March 2, 2013
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Vanderbilt got another big day of production from freshman Robyn Renslow and it helped slide the Commodores from fifth place into fourth at the Greater Ozark Invitational heading into Sunday’s finale.
Renslow ended the five traditional games in third place individually in pin fall as Vandy won three of its five matches. The fifth-ranked `Dores beat Valparaiso, Alabama-Birmingham and Elmhurst and dropped close games to host Central Missouri and Stephen F. Austin, squandering large leads in both defeats.
“In our opening game with Valpo, we were able to execute and close it out,” said Coach John Williamson, “but we found it frustrating in that third game that we had a big lead – perhaps 70 or 80 pins – as late as the sixth and when we needed to make a shot we weren’t able to do it. (Commodores suffered three opens in the tenth). Against SFA we were up about 60 pins in the ninth frame and still lost. We haven’t been able to make those shots lately but I am absolutely confident that someday soon we will make them.”
Vanderbilt has a precarious hold of 33 pins over the host and top-rated Jennies for the fourth spot with the first four Baker games tomorrow being included in the pin fall count to determine the championship bracket. Nebraska is in first place followed by Stephen F. Austin and Arkansas State. In the title bracket, seed #1 will play seed #4, 2 versus 3 with the winners meeting for the championship.
The Commodores used a rotation of Jessica Earnest, Tori Ferris, Nicole Mosesso, Natalie Goodman and Renslow most of the day with Kim Carper being inserted for Ferris midway through the fourth game and staying in the lineup. Williamson said the lane pattern was “conducive to a slower play and more friendly on the right side” so most of the teams relied on right-handed bowlers.
(Note to fans: There were technical problems with Vanderbilt’s UStream today that are hoped to be worked out Sunday.)
Team Leaders (11 teams competing)
Nebraska 10,462
Stephen F. Austin 10,034
Arkansas State 10,025
Vanderbilt 9,796
Central Missouri 9,733
Vanderbilt Scores
VU 1,013 Valparaiso 997
VU 1,034 UAB 948
Central Missouri 928 VU 913
Stephen F. Austin 952 VU 939
VU 1,016 Elmhurst 819
