Bearkat Bowlers Came Up Short In Central Missouri Tournament

Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information

The No. 8 ranked Sam Houston women’s bowling team finished seventh in best-of-seven baker bracket play on the final day of competition Sunday at the Central Missouri Women’s Intercollegiate.

The tournament was hosted by No. 1 ranked Central Missouri at the AMF Pro Bowl Lanes in North Kansas City, Missouri.

Sam Houston went 5-7 in the tournament, posting victories over No. 5 Vanderbilt, No. 6 Wisconsin-Whitewater, No. 15 Valparaiso and unranked foes Elmhurst and Louisiana Tech.

No. 3 Nebraska was the tournament champion, defeating No. 4 Arkansas State in the best-of-seven baker bracket finals.

No. 5 Vanderbilt defeated No. 10 Stephen F. Austin in the third place playoff.

Nebraska, which went 12-0 in the Invitational, also finished first in total pins with 11,265.

Stephen F. Austin (10,837) was the runner-up in total pin count, followed by Arkansas State (10,784), Vanderbilt (10,623), Central Missouri (10,510), Wisconsin-Whitewater (10,479) and Valparaiso (10,459).

Sam Houston placed eighth in total pins with 10,409 followed by Alabama-Birmingham (9,761), Elmhurst (9,503) and Louisiana Tech (9,421).

Sunday, Sam Houston lost to No. 15 Valparaiso in its first bracket match of the day four games to three.

No. 1 Central Missouri defeated the Kats in five games.

Sam Houston earned seventh place in a rematch with Valparaiso, winning in six games.

Saturday in tradition team match action, Sam Houston lost to No. 10 Stephen F. Austin 1,046-971, defeated No. 6 Wisconsin-Whitewater 1,052-954, fell to No. 3 Nebraska 975-908 and beat Louisiana Tech 1,054-889.

In Friday’s quad baker play, Sam Houston opened with a 932-912 victory over No. 5 Vanderbilt.

The Bearkats lost to unranked Alabama-Birmingham 955-949, defeated unranked Elmhurst 968-905, then lost their final two matches of the day to No. 1 Central Missouri 1011-941 and No. 4 Arkansas State 1021-883.

Sam Houston now owns an 86-32 season dual match record.

Sam Houston is 31-23 against teams that have been ranked among the top 20.

The Bearkats have won five tournament titles this year and were the runners-up in the Holiday Classic at Bessemer, Ala, in their last outing.

During the fall semester, the Kats won tournament titles at the Tulane Invitational, the Alabama A&M tournament and the Track Kat Klash in Huntsville.

The Bearkats won the Bowie State Intercollegiate and the Southern Invitational this month.

Sam Houston State will complete regular season action with a tournament Smyma, Tennessee Mar 15-17.