By Joel Fuzo / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University bowling team won the Garden State Classic on Nov. 22-24, hosted by Monmouth University.
Among the 20 participating teams, the Penguins defeated three top-five opponents —Vanderbilt University, Jacksonville State University and University of Nebraska Omaha, to claim their first title since the 2023 Destination Orlando tournament.
Seeded at No. 3 in the championship bracket, YSU’s victory marked a triumphant conclusion to the fall semester.
The Penguins finished with an impressive, 12 consecutive wins at Howell Lanes in New Jersey.
Head Coach Doug Kuberski said he was proud of the team’s strong finish at the tournament.
“We have been making strides and elevating across the board, and it’s sure nice to finish with a win,” Kuberski stated.
YSU began the event with a narrow nine-pin loss to Wilmington University, scoring 916 and placing 11th on Friday.
However, the Penguins rallied, surpassing 1,000 pins in eight of their next nine matches to climb to third place.
Youngstown State’s path to victory required overcoming three top-ranked foes. In their opening match, YSU defeated No. 4 Vanderbilt in six games.
Key doubles from graduate student Kirsten Moore and senior Madison Doseck sealed crucial victories in games four and six.
Against Jacksonville State in the semifinals, the Penguins fired a 226 in the opener and closed with consecutive wins of 246-168 and 226-156 to advance.
YSU’s dominance continued in the championship match against Nebraska.
The Penguins won the first three games by an average margin of 23.7 pins.
Although Nebraska took game four, YSU responded by striking in seven of the first eight frames in game five, clinching the title with a 211-162 victory.
Doseck shined throughout the event, earning tournament MVP honors and capturing her first career individual title.
Doseck’s five-game series of 1,133 included a high score of 245, topping the individual standings by 48 pins.
Senior Madyson Marx and Moore also made significant contributions, earning Second-Team All-Tournament honors by placing seventh and eighth, respectively.
As a team, the Penguins posted the highest pinfall in traditional play on Saturday, collectively scoring 5,225 total pins. Their head-to-head victories included wins over Coppin State University, Delaware State University and No. 10 Duquesne University, punctuating an unbeaten round.
Youngstown State will return to action at the Northeast Classic on Jan. 17-19 in New Castle, Delaware.
