FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2014

CONTACT:
Gordon Vadakin
Phone (316) 978-7655
Fax (316) 978-6056
email - shocker.bowling@wichita.edu
www.wichita.edu/bowling

Shocker Women Undefeated in Las Vegas, Second Semester Starts Strong

WICHITA, Kan. – Over Wichita State University’s break from classes, the WSU Shocker Bowling men’s and women’s teams traveled to Las Vegas, Nev. on Dec. 18-21 for the Glenn Carlson Las Vegas Invitational and Collegiate Shoot Out held at Sunset Station Hotel and Casino and The Orleans Hotel and Casino, respectively. Not only did the Women’s team sweep both events out of 18 teams, it was the fourth time in a row the Women swept the Las Vegas events.

In fact, the four seniors, Holly Harris, Allie Ijams, Kelsey Muther and Tannya Roumimper, have been on the winning team of every Las Vegas event they have entered since 2010. Numerous women from those teams have qualified for the all-tournament team, including Roumimper, who averaged 212.1 placing 1st and Harris, who averaged 202.2 placing 5th in the Las Vegas Invitational. Junior Heather Melvin and Roumimper qualified for the all-tournament team in the Collegiate Shootout averaging 229 and 214.8, placing 1st and third, respectively.

“These girls have put in a lot of hard work over the past few years,” Head Coach Gordon Vadakin said. “It clearly shows up in these events.”

Although the Men finished 5th and 3rd out of 33 and 36 of teams, respectively, Matt McNiel averaged 211 in the Collegiate Shootout, qualifying 6th for the all-tournament team.

The following tournament, Kegel ISBPA, took place last weekend in Addison, Ill. at Stardust lanes. Out of the 56 men’s teams and 53 women’s teams, the Shocker men finished 2nd while the women finished 1st.

Teams bowled 9 team games over 2 days with the highest scores determining placement.

While the Women finished the first day with a healthy lead, eventually winning by 450 pins, the Men finished on Saturday with a 550 deficit between them and the first place team Notre Dame College. With a new game plan and mindset, the Shocker Men fired games of 1040, 1170, 1174, 1169 (+569) to finish second place, 9 pins behind Notre Dame.

“Our Sunday performance was nearly seamless,” Vadakin said. “With a few more months of hard work, great performances will feel normal.”

Junior Francois Lavoie (Canada) threw games of 259, 255, 225, and 277, averaging 254 on Sunday, moving him to 3rd place in the all-tournament team standings. Teammate Zach Rhoades averaged 233.12 only bowling 8 of the 9 games, finishing 26th.

On the Women’s side sophomore Daria Kovalova averaged 233, leading the Women’s individual standings alongside teammate Tannya Roumimper who averaged 216.6, finishing in third place for the all-tournament team.

WSU’s next event, the McKendree Baker Challenge, takes place on Feb. 1st and 2nd at two different bowling centers, St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights, Ill for the women and Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville, Ill for the men.

For more information about the Shocker Bowling program, please visit our website at www.wichita.edu/bowling.


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The Rhatigan Student Center has been the major financial and administrative supporter of the Wichita State University bowling program since 1959.