Two of the top-20 five-game baker sets in program history highlighted the opening day of the Bearcat Invitational Friday for the #21 Valpo bowling team in Fairview Heights, Ill., as the Beacons ended the day in third place in the team standings.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo opened the day paired up against #13 UW-Whitewater, dropping a 985-936 decision. The Beacons rolled a 225 in game one and were up by 15 pins after game two, but the Warhawks won each of the final three games to take the match.
• The Beacons rebounded with a decisive 991-775 win over Southern, rolling three games above 200 — including a match-best 245 in game three.
• Valpo continued its roll in the third match slot, defeating #11 Sacred Heart by a 1040-986 final — a five-game total which cracked the top-20 in program history. The Beacons got it going with a 254 in game one and followed with a 219 in game two and a 214 in game four to finish the match with a 208 average.
• Valpo took it up another notch in its fourth match of the day to down #10 Maryville, 1085-1001 — the seventh-best five-game baker total in program history. The Beacons got off to another hot start with a 267 in game one and also rolled a 246 in game four.
• The efforts against Sacred Heart and Maryville marked just the third time in program history Valpo has rolled two of the top-20 five-game baker matches on the same day.
• The day ended on a down note, as the Beacons fell 850-830 to Alabama A&M.
• For the day, Valpo totaled 4,882 pins — good for third place in the 15-team field and just 70 pins out of second.

 
Next Up
Valpo (24-20) continues action at the Bearcat Invitational on Saturday with five traditional team matches.