Youngstown State University
MOTIV Penguin Classic
Moore Earns All-Tournament Honors as YSU Places Second at Penguin Classic
10/16/2022 6:26:00 PM | Bowling
Youngstown State had two bowlers finish in the top six individually, and the Penguins finished as the runners-up as a team at the 2022 MOTIV Penguin Classic, supported by Litwin Paint & Supplies. The tournament was the first of the 2022-23 season, and it was held at the Penguins' home facility at Holiday Bowl in Struthers, Ohio.
The Penguins were in second place entering Sunday, and they came from behind to jump Arkansas State in the final qualifying match to earn a place in the championship match against Nebraska. The Penguins and Cornhuskers split the first four games in the best-of-seven Baker match, but Nebraska claimed the last two to win the title.
This was the third running of the Penguin Classic, and Youngstown State has now finished in the top two in all three events. YSU won the inaugural tournament in 2019, and it has been second in 2021 and 2022.
"It was an electric atmosphere at Holiday Bowl this weekend," said YSU head coach Doug Kuberski. "Overall, it was a solid first event for us. We were able to test our process across a number of different challenges and situations, performed very well, and gathered lots of valuable information. I like where we are as a group and like where we are heading. We are hungry."
Teams bowled in three traditional matches to begin the morning to wrap up qualifying, and the best-of-seven Baker match determined the final placings. Youngstown State dropped its opening traditional match to Duquesne, 1,004-986, but bounced back to win its next two. The Penguins topped Morgan State 947-840 on a tough pair of lanes on 15-16 and Arkansas State had a 1,027 in its match to take a 72-pin lead on YSU in total pinfall. The Red Wolves had to move to 15-16 for the final match of qualifying, and they bowled an 885 to give Youngstown State a chance. The Penguins took advantage of the opportunity and scored 979 in a 27-pin win over Central Missouri and slid ahead of Arkansas State by 22 pins.
In the championship match against Nebraska, the teams split the first four games with each win coming on lane 25. The Huskers took the first and third games, 203-188 and 223-208, while YSU won game two and game four, 224-175 and 222-203. Nebraska claimed game five 194-170 on the left lane, and the right lane finally brought a win in game six as the Huskers took the title with a 221-165 edge.
Individually, Kirsten Moore was named to the five-person all-tournament team with a fifth-place total of 1,701 pins. The junior from Tallmadge, Ohio, reached 185 in all eight of her games and had impressive totals of 248 and 249 on Saturday. Teammate Madyson Marx finished sixth with 1,694, just seven pins behind Moore, and Jade Cote was 16th with a 1,588 total.
Youngstown State will have an off weekend next week but will be back in action on Oct. 28-30 at Adelphi's Dezy Strong Classic in Coram, N.Y.
