The Nebraska women’s gymnastics team faced a tough setback on Saturday afternoon, falling to the No. 9 UCLA Bruins with a score of 197.325 to 195.250 at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. This loss brings the Huskers’ record to 2-2 for the season, including 0-1 in the Big Ten, while UCLA improved to 5-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
Highlighting the performance for Nebraska, Isabel Sikon earned fourth place in the all-around competition with a score of 39.000, while Whitney Jencks closely followed in fifth place with 38.950. The team collectively achieved two new career highs during the meet, showcasing promising individual talents.
In the first rotation on the uneven bars, Nebraska posted a solid score of 49.050. Molly Peterson stood out with a top score of 9.875, followed by Jencks with 9.850. Sikon equaled her personal best with a score of 9.800, while Nya Kraus and Olivia Burns contributed scores of 9.775 and 9.750, respectively.
The second rotation saw Nebraska move to vault, achieving a score of 48.675. Reese Baechle highlighted this rotation with a score of 9.800, while Tegan Shaver and Peyton Pech both scored 9.750. Sikon finished with a solid 9.700, and Karys Griffin rounded out the lineup with a 9.675.
During the third rotation on the floor, Nebraska earned 48.625, led by Lauren Homecillo’s impressive score of 9.850. Sikon contributed with a score of 9.750, followed by Jencks and Allie Gard who both scored 9.700, and Kraus with 9.650.
The competition concluded on the beam, where NU recorded a score of 48.900. Homecillo achieved a career-high of 9.825, the best of the lineup, followed closely by Kraus with the same score and Sikon who scored 9.775. Gard and Jencks rounded out the rotation with scores of 9.750 and 9.725, respectively.
Looking ahead, Nebraska will have the opportunity to rebound as they return to the Bob Devaney Sports Center on January 24 to host No. 20 Minnesota. This meet is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, offering a chance for the Huskers to showcase their skills in front of a home crowd.