Nebraska Bowling Ends Day One of Colonial Classic in Sixth Place

Harahan, La. - The second-ranked Nebraska bowling team went 3-2 in its first day of competition in the Colonial Classic, notching a pinfall of 5,003 and an average pinfall of 200.1. 

In the first of five five-game Baker matches, NU faced off against the fifth-ranked Wichita State Shockers. With reigning National Player of the Year and team captain Jillian Martin competing for Team USA in Hong Kong, the Huskers would trot out their first starting lineup of the season without Martin, starting Lani Breedlove, Karina Capron, Kayla Starr and Abigail Starkey with Haley Swindle slotting into the anchor spot usually occupied by Martin. In game one, the Big Red started on the right foot, winning 195-183 in game with just one open frame. In game two, the Huskers took advantage of open frames by the Shockers to extend their lead to 385-349 after a 190-166 victory. NU had difficulties finding ways to strike in game three, only notching two to Wichita State’s six as the Shockers would claim victory 223-178 and taking the match lead 572-563. The Huskers would strike two to start game four, taking an early lead that would last until seventh frame, where the Shockers completed a triple and take the lead, not looking back and tacking on three more strikes in the 10th to win 235-183 and extend their lead to 807-746 going into game five. In game five, Brenna Hartzler subbed in for Starr, making an immediate impact as the Big Red struck three to open the game. Starkey racked up a fourth straight, and the Huskers bowled a clean game, striking eight en route to a 238-219 victory. However, the Shockers took the match 1026-984, and the Huskers were 0-1 to start the tournament.

Match two featured eighteenth-ranked UAB and a change to the lineup with NU swapping Capron and Starkey’s spots in the lineup and maintaining Hartzler’s position in the three spot. Both teams got off to a rough start in game one before UAB struck four straight from the sixth frame on, propelling them to an early match lead of 198-182. In game two, the Huskers answered with a 189-160 scoreline, taking a slim match lead of 371-358. Nebraska continued its momentum into game three, striking six in a 225–201 win which broadened its lead to 596-559. Game four saw issues with open frames from both teams, but two strikes in the seventh and eighth frames helped the Huskers take the game 181-171, maintaining their match lead 777-730. Game five featured a slow start from the Huskers before coming alive in the back five, striking eight total including a triple from Swindle in the 10th frame, propelling the Huskers to a 201-136 trouncing and taking the match 978-866, improving their record back to 1-1 for the day. 

The opponent for match three, ninth-ranked Louisiana Tech, was riding high, coming off a 300 game against Arkansas State. Game one was tightly contested, with both teams striking three straight at one point, including another triple from Swindle in the 10th, but LA Tech claimed the first game in a 216-215 nailbiter. In game two, the Huskers fell one pin shy of a perfect 300 of their own but still took the game by a wide margin of 299-157, putting the match in their favor 514-373. The Bulldogs bounced back in game three with a 191-178 scoreline, shortening the gap to 692-564. LA Tech carried that momentum into game four, striking ten and taking the game 278-192, making the match lead 884-842, a difference of 42 pins in NU’s favor. The Bulldogs struck eight in a 234-178 victory that would ultimately help them take the match 1076-1062, knocking NU to 1-2 on the day. 

Match four’s opponent was the third-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores. The Huskers adjusted their lineup once more, with Swindle and Capron swapping spots, making the latter the anchor. In game one of the match, the Commodores got off to a hot start, striking four straight to open before an open frame off a split dampened their momentum just enough to allow the Big Red to crawl back and win game one 213-205. In game two, Vanderbilt posting four-straight open frames after striking four to start the game. NU struggled with open frames off splits of its own, but despite the Commodore’s struggles, the Huskers weren’t able to capitalize, allowing Vanderbilt to take game two by 180-172, tying the match 385-385. The Huskers roared back in game three, however, striking six straight – including a triple from Capron – to end the game 226-181 and take the lead 611-566. Game four was difficult for both teams, as the Huskers scored 159 to the Commodores’ 170. NU led 770-736 going into game five. In that game, the Big Red came alive again, striking eight for a 246-203 victory that secured the match 1016-939, evening their record at 2-2. 

Texas Southern was the final opponent of the day, with the Huskers sticking with their lineup from the previous match. Game one of the contest had Nebraska jump out in front early after striking three out of the first four frames, and they would not relinquish their lead, taking the first game 201-151. Game two was a slight step back as the Huskers would fall to the Tigers 205-172, but the Big Red would rebound in game three, rocketing back 189-178 with a nearly clean game three spearheaded by yet another Capron triple in the 10th frame. Going into game four, the Huskers led 562-534, and another strong showing of 195-157 boosted their lead even more to 757-691. In the last game of the day, the Huskers would emerge victorious once more in a 206-194 win, with Ashtyn Yoches checking in in her home state to throw the last ball of the game for her first appearance of the season. The Huskers would ultimately win the match 963-885 and move to 3-2 on the weekend. 

Nebraska will return to the lanes tomorrow morning at 8:55 a.m. (CST) for the first of five traditional-style matches against nineteenth-ranked Tulane, followed by matches against Southern University, Prairie View A&M, Florida A&M, and a rematch against third-ranked Vanderbilt. 

Stay up to date with the action by following the Nebraska Women's Bowling X(@HuskerBowling), Instagram (@huskerbowling) and Facebook.