Huskers Finish Third at Big Red Invite

Lincoln – Behind a pair of all-tournament selections, the fourth-ranked Nebraska bowling team placed third at the Big Red Invitational with a final record of 8-4.

Redshirt freshman Kayla Verstraete led the Huskers in the individual standings, finishing third with an average of 233.50, while sophomore Crystal Elliott placed fourth with an average of 231.00. Both made the All-Tournament Team. The Huskers had four of the top-20 finishers, including Cassidy Ray, who finished seventh (226.75) and Michelle Guarro placed 18th (211.25).

“I am proud of how the team performed all weekend- especially after the slow start in the first two matches on Friday,” Head Coach Paul Klempa said. “We went on to win eight consecutive matches in a grueling field over the course of the rest of the event. The team is maturing well and the future is certainly bright for Husker Bowling. Crystal and Kayla have only just joined our lineup this season and both finished in the top five in average this weekend. I am excited to see how this team performs the rest of the way as we march towards the postseason.”

Nebraska opened the day against No. 22 Central Missouri and extended its winning streak with a 1,150-959 win. Every Husker bowled a 200 plus pin game in the first matchup, as Ray led the team with a score of 267. Guarro came in second with 235 followed by Elliott (232), Amara Smith Speights (215) and Verstraete (201).  NU stood strong in third place at the end of traditional play, 472 pins behind No. 3 Arkansas State.

Moving into bracket play, NU was seeded against top-ranked McKendree, where it suffered its first loss of the day, 1,055-1,067. Verstraete tallied 10 strikes on her way to a weekend-high 275 score. Her performance propelled her all the way to the top of the individual standings with a score of 1,634. Elliott (212) and Guarro (206) both had games over 200 as Ray (189) and Smith Speights (173) rounded out the lineup.

The final matchup of the day for the bowlers was No. 3 Arkansas State, where NU fell 1,171-1,189. Coach Klempa made the decision to replace Smith Speights with Kendyl Hofmeister before the match. Elliot led the team, collecting nine strikes on her way to a score of 279 with Ray right behind her with 247. Verstraete bowled a 234 followed by Hofmeister (223) and Guarro (188).

The Huskers return to bowling March 5-7 in Smyrna, Tenn. at the Smyrna Bowling Center.

Big Red Invitational Results

1. No. 3 Arkansas State

2. No. 1 McKendree 

3. No. 4 Nebraska

4. No. 2 Vanderbilt

5. No. 8 Youngstown State

6. No. 9 Maryville

7. No. 11 Lincoln Memorial

8. No. 22 Central Missouri

9. No. 19 Valparaiso

10. Upper Iowa

11. Quincy