Jan. 22, 2017
Final standings 
READING, PA—Vanderbilt won the Kutztown Invitational Sunday afternoon on the strength of two remarkable come-from-behind victories. It was the team’s first championship of the season.
The Commodores spotted surprising Delaware State a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Baker format before battling back to win four straight and earn the title in the 28-team field. Giselle Poss, on the strength of her 240 individual average yesterday, was named the tourney’s Most Valuable Player.
Rewarding as it was, the win in the championship game was not likely the most significant on the national stage. That win would come in the day’s opener against fourth rated McKendree, also a 4-3 thriller.
In that showdown, the Bearkats ran off to a 3-1 advantage and appeared to be heading to another win when they began Game 5 with five straight strikes. The Commodores, with a rotation of Jordan Newham, Adel Wahner, Kristin Quah, Poss and Maria Bulanova didn’t flinch.
McKendree, bowling on the left lane, was several frames ahead of Vandy and posted a powerful 256 score, normally more than enough to win but the Commodores closed with six in a row — including Bulanova’s tenth frame strikeout – to accomplish a stunning, 258-256 win.
The ‘Dores, suddenly red hot, rattled off wins in the sixth and seventh games while averaging 250.3 over the last three games to advance to the championship game.
Vanderbilt struggled in the first three games against Delaware State, changing its lineup each game in an attempt to find a working rhythm. It finally settled on a rotation of Quah, Wahner, Newham, Poss and Bulanova — which produced a seven-bagger in Game 4 and foreshadow a dominating finish.
As the top seed, Vandy had lane choice in the deciding game and for a few frames it appeared the Hornets were in control when they notched five strikes in a six-frame stretch. But Vanderbilt filled frames, took advantage of some bowling luck on a strike from Poss in the ninth and celebrated as its ice cool anchor doubled to cinch the win, 212-197.
“I think coming back from those deficits was significant,” said Coach John Williamson. “This sport is often momentum driven and it can be difficult to get the wheels churning when the other team is in control. I was proud of our team for keeping its focus and chipping away frame by frame.”
Williamson noted that Delaware State, who entered the bracket as the fourth-seed, “played very well all day – 200 over – and we were fortunate to get the victory.
“The lanes were gone (oil pattern) and the shot we had all weekend was simply not there,” he continued. “We tried a number of things – lineup changes and adjustments in our line – in an attempt to find easier shots.”
