March 8, 2015
SMYRNA, TN—Vanderbilt `s strong run continued Sunday as the Columbia 300 Music City Classic came to a close and when it did, the sixth-ranked Commodores’ combined pin count for the tournament’s two days was 10,535, 145 pins more than runner-up Central Missouri.
The format of the tournament was forced to be modified late last week when bad weather forced some previously entered teams to miss the event and others to arrive on Saturday morning. Because of the modification, no official team champion can be crowned per NCAA rule.
Sunday was a day of consistently strong performance with some exhilarating highs. The Commodores won four of five matches, losing only to No. 1 rated Nebraska in a high wire battle, 1,206-1,084. But despite the skill on display in that match, it was a near miraculous comeback against 17th ranked Valparaiso that had fans still buzzing after Senior Day activities had concluded.
In that match, the Crusaders had beaten the `Dores four straight games by narrow margins and the fifth and final game of the match began with Valpo up 73 pins and having all the momentum on its side of the lanes. What followed will long be remembered by the many Vandy faithful , a rally for the ages that produced a shocking 288 game and an amazing come-from-behind victory.
“We huddled right before Game 5 and reminded ourselves that we would have to dig deep and make good shots but we knew in our hearts we were capable of doing that,” sophomore Nicole Powell said later. “We needed a big number and we just trusted our abilities, we didn’t make any adjustments of note. We supported each other in the settee. We knew after five straight strikes that we were putting tremendous pressure on the opponents.”
Coach John Williamson liked his team’s steady performance over the long weekend, which produced a 12-3 won-loss mark in addition to big pin counts.
“Since our tournament in Houston and including this weekend we have had six straight good days,” he said. “I think we are peaking at the right time and the girls are starting to buy in to each other and what we are doing.”
On the “rally”:
“Stuff like that is a mix of timing and we began putting shots together – which we hadn’t been able to do the previous four games. Those games were our low point of our day but the five that were in there at the moment felt like they could do just about anything so, shoot, why not come back from 73 down?”
Williamson felt that Nebraska “won” the head-to-head show-down, his team with its strong total didn’t necessarily “lose”.
“We have a lot of respect for Nebraska,” Williamson said. “We made some quality shots against them but they made a few more. They did an excellent job of capitalizing on the few breaks we gave them. There isn’t much you can do when someone is bowling that well against you.”
Vanderbilt senior Rebeca Reguero made the all-tournament team based on her steady 223 average in Saturday’s team games. She crafted scores of 236-203-226-202-248 to join Tara Quinlan and Jodi Gawlik of McKendree, Victoria Jones of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Carly Thomas of Central Missouri and tourney MVP Gazmine Mason of Nebraska.
The veteran Vandy coach took note of Reguero’s outstanding senior year.
“When you follow collegiate sports, Rebeca’s story is one you like to see. Where she came from and what she is accomplishing on and off the lanes – she has really blossomed into something special and I believe she can do whatever she wants to do in her future.”
“My emotions started Thursday,” Reguero admitted, “and being Senior Weekend it was bitter sweet and somewhat difficult but bowling itself is a good distraction. You are doing what you love.”
The Commodores overall team balance showed with Amanda Fry (219 average) placing seventh and Katie Stark (218.4) a very close eighth individually. Powell had a Top 25 finish with her 206 average.
After the event, Director of Athletics David Williams was on hand to honor the program’s five seniors: Nicole Chanin, Natalie Goodman, Nicole Mosesso, Reguero and Liz Saffold.
The Southland Bowling Conference tournament comes up in two weeks in Houston. The format is an 8-team, double-elimination Baker tournament of which pairings have yet to be established.Vanderbilt joined the Southland Bowling Conference this year as NCAA rules are changing to establish the NCAA Championship field in a few years.
Vandy Capsules
VU – Alabama A & M
Lineup: Stark, Powell, Fry, Reguero, Renslow and Mosesso, Saffold, Chanin, Poss and Reguero
Vandy began with a strong 229 from the lineup it has used this weekend, then made wholesale changes in Game 2 inserting all available seniors on Senior Day and adding Poss since Natalie Goodman is still sidelined with mononucleosis. The `Dores dominated the Bulldogs from the beginning.
VU – Louisiana Tech
Lineup: Stark, Powell, Fry, Reguero, Renslow
Game two was never close either as the Commodores appear to have picked up where they left things yesterday.
VU-Valparaiso
Lineup: Stark, Powell, Fry, Reguero, Renslow
What appeared to be a disappointing loss to 17th ranked Valparaiso turned into one of the most thrilling Commodore victories in tourney history. After four straight losses by relatively small margins, Vandy faced the fifth and last game down 73 pins and with little apparent momentum. It began slowly, one strike at a time. Three straight, then six. Fry’s strike in the eighth needed some divine help. Reguero had a huge strike in the ninth and all between Vandy and its second perfect Baker in two years at this tourney was the 10th. Renslow cooly made the first one as the `Dore boosters went wild. The next ball didn’t produce, knocking down seven but the resulting 286 seemed safe despite the 73pin deficit. The score was the sixth best Baker in program history.
VU-UAB
Lineup: Stark, Powell, Fry, Reguero, Renslow
The Commodores stayed red-hot against the Blazers, racking up Baker scores of 245-254-202-237-236. The 1,174 eclipsed Saturday’s 1,166, which had been the school’s second highest 5-Game Baker score in program history.
VU-Nebraska
Lineup: Stark, Powell, Fry, Reguero, Renslow
It’s not every day you knock over 1,084 pins and get smoked but that was the case as the No. 1 rated Huskers put on a bowling clinic with a 1,206. Credit the `Dores for not withering in the assault and credit Nebraska for exceptional play.
