Newman University women’s bowling team recently ended its season with its 11th straight appearance at the national tournament. The squad completed 24 baker games and collected 4,892 pins to earn an eighth seed going into match competition on April 21.
The Lady Jets lost a close match to the ninth seed McKendree Bearcats and fell into the consolation bracket after their first match of the tournament.
The team started the second day of match playing strong, grabbing a 4-2 victory from St. Francis. However, the Jet’s momentum was stopped quickly by Delaware State, who ousted the Newman 4-2 in their second match of consolation play and ended the squads’ season and national championship hopes.
Though the Lady Jets were pushed out of the Intercollegiate Team Championships early by their second match loss, the team had a rather successful season.
Aside from making yet another national tournament appearance, the team had two individual players make an appearance at the International Singles Championships, something that hasn’t been done since 2012.
Sophomores Miranda Henjy and Haley Williams both competed in single-bowler competition at nationals, with Henjy seeded 12th and Williams eighth after qualifying rounds on April 19. Though Henjy lost out in her first round of match play against Lawrence Tech’s Jacqueline Evans, Williams won her first match against Samantha Pasch of Indiana Tech.
Williams then had to go on to face defending national singles champion, Hasting’s Emily Eckoff. Williams would narrowly drop the match, 578 – 544.
The women’s bowling team has made an appearance at the national tournament in all but two seasons of the program’s 13-year existence.
