Arlington, Texas — The Youngstown State bowling team won two more matches and wrapped up a third-place finish at the 2024 Prairie View A&M Invitational on Sunday at the International Training and Research Center.
The Penguins finished the weekend with an 11-2 record against perhaps the toughest regular-season field in the country this season. Of YSU's 11 victories over the three days at the ITRC, nine of them were against teams ranked in the top 11 of the most recent National Tenpin Coaches Association Top 25 Poll. Youngstown State's previous best finish at the prestigious invitational was fifth.
"The ladies gave it a heck of a run and executed very well today," said YSU head coach Doug Kuberski. I'm very proud of our effort. Our togetherness is growing and we are enjoying our time together. After a day of rest, we will get back after it and look to put in some solid preparation for Arkansas."
The day began with a sixth match of qualifying that wrapped up the Round Robin schedule, and YSU topped Southern 1,099-803. All five Penguins in the lineup, Lyndsay Ennis, Hope Bunk, Kirsten Moore, Jade Cote and Madyson Marx broke 200, and the high score allowed YSU to secure the second seed in the best-of-seven bracket.
The Penguins were pitted against No. 6 Arkansas State, the third seed, in the semifinals, and the first six games were each won by the team that bowled on lane four. YSU was awarded lane choice for game seven due to holding the higher-seed, but Arkansas State was able to solve lane three enough and took advantage of two YSU splits to win the match 4-3.
Youngstown State's next match was against No. 7 Nebraska, and the Penguins claimed the first two games and the final two games to lock up third place. All six games in the match were decided by at least 17 pins.
In addition to finishing qualifying, the match against Southern to start the morning brought the individual competition to a close. Cote finished second amongst the supremely talented field with a six-game set of 1,372. It was quite the follow-up for the junior from Farnham, Quebec, who won the Northeast Classic last week. Each of her four teammates finished in the top 20, and all five Penguins averaged at least 200 in the traditional format.
Ennis just missed the all-tournament team with a seventh-place total of 1,287, and Moore was one spot behind her in eighth with a 1,282 set. Bunk had her best tournament finish of the season in 12th with a 1,246 set, and Marx was 19th with a 1,204.
Youngstown State will be idle the next two weekends as it builds up for Arkansas State's Mid-Winter Invitational on Feb. 16-18. That tournament will be held at the Hijinx Family Entertainment Center in Jonesboro, Ark.
Final Individual Results
Player - Place - 6-Game Total (Average)
Jade Cote - 2nd - 1,372 (228.67)
Lyndsay Ennis - 7th - 1,287 (214.50)
Kirsten Moore - 8th - 1,282 (213.67)
Hope Bunk - 12th - 1,246 (207.67)
Madyson Marx - 19th - 1,204 (200.67)
Sunday's Results
Match 1 vs. Southern (Traditional)
W: 1,099-803
Match 2 vs. #6 Arkansas State (Best-of-seven)
L: 3-4
Match 2 vs. #7 Nebraska (Best-of-seven)
W: 4-2
