Bowling team punches ticket to nationals
0Written by Katelyn Simpson
The men’s and women’s bowling teams bowled their way to the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships by finishing in one of the top four spots at one of the four sectionals around the country. Pikeville teams competed this past weekend in Smyrna, Tenn.
Twenty-two men’s teams and 16 women’s teams participating at the Smyrna sectional bowled 64 baker team games to decide the top four teams in each division. Advancing along with Pikeville on the men’s side are McKendree University, Lindenwood University, and Purdue University. Advancing along with Pikeville women are McKendree University, Lindenwood University, and Emmanuel College.
For the men, this will be their first time attending the national tournament since 2011.
Jeff Blind, fifth-year senior and the only member of the men’s team who has been to nationals before, said, “Every minute spent on the lanes practicing and preparing this year has translated into our success. The same can be said about the team I was a part of my freshman year. Returning to nationals this year with this team, who has drive unlike any other I have been on, is a remarkable feeling. I can’t wait to be in Wichita with my brothers and Coach Wilson fighting for our very first national title alongside our women’s team.”
The men had early success jumping into the cut line with a substantial lead after the first day of competition. At that point it was a cruise to the finish as they secured their spot in the top four, finishing fourth, topping Kansas by 145 pins.
This is the fourteenth consecutive year the women will attend the national tournament as they have attended every year since the program started in 2002. The women brought home national championships from this tournament in 2004 and 2008 and were runners up the last two years.
The women’s journey to the top was a little more dramatic. After having a rough first day and barely being above the cut line, the Bears had to battle back to secure their spot. It came down to the last two games of baker play. Going into the final set of four games, the women were only in fourth place by five pins.
After the first two games of the set, the Pikeville women were four pins out of the cut. They rolled games of 211 and 203 to lock in their spot in the top four, finishing fourth, topping Marian by 106 pins.
Shelby Fromm, a transfer junior hwo will be attending her first national tournament, said, “It is a truly amazing feeling to get to go to nationals for the first time with such an amazing team. This is what we have worked so hard for all year and it is finally here. I couldn’t be more proud of my team for how we fought this weekend, right down to the last shot. Making the national championships is an honor for my teammates and myself. I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish when we get there.”
The national championships are scheduled for April 15-18 at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan.