Story by NU Athletic Communication
Lockport, Ill. - After going 11-2 over the weekend, the first-ranked Nebraska bowling team finished in third place, tallying a 14,589 total pinfall with a 208.4 average.
The Cornhuskers matched up with No. 2 Vanderbilt in its first round best-of-seven baker match, with a chance to still move up as high as third place. The last time the two teams met, the then nation-leading Commodores edged the Huskers 1,087-1,076 in a traditional match at the Prairie View A&M Invite. The Big Red started with Haley Swindle, Kayla Starr, Kayla Verstraete, Anna Callan and Jillian Martin. The Huskers topped the Commodores in game one, 208-201, despite Vanderbilt’s late four strike spurt. The Cornhuskers rolled a 182 in game two, topping Vanderbilt’s 167 as the Commodores recorded only one strike. Vanderbilt bounced back in the third, rolling a 209 to top Nebraska’s 186, bringing the match to 2-1 in favor of NU. In game four, the Big Red tallied eight strikes and scored a 255 to take a 3-1 lead. In the fifth, the Huskers bowled a 224 including five strikes in a row, but were topped by the Commodores, 235-224. The Cornhuskers were again defeated in game six, 200-171, as Vanderbilt forced a game seven. In the final game, Nebraska recorded five strikes, with two coming from Callan, as the Huskers topped Vanderbilt, 214-161, and defeated Vanderbilt.
With a chance to go to the third-place match, the Huskers played No. 5 Youngstown State. The Big Red started off hot in game one with three strikes and hit another four later in the match to take down the Penguins, 239-215. In game two, the Cornhuskers put together a five strike run to put them over Youngstown State, 213-189, to go up 2-0. In the third, NU rolled a 200 and were topped by Youngstown State’s 221. The Penguins got hot in the fourth, hitting eight consecutive strikes to score a 267, bringing the match to an even 2-2. In the fifth, the Huskers started with eight strikes, as Martin recorded her eighth consecutive strikes, to score a 278, the team’s highest this tournament, taking down the Penguins once again. In the sixth, the Cornhuskers bowled a 210 to take down Youngstown State, 3-1.
In the match for third, Nebraska faced No. 7 Wichita State. In the first, the Cornhuskers took down the Shockers, 175-172, off of a Martin spare in the 10th. In game two, Wichita State hit six consecutive strikes, taking down the Huskers, 253-195. The Big Red recorded 11 strikes to end game three, topping Wichita State, 278-191, to take a 2-1 lead. In game four, Martin recorded her eighth straight strike, her second time in two matches, as NU topped the Shockers again, 212-166. Wichita State ended game five on a five strike run, leading them over Nebraska, 214-187, bringing the match to a 3-2 advantage for NU. The Huskers struggled in game six, rolling a 157, and were topped by Wichita State, 190-157, forcing a game seven. In game seven, the Cornhuskers started with five strikes, finishing with nine total as the Big Red topped the Shockers, 234-203, to claim third place.
Four Huskers finished in the top 25 for individual performances. Verstraete was seventh overall with a total pinfall of 1,089 and a 217.8 average. Starr was in eighth with a total pinfall of 1,088 and average of 217.6. Callan finished at 10th with a total pinfall of 1,076 and a 215.2 average. Swindle was 23rd with a total pinfall of 1,040 and average of 208.
The Huskers return to action Feb. 14-16, as the Big Red travel to Jonesboro, Ark., for the Mid-Winter Invitational, hosted by No. 4 Arkansas State.
Stay up to date with the action by following the Nebraska Women's Bowling Twitter (@HuskerBowling), Instagram (@huskerbowling) and Facebook.
Storm Flyer Classic Final Top 10 Standings
No. 2 Jacksonville State
No. 6 North Carolina A&T
No. 1 Nebraska
No. 7 Wichita State
No. 5 Youngstown State
No. 2 Vanderbilt
Oklahoma Christian
No. 8 Sam Houston
No. 10 Maryville
Wright State