Huskers Advance with 2-0 Sweep of McKendree

Las Vegas — No. 4 Nebraska opened up play at the NCAA Championships with an impressive 2-0 win over top-seeded McKendree Friday morning Friday morning.

The Huskers won the traditional match by a score of 1,134-1,037 before completing the mega match sweep with a 1,193-1,031 victory in the five-game Baker match.

 

DOWN GOES No. 1?????

Huskers advance to play Arkansas State this afternoon at 5pm (CT) ?????? pic.twitter.com/FOAeZQInSM

— Nebraska Bowling (@NEBowling) April 14, 2023

With the win, the Huskers will face No. 3 seed Arkansas State in the second round this afternoon at 5 p.m. (central) with the winner advancing to Saturday night’s championship match. Arkansas State downed No. 2 seed Vanderbilt, 2-0 Friday morning.  The match will be carried live on NCAA.com.

Nebraska Head Coach Paul Klempa was hoping his team would come out of the blocks quickly and they did. 

“That was an excellent start to say the least,” said Head Coach Paul Klempa. “We shot two 1100s and really thumped the competition in that one. That’s a really good team that we played in McKendree that everyone knows. To get out of the gate like that and to execute to that degree and be as calm and light-hearted as they were. It is putting into motion everything that we did in preparation so I was really proud of them.”

In the traditional-style match, Jillian Martin led the team with a dominant score of 247, including five straight strikes to open the match and four more in the ninth and 10th frames. Anna Callan followed close behind with 242, including marks in the first seven frames. NU also got solid performances from two-time All-Americans Kendyl Hofmeister (223) and Crystal Elliott (217) while Kayla Verstraete (205) 

gave the Huskers five bowlers who bowled over 200. The Huskers put the match way in the the final two frames, as all five Huskers combined for four strikes and a spare in the ninth frame before NU’s lineup opened the 10th frame with 11 consecutive strikes. In all, the Huskers had 14 of a possible 15 strikes in the final frame. 

Clean frame leading into the final 10th???? pic.twitter.com/prfGHp2y3q

— Nebraska Bowling (@NEBowling) April 14, 2023

1??4?? Strikes in frame 1??0??????? pic.twitter.com/54IAUP9NV1

— Nebraska Bowling (@NEBowling) April 14, 2023

Nebraska fell behind early in the Baker match, as McKendree posted a 217-200 win in the first game before the Huskers took control. The Huskers regrouped quickly, opening game two with four straight strikes to win 232-157 and build a 58-point lead after two games. NU extended the lead with a 257-220 win in game three, as NU marked in nine of 10 frames before a 267-203 win in game four provided a comfortable margin. In that game, NU marked in all 10 frames and closed the game with nine straight strikes to build a 159-point advantage. NU closed the match with a 237-234 win in the finale to advance to the second round. 

 

??Baker match vs McKendree??

Staring up game 2????

??: 200 (-17)

??: 217 (+17) pic.twitter.com/1I4XWrdFcj

— Nebraska Bowling (@NEBowling) April 14, 2023

Huskers strike back in game 2?? Kendyl starting us up in game 3?????

??: 432 (+58)

??: 374 (-58) pic.twitter.com/cWzg5BbrbQ

— Nebraska Bowling (@NEBowling) April 14, 2023

HUGE messenger to seal up game 3?????

??: 689 (+95)

??: 594 (-95) pic.twitter.com/PbzxOZueMl

9??? To close game 4?? heading into final game 5????????

??: 956 (+159)

??: 797 (-159) pic.twitter.com/oVGvosk0iM

— Nebraska Bowling (@NEBowling) April 14, 2023