November 26, 2018 / Trailblazer bowlers finish shy of top-10 finish
O’FALLON, Ill. -- The VIncennes University Bowling team competed in the National Collegiate Team Match Games over the weekend.
The Trailblazers finished the two-day event with an 11th place finish in the field of 27.
Ryan Benslay led the Trailblazers after Day 1 with a 6-game average of 205. Tyler Perry averaged 200.6 on Saturday as VU found itself in 13th place heading into Sunday’s round of 20 baker games.
Tyler Lewis and Connor Hickey averaged 195 and 184.6 over six games.
Averaging 185.95 in the baker format on Sunday, the Trailblazers improved two spots for their final finish.
VU coach Jesse Gibson mentioned his team got off to a slow start on Sunday, but was pleased with the way the team finished.
“Day two started out rough in all categories for the first set of baker games,” Gibson stated. “However, once we moved into the rest of the sets, we managed things a little better. It just seemed like we had that one game each set where some focus was lost and resulted in a score that negated all of the work in the other games of that set.”
Gibson also stated the tournament, once again, exposed a weakness of the team.
“Spares were a highlighted area for needed improvement as always,” the coach admitted. “When conditions become tough, which this center is well known to play tricky due to all of the friction the lane surfaces have, we need to be able to rely on our spare game to get through and find good reaction. That has not set in as a priority for us yet.”
The Trailblazers have nearly a month before they turn to action on the lanes as they participate in the ISBPA Midwest Classic in Addison, IL on Jan. 19-20.
“We will get back to work at home and try and fix a few things that are broken in the matches,” Gibson said.
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