Youngstown State University
MOTIV Penguin Classic
Bowling Moves Up to Second at Penguin Classic
10/15/2022 6:06:00 PM | Bowling
The Youngstown State bowling team posted the highest pinfall of the day and moved up a spot into second place on Saturday at the MOTIV Penguin Classic, supported by Litwin Paint & Supplies. The three-day tournament at Holiday Bowl in Struthers, Ohio, will finish up on Sunday.
The Penguins began the day in third place after Friday's Baker play, and they totaled 5,140 pins in five traditional matches on Saturday. That was the highest total in the 14-team field by 59 pins. Youngstown State will bowl three more matches of qualifying on Sunday, and one best-of-seven Baker match will determine the tournament's final placings.
"I like where our focus is as a team. We were there for each other, stayed together, and had some fun with our process, independent of the scores or outcomes," said YSU head coach Doug Kuberski. "We'll look to continue with channeling positive, powerful energy for each other tomorrow."
Youngstown State went 4-1 in head-to-head play on Saturday, and it is 8-2 through two days of competition. The Penguins opened the morning with the highest score in the house in a 1,053-762 win over Aurora, and they followed that with a 984-925 victory over Mercyhurst. YSU then posted the best score of the session, a 1,129 in a 315-pin win over Wright State. That was the fifth-highest traditional match score in program history. The Penguins dropped their next match, 966-935 to Valparaiso, but they bounced back to beat Medaille 1,039-946 to finish off a 4-1 day.
In the individual standings, three Penguins are in the top 10 with three games remaining on Sunday morning. Junior Kirsten Moore is second with 1,120 pins, which is 47 pins behind first-place Haley Youker. YSU's Madyson Marx is four pins behind Moore in third place, and Jade Cote is 10th with a 1,045 total.
Marx gave the fans at Holiday Bowl a show in the third game as she threw the front nine strikes in the match against Wright State. On her first attempt in the 10th frame, Marx was left of her target and left the 3-6-10. She picked up the spare and proceeded to strike on her fill shot to finish with a 277. That was the fourth-best single-game total in school history.
Sunday's action will begin at 8:25 a.m. at Holiday Bowl as the Penguins will conclude play at the MOTIV Penguin Classic, supported by Litwin Paint & Supplies.
