The #RV Valpo bowling team capped a perfect 4-0 day on the lanes Friday to open the Saints Invitational in St. Louis with literal perfection, as the Beacons rolled 12 consecutive strikes in their final game of the day for the first 300 game in program history.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo opened its final match of the day, contested in the five-game baker format, against UIndy in style, rolling a 247 to take a lead it would not relinquish.
• The Beacons carried an advantage of 135 pins into the final game against the Greyhounds, but the fact that the result was all but assured didn't keep them from pushing the pedal to the metal.
• Sophomore Mia Kottke (Niles, Ill./Resurrection) led things off, followed by redshirt sophomore Peytin Brake (Kent City, Mich./Kent City), sophomore Payton Rowley (Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville) and sophomore Alexis Wooley (Fort White, Fla./Fort White), all four of whom successfully converted strikes in their respective pair of frames.
• In the anchor spot was junior Jen Patz (Naples, Fla./Naples), who struck with her first shot of the game in the fifth and stepped to the line in the 10^th frame with three shots between her and the team's first 300 game in program history. Patz successfully knocked down all 10 pins with each of her three shots, setting off a celebration on the lanes.
• Not only was it the first 300 game in program history, it also closed out an 1134-929 win over UIndy — the program's second-best score in a five-game baker match in program history, topped only by an 1151 effort back in November 2014.
• While the high point of the day came at the end, the rest of the day wasn't too bad either, as the Beacons went undefeated, including a 998-972 win over host #9 Maryville to open tournament action.
• Valpo had a bye in the second match slot and posted a score of 1012, followed by a 998-964 victory over #RV Newman.
• The Beacons earned their second ranked win of the day with a 931-867 defeat of #13 McKendree in the fourth match slot, setting the stage for the finale's fireworks.
• It was the first time the program has posted a perfect record on the first day of a tournament in five-game baker matches since January 2022 at the Peacock Classic, and the first time doing so when facing multiple ranked teams since November 2019 at the Warhawk Classic.
• Valpo finished the day in sixth place out of 15 teams in the team standings with a pinfall of 5,073 pins.

 
Next Up
Valpo (26-27) continues action from St. Louis on Saturday morning, with traditional team matches on the docket for the second day of competition.