(CHESTERFIELD, Mo., Jan. 27) – The McKendree University women's bowling team collected its first tournament win of the season with a first place finish at the 2020 Columbia 300 Saints Invite in Chesterfield, Mo., Jan. 24-26.
The Bearcats recorded 13,488 total pins in the tournament, 678 more than Arkansas State, the second place finisher. Overall in the tournament, McKendree averaged 207.5 pins per game. The Bearcats were the only team out of the 19 team tournament field to average in the two-hundreds for pins per game.
On the first day of competition, the Bearcats went 4-1 in baker match competition. McKendree began the day with a 995-943 win over Wisconsin Whitewater. The Bearcats then faced Arkansas State where they fell 1,007-985 in a close contest for their only loss on the day and in the entire tournament. McKendree went on to beat Sam Houston State 1,072-929, Aurora University 1,013-796, and Valparaiso 1,070-863.
In traditional match competition on the second day of the tournament, the Bearcats went 5-0. McKendree opened the day with a 979-827 win over Augustana College. In the next matchup, the Bearcats defeated Louisiana Tech University in a close 969-964 contest. McKendree then recorded three 1,000+ pin games, defeating North Central College 1,076-837, Lincoln Memorial 1,045-918, and Tusculum 1,105-931.
McKendree sat in first place to begin the third and final day of competition. In their first bracket game, the Bearcats defeated the second place seeded Arkansas State in five games, 4-1. McKendree advanced in the bracket play to take on North Central College which it won in four straight games, 4-0. In the championship game, the Bearcats faced Arkansas State once again with the previous contests split for one win in favor of each school. McKendree came out on top, winning the entire tournament with a 4-2 win over Arkansas State.
Taylor Bailey (Joliet, IL/Joliet West) also earned a first place finish representing McKendree in individual competition for her first individual tournament win of the season. In five contests, Bailey averaged 229.60 pins per game with 1,148 total pins recorded. Bailey claimed first place handily by 83 pins above second place finisher, Macailin Rodriguez from Maryville. The best game for Bailey was her 258 pins in the third game. Her first place finish earned her First-Team All-Tournament honors.
Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper) also earned a top-ten finish in the individual competition. Gramly earned ninth place out of the 120 individual competitors. In five games, Gramly acquired a 207.40 average off of 1,037 total pins. With her top-ten finish, Gramly earned Second-Team All-Tournament honors, her first of the 2019-20 season.
McKendree will compete next in the Prairie View Invitational Jan. 31 – Feb. 2 in Arlington, Texas.
