%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Jonesboro, Ark. – The second-ranked Nebraska bowling team wrapped up a solid first day of competition Friday at the loaded Mid-Winter Invitational at Jonesboro Bowling Center in Jonesboro, Ark. The Cornhuskers (44-17) won four five-game Baker format matches, but sit in fourth place in the team standings, which are based on pinfall average.
NU finished with a 4-1 record and a pinfall of 4,900, good for an average of 196. No. 9 McKendree leads the team standings with a total pinfall of 5,183 and a 207.3 average. Hosts Arkansas State sits in second place with a pinfall of 5,144 and an average of 205.8, followed by No. 4 Sam Houston State with a pinfall of 5,113 and a 204.5 average.
Ten of the 14 teams in the tournament field are ranked in the latest NTCA Top-25 poll, including nine of the top 10 teams in the nation.
The Huskers dropped a match to top-ranked Arkansas State to begin the day, 894-891, but then caught fire, finishing with four straight wins, three of which came against ranked teams.
NU defeated Louisiana Tech in its next match, 956-914, as the Huskers improved to 3-0 on the season against the Bulldogs. The Big Red then faced No. 15 Valparaiso, and again took care of business with a 1,056-795 victory.
No. 10 Maryland-Eastern Shore battled the Huskers to a close match, but NU outlasted the Hawks, 955-949. In the final match of the day, Nebraska defeated No. 8 Stephen F. Austin by a score of 1,042-879.
The Huskers return to action at the Mid-Winter Invitational Saturday at 9:40 a.m., facing four ranked teams in five traditional team matches. NU will begin the day with a match against No. 3 Vanderbilt, before taking on Sam Houston State, No. 4 Central Missouri, Lincoln (Mo.) and McKendree. The Huskers’ match against Vanderbilt will be streamed live on the Red Wolves Digital Network at www.astateredwolves.com. Friday and Saturday’s combined results will determine the seeding for Sunday’s bracket-play tournament, with competition Sunday set to begin at 8:30 a.m.