Mason Leads Husker Charge Up Leaderboard

Valparaiso, Ind. - The top-ranked Nebraska bowling team made a move up the team standings on the second day of the Crusader Classic, winning four of its five traditional team matches Saturday. The Cornhuskers sit in fourth place overall with a 6-4 record and a 194 pinfall average at Inman’s Recreation Center in Valparaiso, Ind.

Gazmine Mason led NU with a 223.8 average, finishing the day in first place atop the individual standings. The junior from Cranston, R.I., closed with a pinfall of over 200 in every match of the day. Senior Melanie Crawford also helped drive the Huskers with a 201 average and a 10th-place finish, while sophomore Julia Bond placed 12th with a 200.6 average.

No. 5 Vanderbilt leads the overall standings with an 8-2 record and a 198.2 average. No. 9 McKendree sits close behind in second with an 8-2 record and a 198.1 average, while No. 7 Wisconsin-Whitewater is third with an even 5-5 record and a 194.5 average.

Nebraska’s day began with a 916-892 loss to No. 21 Prairie View A&M. The Huskers rebounded in style, winning their next four matches and scoring over 1,000 pins in each. The streak began with a 1,012-724 blowout win over Aurora (Ill.), led by Bond’s staggering 268 pinfall, the highest individual score of the event. Mason’s 234 led the Big Red to a 1,027-946 victory over No. 8 Central Missouri. The Huskers followed with a 1,074-906 win over No. 25 Alabama State and closed out the day with a 1,043-813 win over Central Missouri. Mason’s 237 led the Huskers over the Jennies in the nightcap.

The Huskers will return to the lanes for Sunday’s bracket-play tournament at 8:55 a.m., playing three best-of-seven Baker games to determine a champion. NU will begin play as the fourth seed, facing Wisconsin-Whitewater in the first round. The winner of that match will go on to play the loser of a Vanderbilt-McKendree matchup to determine a spot in the championship match taking place later that afternoon.