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Valparaiso, Ind. – The Nebraska bowling team finished a successful weekend at the Crusader Classic in Valparaiso, Ind., as the top-ranked Cornhuskers bowled their way to a third-place finish in a loaded 14-team field. NU went 2-1 in Sunday’s best-of-seven Baker Format championship tournament, including a pair of wins over No. 7 Wisconsin-Whitewater.
The Huskers finished the weekend with an 8-5 record and a 192.1 average. In all, 11 out of 14 teams in the tournament were ranked in the preseason NTCA top-25 poll.
No. 9 McKendree defeated No. 5 Vanderbilt in the championship match, 4-3. The Bearcats finished the tournament with an 11-2 record and a 198.1 average.
Nebraska began the championship tournament as the fourth seed and faced Wisconsin-Whitewater in the first round. A back-and-forth match saw the teams tied at two following the fourth game, but the Huskers closed with two straight wins to take the match 4-2.
NU then advanced to face Vanderbilt, which had lost to McKendree in the first round. The Commodores roared out of the gates to a 3-1 lead, but the Huskers rebounded with two straight wins to force a decisive seventh game. The comeback effort was not enough, as Vanderbilt took the game, 168-162, and the match, 4-3.
In the third-place match, Nebraska again faced off with Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Warhawks were no match for the Huskers, as NU wrapped up third place with a 4-0 win.
Junior Gazmine Mason finished atop the individual standings with a 223.8 average. The victory is the second of her career after winning the individual portion of the Music City Classic a year ago. Senior Melanie Crawford finished 10th with a 201 average, and sophomore Julia Bond finished 12th with a 200.6 average.
The Huskers, who won the Crusader Classic last year, have now finished in the top three of the tournament each of the last six years.
The Huskers will return home Thursday through Saturday for the Big Red Invitational at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln. Per rules of the event, each day will be a separate tournament. NU won two of the three daylong tournaments a year ago. Play will begin Thursday at 5:45 p.m. with four five-game Baker matches.