FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Illinois – The Newman Women's Bowling team traveled to Fairview Heights, Illinois this weekend to compete in their first ever NCAA event in the 20 year history of the program, the Bearcat Classic hosted by McKendree University.
The Jets would get off to a slow start on Friday, losing the first 3 matches but they kept fighting though and would win the next 2 matches to go 2-3 on the day and finish day1 in 4th place by total pins.
Day 2 brought a big test with matches against 4 of the top 25 teams that were in the field, going up against No. 1 McKendree, No. 3 Nebraska, No. 24 Lincoln Memorial and #15 Maryville. McKendree came out swinging early and the Jets could never get going but would bounce back against #3 Nebraska. The Jets knocked off the cornhusker team 1030-929 for the upset win. That would be the only victory on day 2 and the Jets would finish the 2nd day in 6th place with a 3-6 record.
Day 3 saw Newman finish the qualifying round with a match against Upper Iowa but would again get off to a slow start and fall 851-873 to finish up 3-7. NU found themselves in 6th going into match play and would draw the 7 seed and pre season ranked #21 Central Missouri in a best of 7 match.
This one was a great match that would go back and forth with the Jets winning game 1 224-173. They would then lose the next 2 games 176-197 and 191-217. With the Jets down 1-2 after 3 games they would come back with a great team effort in game 4 with Freshman Kassidy Miller coming off the bench to pick up a critical split in the 10th frame to win game 4 222-213.
Game 5 and 6 of the match would both be won by 1 pin with both teams splitting 247-248 and 225-224 and make it 3-3 going to a 7th and deciding game. The Jets would bowl their best game of the day winning the 7th game 257-170 and the match 4-3. The Jets averaged 220 for the 7 game match.
The Jets would then bowl Maryville to determine 5th and 6th place of the Bearcat Classic with the Jets coming out a little flat and never getting any momentum going and would lose 1-4 and finish in 6th place with a 4-8 record . The Jets were led by Sophomore Dakota Lennen who averaged 198.5.
"The ladies had a lot of new stuff thrown at them this week but competed and will take this experience and learn from it in for the future." Coach Murphy said of his team's performance over the 3 day classic.
The Women's Bowling team returns to action in the Valpo Bowling Classic next Friday-Sunday in Dyer, Indiana.
