The Valpo bowling team earned another win over a top-15 opponent on Sunday as it closed out the Big Red Invitational from Lincoln, Neb. in sixth place on Sunday.

How It Happened

• Valpo opened Sunday’s bracket play, contested in the best-of-seven baker format, against #12 Central Missouri. The Jennies jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Valpo came back with consecutive wins to even the match at 2-2.
• UCM rolled a 234 in game five to move to the brink of victory, but Valpo responded with a massive 256 game in game six to force a decisive seventh game. In the decider, it was the Brown and Gold which came away with the victory, 185-163.
• The 4-3 win over UCM sent Valpo into a matchup with Prairie View A&M. Valpo carried momentum from their opening match into the first game, rolling a 214 to jump on top early.
• Prairie View A&M won the next three games to go ahead 3-1, but again Valpo rallied, rolling a 199 in game five to take that contest and then edging the Panthers in game six, 184-182, to force a seventh game. This time, however, the seventh game went against the Crusaders, as Prairie View A&M earned the 4-3 win with a 191-181 finale.
• The loss sent Valpo back into a rematch with Central Missouri in the fifth/sixth place match. UCM took the first two games before Valpo rolled consecutive games of 235 and 205 to even the match.
• The fifth game proved to be the key to the match, as despite a 226 effort from Valpo, the Jennies rolled a 235 to go ahead 3-2 and closed out their 4-2 win in game six.

Next Up

Valpo (38-49) faces its final regular season competition of the year next weekend at Vanderbilt’s Columbia 300 Music City Classic in Smyrna, Tenn. The three-day tournament opens Friday, March 6.