SE Oklahoma News

The No. 2 Oklahoma men's gymnastics team registered its second straight score of 418 or better to edge No. 3 Nebraska 418.250 to 417.650 Friday night at the Devaney Center. The Sooners scored a season-high 69.700 on parallel bars in the final rotation to overtake the Cornhuskers in the team all-around.

Freshman Adriel Perales took home the parallel bar title with a season-best 14.100, while fifth-year senior Spencer Goodell (14.050) and sophomore Emre Dodanli (14.050) notched career highs and senior Alan Camillus recorded his best score of the season (13.550) on the event.

Freshman Ignacio Yockers once again set a national collegiate standard for the season on pommel horse, registering a 15.550 to surpass his previous nation-best mark by .450 points (15.100, set last week). He led the Sooners to a 72.350 on the event Friday night – the best team score in the country this season by nearly three points.

Junior Zach Nunez posted an 83.100 in the all-around, scoring better than 83.000 for the third consecutive meet. He set a new career high with a 14.550 on vault and set a new personal season mark with a 13.550 on high bar.

"The pommel horse team had another tremendous night, and Zach Nunez had another great all-around performance," Oklahoma head coach Mark Williams said. "As a team, they weren't going to open the door for Nebraska to step through that. It's really a testament to their mental toughness and believing in themselves to get it done. Definitely can give credit to Nebraska. They had a great meet tonight and a great crowd. It was a good environment for gymnastics."

Oklahoma trailed Nebraska 139.500 to 136.600 after two rotations, but its massive pommel horse score put the Crimson and Cream in front at the midway point (208.950 to 208.350). OU trailed by 0.85 points going into the final rotation (349.400 to 348.550), but scored 69.700 on parallel bars to Nebraska's 68.250 on high bar to pull out the victory.

Fifth-year senior Vitaliy Guimaraes started OU's pommel horse rotation with a season-high 13.850, followed by a season-best 14.400 from freshman Mac Seyler. Redshirt senior Braden Collier tied a career high with his 13.950 and Nunez posted his second-best score of the season with a 14.600.

On high bar, freshman Kelton Christiansen led the Sooners with a season-high 14.100 and Dodanli set a career mark by scoring 13.800. Nunez notched a season-high 13.550 and Guimaraes scored 13.650, competing on the event for the first time this season.

Guimaraes paced the Sooners on floor, scoring a meet-best 14.600, while Dodanli posted a 14.150 and Goodell notched 14.000. Three gymnasts also registered 14s on vault, led by Nunez's 14.550, and twin 14.450 scored by Dodanli and fifth-year senior Morgan Seyler. OU won team titles on pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar (69.000).

Oklahoma takes a break from NCAA competition next weekend for Winter Cup, which will be held Feb. 24-26 in Louisville, Ky. Six current team members (Guimaraes, Goodell, Nunez, Yockers, Jack Freeman and Dan Simmons) have qualified for the event.

The Sooners next compete as a team Saturday, March 4 against Michigan at McCasland Field House. The meet will begin at 6 p.m. 

Original source can be found here