March 1, 2007
BESSEMER, AL—Vanderbilt’s bowling team heads a few hours south this weekend to compete in Alabama A & M’s annual Holiday Classic. The second-ranked Commodores join a dozen other schools for competition that begins Saturday morning at the Holiday Bowl here.
“We have some unfinished business at this tournament,” says Coach John Williamson. “Last year we led from the start up to the last three games and we ended up placing second. This year we would like to finish what we began.”
Reviewing last year’s effort, the Commodores averaged over 1,000 pins per game Sunday but couldn’t hold off a superb effort by Nebraska. Mandy Keily finished second individually, averaging 234 Saturday and 227.8 Sunday — including a then school record 278. Michelle Peloquin was 12th.
The flu has made its rounds through the Vanderbilt squad in the past week, although both Keily and Josie Earnest are well on the road to recovery. Williamson believes his team, which carries a 54-12 mark, is ready for a strong showing.
Vanderbilt will travel its customary seven-person unit with Keily, Earnest, Peloquin joining Tara Kane, Karen Grygiel, Kaitlin Reynolds and Ashley Belden.
Bowling begins Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and concludes Sunday with play starting at 8:00 a.m. There will be five team games each day.
Other participating teams include: host Alabama A & M, Arkansas State, Bethune Cookman, Central Missouri, Delaware State, Florida A & M, Grambling, Morgan State, Nebraska, Sacred Heart, South Carolina State and Wisconsin Whitewater.