively. Senior Brooke Boehmer (Overland Park, Kan.) steadied the lineup up with a 9.725 to make way for Shire's 9.850. Shire has now won the beam title every week of the season.
The Tigers return home to the Hearnes Center next Saturday, Feb. 6, for the fourth annual Beauty and the Beast meet with the Missouri wrestling team. The two teams will compete simultaneously on the floor as the gymnastics team takes on New Hampshire and the wrestlers battle Oklahoma. The gymnastics portion is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.
