FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2015

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

WICHITA, Kan. – After 64 games of competition this past weekend, the Shocker Men and Women swept the Intercollegiate Collegiate Western Sectional held at Cityview Lanes in Fort Worth, Texas.

Competition was divided into four sixteen game blocks over the course of Saturday and Sunday. Baker games consist of the team combining to bowl one game with the first bowler throwing shots in the first and sixth frames, bowler two stepping up in the second and seventh frames. It continues through the lineup. Tournament victors were determined by total pinfall. The top four men’s teams and the top four women’s teams advanced to the national tournament.

After firing a 279 in their first game, the Lady Shockers never looked back, finishing the event with a commanding lead of over 200 pins ahead of second place. The power rankings on collegebowling.com reflect their dominating season performance as they comfortably sit in first.

“These girls have worked hard throughout the year and it’s really showing,” Assistant Coach Mark Lewis said. “The next few weeks are crucial and we’ll be sure to take advantage of the time we have left.”

The Women averaged 198.2 for the 64 games on a demanding sport compliant condition. Since the tournament calls for oiling once per day, 32 baker games can make for some interesting lane play decisions.

“As the day went on, the lanes got pretty toasty,” freshman Sydney Brummett (Fort Wayne, Ind.) said. “We just had to keep moving in making sure to keep the ball on the right side of the head pin.”

On the men’s side, it was a different story. After four games of the tournament the men were in 13th place and struggling to match the condition. Nearing the final stretch, things had turned around.

“I struck on the fill and when I turned around, there was the biggest smile on all the guy’s faces,” junior AJ Chapman (Manchester, Iowa) said. “They did the math and knew that the strike on the fill shut them out by one pin. It meant so much more because it’s about something bigger than you.”

It had come down to the final ball and a strike sealed the deal.

Prior to the team portion of the weekend, the Shockers competed in the Intercollegiate Singles Championships (ISC) Sectional qualifier. Multiple Shockers also qualified for the singles portion of the national tournament. Those names include junior Daria Kovalova and transfer Kristie Lopez for the women. Also traveling for the men are senior Christopher Colella, junior Tyler Cruz and senior Matt Mciel.

The Shockers are set for nationals in their hometown of Wichita, Kan. from April 13th to the 19th.

For more information about the ITC and ISC, please visit bowl.com.

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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.