March 1, 2018
Vanderbilt is in New Jersey for the third annual Hawk Flight Invite, played at the King Pin Bowling Center in Egg Harbor.
Tourney format: A standard format starting with the five, 5-Game Bakers Friday at 10:55 a.m. EST. The five team games Saturday begin at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday’s bracket of Baker games are at 8:25 a.m. Note all times are EASTERN.
Competing teams (17): Adelphi, Belmont Abbey, Caldwell, Coppin State, Delaware State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Franklin Pierce, Kutztown, Long Island-Brooklyn, Long Island-Post, Monmouth, Norfolk State, Roberts Wesleyan, Saint Francis-Brooklyn, Sam Houston, Vanderbilt and Youngstown.
About this tournament: This is the third year of the tournament and the Commodores have been there every year. The tourney is the creation of former Vanderbilt star Karen Grygiel, now head coach at Monmouth. Last season Vandy took a couple of days to settle in before finishing strong with a third place finish as Emily Rigney made her first all-tournament team. It won the event two years ago.
Following the tournament: The Commodores’ livestreams vary depending upon facility WIFI capability but usually use their YouTube channel. Facebook and Twitter accounts @Vandy Bowling have score updates.
Last time out: The Commodores were fifth in Houston at Stephen F. Austin’s Ladyjack Classic with freshman Samantha Gainor placing sixth to make the all-tournament team.
Travel squad capsules
Kelsey Abrahamsen – has given the Commodores some very good frames this spring, often in the lead-off role. She was in starting lineup two weeks ago and has also shined coming off the bench.
Maria Bulanova – bowled very well in the Baker portion of the LadyJack but two sub-standard games in team play kept her well down the individual standings. The sophomore All-American anchor has set the expectation bar so high that sometimes it’s her occasional open that fans remember more than her steady pounding of the strike zone. Her 10th frame strike two weeks ago was the key in topping No. 8 UMES by two pins.
Samantha Gainor – placed sixth to make her first collegiate all-tournament team at LadyJack, the fifth Vandy bowler to make a tournament team this season. Typically has bowled in the second and third spots but briefly was in the No. 4 hole two weeks ago.
Bryanna Leyen – The sophomore is getting significant playing time after patiently waiting for her opportunity.
Jordan Newham – bounced back from a shaky individual performance to perform well in the Sunday Bakers two weeks ago. The junior is having a good spring, bowling in the second and fourth spots most of the time.
Kristin Quah – the biomedical and electrical engineering scholar hasn’t been quite her consistent stellar bowling self the last tournament or two but still is among the NCAA’s best spare shooters and a real threat to record big pin fall in team games.
Katie Stark – the senior is making her first spring trip and the Commodores hope to see her close the season as strong as a year ago when she was the Southland Bowling League Most Valuable Player and was all-tournament at the NCAA Championship.
Adel Wahner – the steady Commodore who came in twice at SFA tournament and performed admirably. Made the all-tournament team at Mid-Winter.