KENOSHA, Wis. – The top-ranked McKendree University women's bowling team captured its first tournament title of the 2022-23 season here Sunday afternoon as the Bearcats claimed first place out of 14 teams with a 12-2 record and a total pinfall of 15,230 at the MOTIV Ladyjack Classic hosted by fourth-ranked Stephen F. Austin and held at Sheridan Lanes.
In Sunday's final day of action of the three-day event, the 14 teams played three more Baker games before playing a one-game best-of-seven position round Baker match to determine the final placement of all the teams.
On Sunday, the Bearcats opened with a loss to No. 25 Newman University (1,005-960), before collecting wins over both No. 15 Maryville (96-4-912) and No. 9 Youngstown State (1,044-977) to give the Bearcats the No. 2 seed and meet No. 2 ranked and No. 1 seeded Vanderbilt in the champion match of bracket play.
In the bracket play final, Vanderbilt opened with a 235-206 win and after the two teams finished tied at 206 in the second game, Vandy would take a 2.5-0.5 lead in the match following its 216-198 win in the third game. In the fourth game, McKendree would earn a 198-172 win in the fourth game and then collected a 229-214 win in the fifth game. In the sixth game, McKendree eked out a 220-214 win and then sealed the tournament title with a 191-167 win in the seventh and final game.
Prior to Sunday's tournament title, the Bearcats had finished in the Top 3 of its previous two events as McKendree went 11-1 and finished third at the season opening Bearcat Roto Grip Open and then was 11-2 and finished second at the Track Kat Klash last weekend. The Bearcats are now 34-5 on the season.
At the event, McKendree opened with a 5-0 record in Friday's five Baker matches, before going 4-1 in Saturday's traditional games. At the event, the Bearcats finished with an average of 211.8 in 72 total games as they collected a total pinfall of 15,230. Vanderbilt went 11-3 to finish as the tournament's runner-up.
No. 6 Arkansas State (10-4) finished in third place following a 4-2 win in the third-place game over Stephen F. Austin (9-5), while No. 3 Nebraska (9-5) posted a 4-0 win over Youngstown State (9-5).
Along with capturing the team title, the defending NCAA National Champion Bearcats had three players named to the All-Tournament Team as senior
Maranda Pattison (Redwood Valley, Calif./Ukiah Independent) was second overall on the individual standings as she recorded a total of 1,166 pins and averaged 233.20 in her five traditional games. Senior
Rebecca Hagerman (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) was third overall with a total pinfall of 1,163 and an average of 232.60 in her five traditional games, while junior
Isabel Allen (Tamworth, England/Polesworth High) was sixth with a total pinfall of 1,127 and an average of 225.40 in her five traditional games.
In addition to the three All-Tournament performers, two other Bearcats placed in the Top 20 of the individual standings as fifth-year senior
Hope Gramly (Prosper, Texas/Prosper) was 17th with a total pinfall of 1,064 and an average of 212.80 per game, while fifth-year senior
Angelique Dalesandro (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Vanderbilt) recorded a total pinfall of 1,064 to finish in 18th place with an average of 212.80 per game.
Vanderbilt's Alyssa Ballard was the individual champion as she recorded a total pinfall of 1,173 and averaged 234.60 per game.
The Bearcats will return to action next weekend (Nov. 19-20) as they will host its annual McKendree Match Games at St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights, Ill.
MOTIV Ladyjack Classic Final Standings:
No. 1 McKendree – 12-2
No. 2 Vanderbilt – 11-3
No. 6 Arkansas State – 10-4
No. 4 Stephen F. Austin – 9-5
No. 3 Nebraska – 9-5
No. 9 Youngstown State – 9-5
No. 15 Maryville – 9-5
No. 25 Newman – 9-5
No. 20 Lewis – 5-9
Wisconsin-Whitewater – 7-7
Valparaiso – 4-10
Carthage College – 1-13
Marian (Wis.) University – 3-11
North Central (Ill.) – 0-14
