Huskers Tie for Third in NCAA Championships

Apopka, Fla. - Two of the nation's top bowling teams ended their 2007 NCAA Championship appearances at the Brusnwick Wekiva Lanes this afternoon.  The No. 2 Nebraska bowling team wrapped up its fourth-consecutive NCAA appearance after a fifth-round loss to No. 5 Maryland-Eastern Shore, while No. 1 Fairleigh Dickinson was defeated by No. 3 Vanderbilt in round five.  Nebraska and Fairleigh Dickinson tied for third place.

 

After Thursday's qualifying rounds, NU earned a second-place seed in Friday's double elimination tournament. The Huskers started first-round action on the right foot, defeating seventh-seeded New Jersey City, 4-2 (226-172, 226-192, 178-184, 202-182, 236-237, 205-191). 

Upsets plagued the top teams in the second round, as Fairleigh Dickinson fell to Maryland-Eastern Shore and Nebraska fell to Vanderbilt, 2-4 (214-230, 185-191,  215-219, 203-194, 236-219, 182-185). 

The Huskers then faced Central Missouri State in round three, where they defeated the Jennies, 4-3 (167-184, 258-143, 194-209, 201-199, 246-231, 202-207, 236-200). Fairleigh Dickinson also defeated Sacred Heart to advance to round five.

 

Nebraska, which has won seven national championships overall in women's bowling, fell in the elimination bracket Friday afternoon with a 2-4 loss to Maryland (239-179, 185-225, 257-279, 183-233, 232-177, 191-213). Maryland Eastern Shore and Vanderbilt will compete in the final championship game tomorrow, with live coverage by ESPNU at 3:00 p.m.

"I feel sad that Adrienne [Miller] and Amanda [Burgoyne] didn't get another ring," Nebraska Coach Bill Straub said, "But they certainly performed admirable and I feel very proud of how our team performed." 

Although all-tournament teams will be announced after Saturday's championship game, senior Adrienne Miller ended her Nebraska career with a career-high 230.75 average in the qualifying rounds of the tournament. 

The Huskers finished the 2006-07 season with an outstanding 86-28 record.