The Valpo bowling team kicked off the 2019-20 season on Friday with the first day of competition at the season-opening Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Bowling Invitational, hosted by Tulane in Harahan, La. At the close of the first day of action, Valpo sits in ninth place in the 16-team field, which includes nine of the nation’s top-25 teams.
How It Happened
- Valpo totaled 4,650 pins over Friday’s five matches, contested in the five-game baker format, to close the day in ninth position. The Brown and Gold will enter Saturday’s action just 26 pins out of seventh place.
- While Valpo finds itself mid-pack in the standings, it was snake-bit by its schedule on the opening day of the tournament as it posted an 0-5 record Friday. Three of Valpo’s five matches saw it record scores which would have beaten a vast majority of the tournament field, only to be facing a squad which bowled slightly better in that contest.
- Valpo opened the tournament against the hosts, #14 Tulane, and fell by a 953-892 final.
- In its second match, Valpo nearly averaged a 200 over the five games, rolling a 990, but it came up just short of #17 Louisiana Tech’s 1008 total. Valpo’s 990 would have been good enough to beat 13 of the tournament’s other 15 teams in that match slot.
- Valpo then faced off with the nation’s preseason top-ranked team, #1 Vanderbilt, and again dropped a narrow decision, 947-928. Its 928 in that match would have been enough to win over 11 teams in that match slot.
- In its fourth match, Alabama State captured a 989-949 win over Valpo – Valpo’s 949 score would have earned it a win over 10 of the other teams in the tournament.
- In its Friday finale, Valpo fell to #8 North Carolina A&T, 934-891.
Next Up
Valpo (0-5) continues tournament play on Saturday with traditional team matches beginning at 8:30 a.m.
