Bowlers in championship bracket

Jan. 29, 2011

READING, Pa. — Vanderbilt started slow and ended slower but still finished tied for first place in pin count after two days, putting the Commodores into Sunday’s championship bracket of the Kutztown Invitational.

The Commodores saw their 75-pin lead on second place Maryland-Eastern Shore evaporate in the sixth and final team game after a lackluster effort against 23rd place Howard. The two leaders will be joined tomorrow by Fairleigh Dickinson and host Kutztown with the other 24 teams bracketed for lower positions.

“We feel disappointed today,” said Coach John Williamson. “We didn’t show up ready to bowl and took three frames to get in gear against FDU, then blew a 45-pin lead in the tenth to lose by a pin. We came back strong against Kutztown (1,109) and Wisconsin-Whitewater but when we switched sides of the center and bowled lower seeded teams you could just sense the energy and focus evaporating. Our scores reflect this. I don’t know if we were tired or just lost our concentration.”

The Commodores, commemorating Breast Cancer awareness by wearing bright pink jerseys and socks, were led by Jessica Earnest and Brittni Hamilton, who placed third and fifth respectively. Earnest’s 1,312 pin count over six games was just 20 behind Norfolk State’s Thea Aspiras.

The championship bracket will pair Vanderbilt against UMES with Kutztown facing FDU. The winner of the Vanderbilt match gets a bye into the championship game while the loser plays the loser of the FDU-Kutztown in best-of-seven Baker games.

Saturday’s Vanderbilt Results

FDU 990 Vanderbilt 989
Brittni Hamilton 226
Kayla Rhoades 175
Kim Carper 169
Jessica Earnest 232
Samantha Hesley 187

Vanderbilt 1,109 Kutztown 972
Hamilton 233
Rhoades 257
Amanda Halter 164
Earnest 213
Hesley 234

Vanderbilt 1,055 Whitewater 939
Hamilton 245
Rhoades 200
Ellen Morrison 150
Earnest 237
Hesley 223

Vanderbilt 967 Saint Peter’s 911
Hamilton 226
Rhoades 207
Morrison 162
Earnest 203
Hesley 169

Vanderbilt 1,002 Hampton 881
Hamilton 201
Rhoades 153
Morrison 237
Earnest 225
Hesley 186

Howard 979 Vanderbilt 945
Hamilton 177
Morrison 172
Carper/Rhoades 200 (Rhoades in the third)
Earnest 202
Hesley 194