Huskers Finish Fifth at Mid-Winter Invite

Jonesboro, Ark. - After going 6-6 over the weekend, the No. 1 Nebraska bowling team finished in fifth, tallying a total pinfall of 14,376 with a 208.3 average. 

The Cornhuskers matched up with No. 7 Wichita State in their first round best-of-seven baker match, the last time the two teams met in a best of seven match, the Huskers won in seven games for third place at the Storm Flyer Classic. The Huskers started with Anna Callan, Brenna Hartzler, Kayla Verstraete, Kayla Starr, and Jillian Martin. NU started off the match slow, rolling a 157 in game one, and were topped by the Shockers, 172-157. Wichita State tallied six strikes to the Huskers’ two as Nebraska was again topped, 215-193. The Cornhuskers bowled a clean game three, tallying eight strikes with three by Martin, as the Big Red topped Wichita State, 217-215. Verstraete rolled her fifth-straight strike in game four as the Huskers took down the Shockers, 269-194, bringing the match to an even 2-2. Starr tallied her fifth strike in a row as well in game five as the Huskers scored a 225 to take the lead, 3-2. In game six, the Shockers bowled a clean 221, bringing the match to 3-3. The Cornhuskers rolled a 199 in the seventh, but were topped by Wichita State’s 209, as the Shockers took down the Huskers. 

In match two, Nebraska played No. 5 Youngstown State. The Huskers bowled a clean game one, led by Martin’s four strikes, but were topped by the Penguins, 255-228. Martin hit her seventh strike in a row in game two as the Cornhuskers scored a 214 to even the match. In game three, the Big Red bowled a 193, but were topped by the Penguins’ 215. Despite Youngstown State’s eight strikes in the fourth, NU edged the Penguins, 203-202. Starr recorded her fifth straight strike in game five, but Youngstown State’s 205 was enough to sneak them by Nebraska, 205-201, as the Penguins took a 3-2 lead. The Huskers forced a game seven after tallying nine strikes in game six, fueled by the team hitting five in a row, rolling a 237. In game seven, Starr struckout for her seventh strike in a row, but the Cornhuskers were defeated, 242-190, as the Penguins won 4-3.

The Big Red faced off against No. 4 Arkansas State in a match for fifth place. Desiree Buchert was subbed in for Callan in game one and struckout in both of her frames as the team rolled a 226 over Arkansas State’s 222. The Red Wolves tallied seven strikes in the second, topping the Cornhuskers, 240-212. In game three, the Huskers recorded seven strikes en route to scoring a 225, taking a 2-1 lead in the match. NU bowled a 204 in the fourth, leading to a 204-192 win for the Huskers. Behind five strikes, Nebraska rolled a 225 in game five, topping the Red Wolves, 225-170, winning the match 4-1. 

Three Huskers currently finished in the top 25 for individual performances. Martin was eighth overall with a total pinfall of 1,099 and a 219.8 average. Starr finished in 10th with a total pinfall of 1,082 and average of 216.4. Verstraete finished at 13th with a total pinfall of 1,064 and a 212.8 average. 

The Huskers return to action next weekend as Nebraska hosts the Big Red Invitational, Feb. 7-9, at Hollywood Bowl, in Lincoln, Neb.

Mid-Winter Invitational Final Top 10 Standings
No. 7 Wichita State 
No. 3 Jacksonville State 
No. 5 Youngstown State 
No. 2 Vanderbilt 
No. 1 Nebraska
No. 4 Arkansas State
No. 10 Maryville
No. 9 Stephen F. Austin 
No. 14 Wisconsin-Whitewater
No. 11 Louisiana Tech