SHSU women seventh at Crusader Classic
11/9/2013 1:34:00 PM | Women's Bowling
The No. 6 ranked Sam Houston women's bowling team finished seventh at the Crusader Classic hosted by Valparaiso University.
The Bearkats won two of their three best-of-seven quad baker matches in bracket play Sunday.
Sam Houston rallied from three games to one to defeat Arkansas State in seven 255-203 204-211 169-179 146-189 213-189 212-156 214-199 in the Kats' first match.
Stephen F. Austin took the Kats to seven in the second match with the Lumberjacks winning 214-210 191-187 166-215 230-159 134-231 181-199 224-180.
The Bearkats won the day's third contest over McKendree College of Lebanon, Ill., in five by scores of 203-168 198-178 190-195 226-198 217-179.
"Today was our best overall Sunday to date,” head coach Brad Hagen. “Everything came together and we looked a lot more like the team we can be. Shot making was a lot better today and it paid off. We still have a lot of work to do but were heading in the right direction.”
Saturday Sam Houston won four of its six traditional team matches.
The Bearkats opened the day with a 865-824 victory over McKendree. Valparaiso edged Sam Houston 967-946. The bowling team bounced back for wins over Alma 906-840 and Wisconsin-Whitewater 971-890 then ended the day with a 1074-966 loss to Central Missouri and an 839-733 victory over Elmhurst.
"We needed to get back to .500 Saturday at a minimum and we did so,” Hagen said. “The two we lost we caught some hot teams."
Friday, the Kats won only two of their six matches in quad baker play.
Sam Houston lost to Vanderbilt 817-735, Alabama Birmingham 740-686 and Nebraska 789-759 Friday before knocking off Prairie View A&M 724-647 and Tulane 733-721. The Kats ended play with an 801-761 loss to Stephen F. Austin.
"We came out flat and stayed that way through the day Friday,” Hagen said. “Not once Friday were we ever out of a match yet we continued to chase and play catch up and with a field like this you can't afford to make mistakes and not expect penalty."
Fourteen teams competed in the three-day event including nine squads that rank among the nation's top 20 NCAA Division I women's bowling programs.
Seven of the teams are ranked in the top-nine nationally, including No. 1 Nebraska, No. 2 Vanderbilt, No. 3 Central Missouri, No. 4 Arkansas State, No. 6 Sam Houston, No. 8 Wisconsin-Whitewater and No. 9 Stephen F. Austin.
