No. 5 SHSU Bowlers Go 4-1 Friday in Arkansas
1/16/2015 8:28:00 PM | Women's Bowling
Sam Houston's No. 5 ranked women's bowling team won four of their five matches on the first day of the Mid-Winter Invitational in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Friday.
The annual event is being hosted by No. 3 Arkansas State at the Jonesboro Bowling Center.
Two of the four wins Friday came over top 10-ranked opponents. Anna Groce led the Bearkat with a 210.8 average in the five matches.
The Kats opened the day with a loss against home team Arkansas State, falling 1,039-898. But the SHSU women bounced back to defeat No. 4 Central Missouri 963-848, Alabama State 998-873, Jackson State 937-804 and No. 6 Vanderbilt 1,130-917.
"The veterans really stepped up today and made the shots when we needed it," SHSU head coach Brad Hagen said. "We got off to a bit of a slow start but turned things around when it counted the most. We finished on a very high note. It was a complete total effort by the team today to finish how we did."
Last season's NCAA runner-up to the Bearkats and this year's No. 1 ranked team University of Nebraska was the only team that went unbeaten in all five of their matches Friday. The Cornhuskers lead the turnover with 5,114 total pins.
Sam Houston and Arkansas State both went 4-1. Host ASU ranks second in total pins with 4,994 followed by Stephen F. Austin 4,947, Maryland-Eastern Shore 4,919 and the Bearkats 4,823.
Sam Houston finished as the runner-up in the Mid-Winter Invitational last year on the way to the 2014 NCAA Division I national championship. The second place performance last season in Jonesboro was the Kats' highest in the Arkansas State tournament in the SHSU bowling program's four-year history.
Saturday the Bearkats open play with another strong opponent as they face off with No. 8 Stephen F. Austin then face No. 20 Tulane, Louisiana Tech, Jackson State and No. 13 McKendree.
Other top 20 squads competing this weekend include. 7 Wisconsin-Whitewater, No. 9 Maryland-Eastern Shore and No. 15 Valparaiso.
Sam Houston stands 55-21 in dual match play this season after Friday's results.
The 55 victories in dual match play stand as the highest total by any of the squads in the NTCA top 20.
Sam Houston's top performances so far this year include a team championship at the Tulane Invitational, a runner-up finish at the FDU Jersey Jamboree and the Crusader Classic and a third place at the UMES Hawk Classic.
The Bearkats have at least one victory over 16 of the teams in the top 20.
Total pins from the first two days will determine the seeding for best-of-seven baker bracket play on Sunday
