(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 20)—The McKendree University women's bowling team earned a runner-up finish at the Stormin' Ladyjack Classic hosted by Stephen F. Austin State University. The three-day, 15-team event was held in Kenosha, Wis.
 
The Bearcats put together a perfect run through Baker and traditional qualifying and won its first match in bracket play on Sunday. McKendree was edged in the championship match by the University of Nebraska to post the Bearcats' third straight top-three finish to begin the 2019-20 season. McKendree went 10-1 on the weekend, improving its match record to 29-8 on the season. The Bearcats will return to action Jan. 10-12 at the Stormin' Blue and White Vegas Classic in Las Vegas.
 
On Friday, McKendree opened Baker play with a convincing win over Upper Iowa University before edging past Vanderbilt University by just two pins. The Bearcats then answered with a resounding triumph over Elmhurst College before taking down Adelphi University and host Stephen F. Austin to round out their 5-0 start to the tournament.
 
McKendree defeated St. Francis University (Pa.) to open Saturday's traditional play before holding off Tulane University in a high-scoring affair. The Bearcats followed with a win over Sam Houston State University ahead of a bye. McKendree then rolled past Nebraska in the final qualifying contest to take a 9-0 record into Sunday's bracket play.
 
Taking the No. 2 seed into Sunday's bracket, McKendree opened with a best-of-seven Baker match against Sam Houston State. The teams split the first two contests before the Bearcats captured the final three games to post a 4-1 match victory. The win sent McKendree straight into Sunday's championship contest against Nebraska. The Huskers grabbed a 2-0 lead before McKendree stormed back, taking game three 248-212 before recording a 288-246 win in the fourth game to tie the match. However, Nebraska regrouped to win the final two games for a 4-2 match victory.
 
Senior Breanna Clemmer (Clover, SC/Clover) registered a top-10 finish in the final individual standings at the Stormin' Ladyjack Classic. Clemmer collected 1,080 pins to average 216 for her five-game block on Saturday. Freshman Rebecca Hagerman () was 13^th overall with 1,040 pins for a 208 average, while senior Taylor Bailey (Joliet, IL/Joliet West) was 19^th in the field with 1,015 pins for a  203 average.