Feb. 27, 2005
Complete Results
LINCOLN, Neb. - Despite a third consecutive uneven bars title for freshman Courtney Butler (Naperville, Ill.) the 10th-ranked University of Denver gymnastics team was unable to recover from below average performances in the first two rotations in a third-place finish Sunday afternoon at the Masters Classic held in the Bob Devaney Center on the campus of Nebraska. Denver (194.450) finished in front of No. 20 Auburn (194.050), but behind Kentucky (194.850) and fifth-ranked Nebraska (196.725), which stretched its home-meet winning streak to 55 with the win. The Pioneers drop to 9-6 on the season.
The bright spot for Denver on Sunday was the performance of Butler, who won her fourth uneven bars title of the season and third in the last three meets, as she tied for top honors with Nebraska's Kristi Esposito with a 9.875, her second-best score of the season.
Denver opened the meet on uneven bars, where the Pioneers posted a 48.350 behind Butler's meet-winning score. Senior Stephanie Lorber (San Carlos, Calif.) posted Denver's second-best score with a 9.775 and junior Cassidy Willingham (Mountain View, Calif.) was third with a 9.725.
The Pioneers then moved to the balance beam, where Denver's 48.125 included a fall and put the Pioneers in a hole from which they were unable to recover. Sophomore Heather Huffaker (DeSoto, Texas) and Willingham tied for Denver's best score as both posted scores of 9.775 and freshman Becca Breitholle (Loveland, Ohio) was third with a 9.725.
Denver did have some solid performances on its final two events. Freshman Sasha Sullivan (Glen Allen, Va.) posted Denver's best score on floor exercise and finished third with a 9.90, leading Denver to a team score of 49.025, its best team score of the meet. Sophomore Gretchen Goerlitz (Neenah, Wis.) had Denver's second-best score with a 9.85 to finish tied for fourth and Huffaker was third for the Pioneers with a 9.825.
The Pioneers finished the meet on vault, where sophomore Casey Dobyns (Woodinville, Wash.) and Huffaker tied for third on with scores of 9.875, leading Denver to a 48.950 team score.
The Pioneers are next in action next Saturday, March 5 at 6 p.m. when they host No. 11 Arkansas in a dual meet in Hamilton Gymnasium.
