Kats survive, advance to face NCA&T Saturday
4/15/2016 7:28:00 PM | Women's Bowling
NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J -- With their backs against the wall, the Sam Houston bowling team responded, keeping their hopes alive for another national championship for one more day.
Entering as the No. 1 seed, the Bearkats were facing elimination and down a game to Vanderbilt, but hit big shots late to take the next three games and a commanding 3-1 lead in the match. They then held off a Commodore charge in the sixth game to seal the victory.
“We made a lot of quality shots today and it wasn't as if we were really struggling,” said head coach Brad Hagen. “We stuck to the game plan and made a lot of really good shots. We just had a few things not go our way. We were able to end on a high note and that's what matters.”
The Kats were in that position after dropping the opening match of the bracket elimination round to No. 8 seed McKendree. The Kats took a 3-2 lead in the match, but couldn't close out the first time championship participants.
The win over Vanderbilt sets up another elimination match on Saturday morning against North Carolina A&T.
Every game but one against Vanderbilt in the elimination match was a close one. After dropping the opening game by 10, the Kats came back and took game 2 206-201. After a 21-pin victory in game 3, Sam Houston had to once against make big shots late. Carrie Hopkinson and Janine Kuwahara struck in the 8th and 9th frames, setting up Heather Penatzer to close it out for the Kats in the 10th.
“It is a pressure but it is something you can't let bother you,” Hopkinson said. “I felt I made quite a few decent shots and I wanted to give myself the best chance to strike.”
With a chance to close it out in the fifth, Vanderbilt got a nine on the last shot of the game to edge the Kats 204-203. But unlike the McKendree match, this time Sam Houston was able to close it out in six.
“That was very big,” Hopkinson said. “It takes away the pressure. You know it is over and you don't have to fight another time. McKendree we went to seven and we had the energy, but nothing was going in our favor even though we were making quality shots.”
During the final two qualifying matches Friday morning, the Kats rebounded from an early loss to knock off Vanderbilt and earn the top seed in the double-elimination bracket round after finishing 5-2 in the qualifying matches. It is the first time in five appearances at the National Championships the Kats earned the top seed.
“We needed to treat this as any other Sunday going into match play,” Hagen said. “We have been the No. 1 seed at half of the tournaments and we have yet to win as a No. 1 seed. We joked that we wanted to get over that hump if given the opportunity. We just can't get wrapped up in being the No. 1 seed.”
