April 14, 2011
Game five finds the Commodores on Camera Four of the NCAA’s live webcast. Updates will be posted here as available.
Thursday, 2:30 p.m. CT
Nebraska 1,022 VU 999
Hamilton 197
Rhoades 224
Carper 189
Earnest 228
Hesley 161
The Commodores shuffled their lineup for the third straight day (according to plan). They took another early lead behind lineup newcomer Kim Carper and Kayla Rhoades but the Huskers rallied in the last couple of frames behind their anchor’s 258 effort. The match wasn’t decided until the anchors were done in the tenth. Rhoades had a 224 against her old teammates while Earnest led the ‘Dores at 228.
Fairleigh Dickinson 1,039 VU 1,031
Rhoades 185
Carper 182
Hesley 238
Earnest 226
Hamilton 200
Another game, another rotation. Samantha Hesley was bumped into the third spot in the new look and she responded wonderfully with a team-high 238. It was another white knuckler that came down to the last frame. The No. 1 rated Knights got a huge boost from All-American Tracy Ganjoin, who recovered from a subpar 169 game to throw a 279 at the Commodores. Vanderbilt had been doing a good job with its spare conversions but as in any close game, a couple miscues were costly. Earnest kept her torrid pace with a 226 and Hamilton added a 200 as the team’s total would be good enough to win a lot of games.
Thursday, 11:15 a.m. CT
Teams will be seeded in the championship bracket according to won-loss records in today’s round-robin traditional games.
Sam Houston State 958, VU 946
O’Brien 180
Rhoades 172
Morgan 156
Earnest 192
Hamilton 246
The Commodores nursed a small lead through most of the match, powered in large part by Jessica Earnest and Brittni Hamilton in the four and anchor slots. Those familiar with the team’s normal lineup and rotation will notice this one is unique in several ways.
The match turned in the late frames with the `Dores suffering several costly opens and Sam Houston closing strong. Ten open frames hurt the VU chances.
VU 972 Central Missouri 932
Hamilton 181
Rhoades 206
Halter 167
Earnest 238
Hesley 180
Vanderbilt once again started out quickly and this time was able to maintain control wire-to-wire.
The Jennies were unable to keep the momentum of their energized Game 1 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore while Earnest and Kayla Rhoades both cracked the 200 plateau.