Huskers end regular season with third place finish

Greensboro, N.C. - The No. 6 Nebraska Bowling team finished the Stallings Invitational in third place on Sunday, marking their fourth top-three finish of the season. The team went 11-2 over the course of the weekend after going 1-2 in bracket play, recording a total pinfall of 13,612 with a 200.2 average. 

The Huskers faced off against No. 1 Jacksonville State to begin the stepladder bracket with the winner guaranteed a spot in the final. Starters for the Big Red were Brenna Hartzler, Desiree Buchert, Lani Breedlove, Karina Capron and Jillian Martin. The Gamecocks dominated game one of the best-4-of-7 series 226-164. Game two was a similar story as Jax State pulled off a 187-176 win to go up 2-0 while the Big Red subbed in Kayla Starr for Buchert. The Huskers struggled with open frames in game three as the Gamecocks shot a clean 235-152. In danger of being swept, the Huskers changed out Breedlove for Haley Swindle before game four. A clutch back three frames enabled NU to steal a game with a 191-171 win to make the series 3-1. The Huskers made another lineup change before game five, slotting Buchert back into the lineup in place of Hartzler. Despite a valiant effort by the Scarlet and Cream, Jax State sealed the series with a 211-182 finale.

No. 8 Youngstown State was the opponent that stood between NU and a rematch with the Gamecocks in the championship. NU elected to swap out Swindle for Abby Starkey in the lineup. The Penguins bowled mostly clean in the 218-173 win to open the series. Youngstown State kept their momentum into game two for a 242-211 victory. The Penguins then took a third game 205-180. Needing a win, the Huskers took game four with a 195-181 performance to make the series 3-1. The Huskers came alive in game five, striking eight times to claim a second game 248-196, but Youngstown sealed it with a 214-193 win to take the match 4-2, sending the Huskers to play for third place against No. 12 North Carolina A&T.

The finale against NCA&T began with a swap between Capron's and Starr's spots in the lineup. The Huskers started game one strong, winning 203-184. The Aggies answered back with a 203-194 win to tie the series. They took another game 236-150 when the Big Red faced open frame struggles. The Huskers responded with a clean 238-189 game to even the series 2-2. The back-and-forth continued with NCA&T claiming another match 178-161 to come within a win of third place. NU wasn't done yet, tallying a close 222-212 victory to force game seven. The Scarlet and Cream sealed it handily 232-179 to win the match 4-3 and secure third place.

The Huskers are off until the start of the postseason when they participate in the Conference USA Championships in Harahan, La., March 19-22.

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