Jan. 30, 2010
READING, Pa. — Vanderbilt’s bowling team awoke Saturday to the news that ice had collapsed the roof of its beloved home lanes in Smyrna, Tenn. A couple of hours later, the roof figuratively collapsed on the Commodores as they endured one of the most trying days in program history.
The ‘Dores won just two of six games at the Kutztown Invitational and in the process put themselves in dire jeopardy of not making Sunday’s top cut to play for the team championship. At this point, in fact, that would appear to take a minor miracle to reach this tourney’s top four with just two games Sunday before the final brackets are set.
Vanderbilt is in odd territory — 11th place and 320 pins behind fourth place Kutztown. Maryland-Eastern Shore, which has been in more tournament play since the new semester, is leading with 6,270 pins. VU’s total is 5,623.
The No. 1 Commodores spent much of the day without all cylinders working while Coach John Williamson could have related to the Dutch Boy trying to plug the leaks that seemed to spring with each new game. He used a different starting lineup in every game to little avail.
Vanderbilt began the day against top-seeded Maryland-Eastern Shore and 12 open frames later, the 1,024-866 loss put the team on its heels. An upset loss to Morgan State in the second team game was created by another nine open frames.
The Commodores also started the Greater Ozark Invitational in similar slow style last fall but recovered to win that event. And after wins in their third and fourth games with fewer errors and steadier play, Black and Gold partisans were hopeful for one more major surge.
It wasn’t to be on this day. Wisconsin-Whitewater enjoyed its best game of the day and topped VU, 997-973, in one of the more hotly contested games. Once again, Vandy couldn’t get five bowlers in the groove at the same time.
As fate would have it, Vanderbilt’s last match of the day was against New Jersey City, which was leading the tournament and the only squad to have five straight scores north of 1,000. Could the tourney leaders ignite the discouraged ‘Dores? Nope, NJC made it six in a row over 1,000 and routinely topped VU 1,001-902 to end the afternoon.
Vanderbilt left Hiester Lanes with much to ponder, including whether it would even be able to practice next week with Smyrna Lanes making national news with its collapsed roof.
Valparaiso’s Natalie Cortese leads all individuals with a 220.67 average. No Commodore is among the leaders.
UMES def Vanderbilt, 1,024-866
Carper/Belden 172
Halter/Garcia/Rhoades 120
Jess Earnest 156
Hamilton 203
Josie Earnest 215
Morgan State def Vanderbilt, 974-943
Hamilton 177
Rhoades 194
Belden 195
Carper 191
Josie Earnest 168
Vanderbilt def Long Island University, 945-685
Jess Earnest 214
Belden 200
Carper 189
Halter 147
Garcia 195
Vanderbilt def Southern, 994-861
Rhoades 182
Garcia 190
Jess Earnest 216
Hamilton 181
Josie Earnest 225
Wisconsin-Whitewater def Vanderbilt, 997-973
Rhoades/Belden 147
Garcia 205
Jess Earnest 225
Hamilton 194
Josie Earnest 202
New Jersey City def Vanderbilt, 1,001-902
Carper 163
Garcia 159
Jess Earnest 169
Hamilton 227
Josie Earnest 184
