Bowlers take 3rd at ITC Championship

Competing in their first even ITC National Championship, the Bearkats took third place, advancing to the final four on Friday before being eliminated by defending national champions Wichita State.

The Bearkats had to do it the hard way on Friday, coming out of the losers bracket. Forced to win four matches on the second day of the tournament, the Bearkats pushed Wichita State to the brink before falling in the final match before the championship match.

After a round of qualifying matches on Thursday, the Bearkats qualified for the 16-team double elimination bracket as the No. 10 seed. They started off bracket play knocking off Lawrence Tech in seven games of a best-of-7 series.

In the second round against Wichita State, after winning the opening game, they fell in five games to drop to the losers bracket.

Facing elimination, the started the day on Saturday with a 4-2 win over Mount Mercy. After dropping the opening game, they bounced back to win the next three, and then closed out the match in game 6.

In the fifth round against St. Francis, the Kats won the opener and the two sides went back and forth, with the Kats taking the decisive seventh game. The win set up a rematch with Wichita State.

Needing to win twice to advance to the championship, the Bearkats gave the veterans of the ITC Championship competition all they could handle. The Kats took the first match 4-2 to set up a winner take all match to advance to the finals. After splitting the first four games, the Shockers took games five and six to eliminate the Bearkats.

The loss ends a successful season for the Bearkats where they reached No. 1 in the NTCA top 25, advanced to the 10^thNCAA tournament in programs history, placed four bowlers on the all-American team and ended taking third in their first attempt at an ITC Championship.

Bowlers take 3rd at ITC Championship

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