Kats finish first on opening day in Music City
3/6/2015 7:56:00 PM | Women's Bowling
The Sam Houston women's bowlers went unbeaten in four matches to finish Friday in first place in a revised format for this weekend's event.
A winter storm that swept through the eastern half of the United States causing travel problems by land or air has forced changes to Vanderbilt's 11th annual Columbia 300 Music City Classic bowling tournament Friday morning at the Smyrna Bowling Center.
Only 17 of the entered 29 teams were able to make it to Nashville for five-game Baker match competition. Other teams due to reach Music City sometime Friday.
Therefore, the format was changed to three one-day events.
On Friday, No. 7 ranked Sam Houston defeated Bethune-Cookman 1,037 – 846, Florida A&M 963 – 839, No. 9 Wisconsin-Whitewater 1,049 – 974 and No. 4 Central Missouri 1,108 – 1,036. The Bearkats also posted a 1,037 total in a bye round.
Sam Houston totaled 5,194 pins Friday to hold down first place. No. 1 Nebraska was second with 5,124 total pins. The Kats were the only team to go unbeaten. The Cornhuskers, Vanderbilt, McKendree and North Carolina A&T all went 4-1.
"Today was a great day overall," SHSU head coach Brad Hagen said. "We went with a different look and lineup today and it paid dividends. The season is all about what can do together collectively and it'll take all eight of us as it has all year."
So that the other teams arriving late are not left out, a Saturday rotation will be developed based upon which teams can safely make the trip. Saturday's play will be traditional team games as planned, starting at 11:45 a.m. Sunday's Baker matches will start at 8:00 a.m.
Top 10 teams in the original field include Nebraska (#1), Fairleigh Dickinson (#2), Arkansas State (#3), Central Missouri (#4), Stephen F. Austin (#5), Vanderbilt (#6), Sam Houston (#7), Maryland-Eastern Shore (#8), Wisconsin-Whitewater (#9) and North Carolina A&T (#10).
Other top 20 squads in the field are McKendree (#11), Sacred Heart (#12), Saint Francis Pa. (#13), Saint Francis NY (#14), LIU (#15), UAB (#16) and Valparaiso (#17).
Unranked competitors in the tournament include Adelphi, Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Bethune Cookman, Florida A&M, Howard, Jackson State, Louisiana Tech, Monmouth, Prairie View A&M, Saint Peter's and Tulane.
Last year host Vanderbilt defeated top-rated Arkansas State to win tournament title. Each of the four seasons since Sam Houston began its women's bowling program, the Kats have traveled to Smyrna. The Bearkats finished eighth in the Music City Classic in 2011 and 2012, seventh in 2013 and ninth last year.
Total pin count from the first two days of action will determine seedings for final bracket best of seven Baker play that kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
Sam Houston brings a 76-35 won-loss record during their eight tournaments this season. The Bearkats own a 43-29 record against the current NTCA top 20.
The SHSU women have gone 31-7 in team Baker matches, 34-16 in traditional team play and 11-12 on Sundays in best-of-seven Baker bracket action.
Sam Houston's top performances so far have included a team championship at the Tulane Invitational, runner-up finishes at the FDU Jersey Jamboree and the Crusader Classic and a third place at the UMES Hawk Classic.
