The OU women's gymnastics team scored its highest cumulative point total of the season Friday night at the Field House.
Unfortunately for the Sooners, Nebraska did the same.
In its first Big 12 meet of the season, No. 6 OU (4-4) scored a 196.0, yet a talented Cornhusker team (6-2-1) sent the Sooners home disappointed after earning a 196.8 and the win in dual competition.
OU junior Brittney Koncak-Schumann said she attributes the close loss to superior execution by the Nebraska team.
"They hit, and we didn't," said Koncak-Schumann. "We were prepared, came in with all the ability to beat them and it wasn't our night."
The Sooners started the evening on vault, an apparatus which head coach Steve Nunno called "a high point" for his team.
Koncak-Schumann earned a 9.925, good for first place, while Kiara Redmond performed a career-high 9.9 to tie Nebraska's Emily Parsons for second place.
"Vault rocked tonight," said Nunno. "We had our highest score at home in quite some time."
Nunno said he was pleased with his team's start, as the Sooners held a 49.325-49.200 lead after the first rotation.
On their next apparatus the Sooners scored a season-high 48.900 on the uneven bars.
Stephanie LoPiccolo performed a career-high 9.85 and finished in a tie for second behind Nebraska's Vanessa Meloche.
"On bars we missed some handstands, missed some landings, and it ate away at our lead going into balance beam," said Nunno.
Nebraska earned its largest event margin of victory on the beam with a 49.275 to OU's 48.6.
"Beam has been our nemesis of last year, and I thought we had taken care of that problem," said Nunno. "Apparently it's back."
Oklahoma sophomore Lori Winn scored a career-high 9.9 to finish second to Emily Parsons, who earned the first of her two event titles for Nebraska.
Following the balance beam the Sooners trailed the Huskers 146.825-147.675 before heading to the floor exercise.
"On the floor we knew we had to go all out," said Nunno. "We had some stellar performances ... when we're down we're not out."
Oklahoma scored its second season-high score of the evening on the floor exercises, though Nebraska performed well enough to tie the Sooners with a 49.175 and secure the win.
For more pictures of this event, click here.
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