Las Vegas, Nev. – Arkansas State rallied in the final two baker games, completing a 2-0 sweep of Nebraska in the winner’s bracket final of the NCAA Championship in Las Vegas.
The Red Wolves won the traditional match, 1008-987 before coming back to edge the Huskers, 1070-1067, in the five-game baker match to advance to Saturday’s championship at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.
Nebraska will now play Vanderbilt, a 2-0 winner over McKendree, in an elimination match Saturday morning at 11 a.m. (Central). The winner of that match will meet the Red Wolves Saturday night. The NU-Vanderbilt match will be streamed on NCAA.com.
Nebraska led for most of the traditional match before Arkansas State closed with a flourish in taking a 1008-987 victory. Huskers held steady through the first eight frames before Arkansas State was able to fill four out of five possible marks, giving them a doubling advantage heading into the 10th frame. ASU put the game away as Emma Stull and Faith Welch had three strikes apiece in the 10th as all five bowlers marked in the frame. In all, the Red Wolves had 14 strikes in their final 20 frames. NU tried to rally in the final frame, as all five bowlers opened the 10th with strikes, but could not complete the comeback. Jillian Martin led the team with a dominant score of 226, including five straight strikes to end the match. Anna Callan followed close behind with 203, including only one open frame. Crystal Elliott (197), Kendyl Hofmeister (191) and Kayla Verstraete (170) rounded out the Husker lineup.
The Huskers rallied in the opening baker match for a 203-190 win. NU trailed 134-115 after an open frame in the seventh,, but roared back with five straight strikes and took advantage of an open frame by Arkansas State in the eighth frame. Crystal Elliott sealed game one with a double strike eight count in the 10th frame.
Nebraska got off to a slow start in the second game, but a lineup change helped spark NU’s 247-204 win. Alexis Buchert moved into the No. 2 spot and had strikes in both of her frames (second and seventh). The Huskers had open frames in two of the first three frames and trailed by 22 pins. The Huskers caught fire, closing the match with 10 straight strikes and took advantage of an Arkansas State open frame to extend its lead to 56 pins after the second game.
In the third game,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at University of Nebraska…