Huskers Fall to No. 19 Illinois

Urbana-Champaign, Ill. – The Nebraska women’s gymnastics team fell to No. 19 Illinois on the road, 196.700-195.800. 

Despite falling to the Fighting Illini, NU saw seven Huskers notch new season-high scores. 

Rotation One

The Huskers started on uneven bars, earning a team score of 48.525. Kinsey Davis led the Big Red with a 9.875, a season best, while Emma Spence followed with a 9.775. Genesis Gibson added a season-best score of 9.750, and Emma Simpton tallied a 9.700. Clara Colombo finished with a 9.425, and Sophia McClelland rounded out the rotation with a 9.100. 

The Fighting Illini led off the meet on vault, finishing with a team score of 49.125. Mia Townes led Illinois with a 9.900, claiming the vault event title. 

Rotation Two

Nebraska moved to vault for rotation two, tallying a team score of 48.975. Spence led NU with a 9.875 while Davis followed closely with a 9.850. Ayzhia Hall notched a 9.800, a season-best  for the sophomore, and Katie Kuenemann added a 9.750. Katelyn Barth tallied a 9.700 while Sophia McClelland rounded out the rotation with a 9.675. 

Illinois competed on uneven bars for rotation two, earning a team score of 49.175. Mia Takekawa led the Fighting Illini with a score of 9.950, claiming the event title. 

Rotation Three

Sophia McClelland and Halle Rourke led the third rotation on floor, each scoring a 9.850 as the Huskers tallied a 49.075. Rourke’s 9.850 marked a season-best for the sophomore. Emma Simpton made her floor debut with a 9.825 while Kylie Piringer earned a 9.800. Spene finished with a 9.750 while Kuenemann tallied a 9.700.

Takekawa led the Fighting Illini with a 9.925 on beam, claiming the event title, during rotation three while Illinois finished with a team score of 49.125 on the event. 

Rotation Four

NU finished the afternoon on beam, notching a team score of 49.225, a season best for the Huskers. McClelland led the Big Red with a 9.875. Hall and Simpton both notched a 9.850 while Colombo and Spence both tallied a 9.825. Allie Gard finished the meet for Nebraska with a 9.800, a season best. 

Abby Mueller led the Fighting Illini on floor, finishing with a 9.900 to take the event title. Illinois finished with a 49.275. 

The Fighting Illini claimed the meet victory with a 196.700 while the Huskers tallied a 195.800. 

All-Around

Mia Takekawa earned the all-around title with a score of 39.525. Spence finished with a 39.225 to finish in third while McClelland finished in fourth with a 38.500. 

Up Next 

The Huskers return to action next Monday, Feb. 6 against the Iowa Hawkeyes. The meet will take place at the Bob Devaney Sports Center and is set to begin at 8 p.m. (CT).