VALLEY PARK, Mo. – The No. 2 ranked McKendree University women's bowling team picked up its second tournament title of the 2022 calendar year here Sunday as the Bearcats finished with a 7-1 overall record and tallied a total pinfall of 10,100 to take home the championship of the Columbia 300 Saints Invitational hosted by Maryville University and held at Bowlero Lakeside.
Sunday's team title at the Columbia 300 Saints Invitational was the second this calendar year for the Bearcats as they also took home the team title at the Stormin' Blue & White Vegas Classic that was held on Jan. 8-10 at South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas Nev.
McKendree, who went 4-0 in Saturday's traditional games, opened Baker-style match play on Sunday with a hard-fought win over No. 3 ranked Nebraska (974-937), before earning a 912-834 win over 20th-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater and then played a bye match (965). The Bearcats earned its third win on Sunday with a 1,040-893 victory over 24th-ranked Central Missouri, before concluding the day with a loss to 10th-ranked Maryville (957-977).
For the two day event, McKendree finished with a pinfall of 10,100 and averaged 202.0 in its 50 games. Nebraska, who finished second with a 5-3 record, had a pinfall of 9,900 and averaged 198.0 per game, while Maryville finished third overall with a record of 1-7 and a total pinfall of 9,353 as they averaged 187.10 per game.
Two Bearcats made the All-Tournament Team as fifth-year senior
Isabella Correa Sarmiento (Cali, Colombia/Colegio Leonistico La Merced) was the Tournament MVP after being the top individual performer in the traditional games on Saturday and senior
Hope Gramly (Prosper, Texas/Prosper) was fourth overall on the individual leaderboard.
In traditional play, Correa Sarmiento recorded a total of pinfall of 1,092 and averaged 218.40 per game and had three games of over 200, including a high game of 263 against Maryville, while Gramly had a total pinfall of 1,076 and averaged 215.20 per game and had two games over 200 with a high of 266 in the fourth game.
The Bearcats will return to action on Feb. 18-20 as they travel to Jonesboro, Ark., to compete in the Mid-Winter Invitational hosted by Arkansas State University.
Columbia 300 Saints Invitational Final Standings: