April 11, 2008
Watch Friday’s Webcast | NCAA Tournament Central | Live Stats
Posted Friday at 10:45 a.m. CT
OMAHA, NEB — Maryland-Eastern Shore, sluggish in Thursday’s qualifying rounds and runner-up to Vanderbilt last year, became a buzzsaw Friday and quickly sent the Commodores into the loser’s bracket at the NCAA Bowling Championship.
The defending champion Commodores appeared to come out on edge after more or less dominating yesterday’s qualifying and continually left so-called makeable spares, opening the door for the opportunistic Hawks, who needed only 42 minutes to win four games to none in the best-of-seven Baker format.
The loss casts Vanderbilt into a sudden elimination game with Sacred Heart that will begin at approximately 11:30 CT.
After jumping out to an early lead in Game 1, Vanderbilt opened in the fifth with a single pin spare and followed that with another open in the sixth. That was enough of a crack for MES, suddenly feeling the good vibrations, to run through for a 210-195 win.
Game 2 was a nip and tuck battle in which Vanderbilt strung four strikes together to put itself in position to win. Anchor Josie Earnest knocked all ten pins down on her first ball but needing another strike came up one pin short. MES won, 209-205.
Vanderbilt got off to a tough start in Game 3 with a split that created an open and also suffered later open frames that were equally damaging. Vanderbilt lost that one, 196-179.
Things got no better in Game 4. With MES going for a knock-out, the Commodores again seemed to bowl as if they were tense, missing some spare shots they would normally convert. This one was 212-181 and while total pin fall has no bearing, the four-game total was 1,027-960 – leading the veteran fans to realize the Hawks high-energy performance won it rather than Vanderbilt’s cautious exhibition lost the match.
Fortunately, the team will have over an hour to regain its composure before resuming play. All games are being webcast on ncaa.com.
This is the third NCAA Championship appearance for Vanderbilt and the first time it has lost its opening game. Two years ago it defeated Central Missouri in the opening game before losing being eliminated and last year while winning in Orlando the Commodores never lost a match.
