By Marissa Masano / The Jambar
Fresh off a victory at the 21st annual Music City Classic, the Youngstown State University bowling team began the postseason March 20-21. The team traveled to Harahan, Louisiana, to compete in the Conference USA Championship at Colonial Lanes.
The Penguins earned their highest seed ever in the conference tournament, entering the championship as the second seed. The Penguins were also ranked third in the nation by the National Tenpin Coaches Association.
YSU received a bye into the second day of the double-elimination tournament. In their opening match, the Penguins fell to No. 7 Sam Houston State University. The Bearkats edged out YSU 967-959 in the traditional segment.
In the leadoff position, senior Ellie Drescher bowled a 168, followed by graduate student Kirsten Moore, who posted 226. Senior Madison Doseck recorded a 168, while senior Jade Cote delivered the Penguins’ highest score with a 235.
Cote’s performance gave YSU a two-pin lead over the top-four spots in the lineup. Graduate student Madyson Marx rounded out the scoring efforts with a 162. Moore and Cote were the only Penguins to outscore their opponents in the traditional round.
In the Baker round, which featured five games, Sam Houston defeated YSU 1,047-956. In Game One, the Bearkats won 214-181, putting the Penguins in a 33-pin deficit.
Sam Houston extended its lead by taking Game Two, 175-157. The Penguins responded with their best score of the day — a 225 in Game Three — but still trailed by 68 pins. YSU claimed its only win in Game Four but ultimately fell in Game Five.
After the loss, the Penguins moved into the contender’s bracket, as they faced elimination against Stephen F. Austin University. YSU’s time at the championship came to an end as it fell 2-0 to the Lumberjacks on Day Two.
In the traditional round, SFA outpaced the Penguins 987-973. Drescher led off with a strong performance, outscoring her opponent 204-156. Sophomore Amanda Granata entered the lineup and bowled a 166.
Moore followed with a nine-strike game, posting a 221, while Marx added a 175. Cote anchored with a 207, outscoring her opponent’s 179. However, the Penguins still came up 14 pins short in the overall score.
The Baker round began with a tightly contested Game One, where YSU narrowly fell 202-201. The Penguins bounced back with a win in Game Two, gaining a 30-pin advantage.
YSU dropped Games Three and Four, entering Game Five with a 24-pin deficit. SFA sealed the match with a 216-200 victory, eliminating the Penguins and moving on to face Arkansas State University in another elimination match.
In an interview with ysusports.com, Head Coach Doug Kuberski gave praise to his team.
“Overall, we bowled well and I’m very proud of the ladies. We will let this sting for a little, but then get right back to work and do all we can to make sure we are at our best for April bowling,” Kuberski said.
The Penguins will now await the NCAA Regionals scheduled for April 3-5.
A complete list of teams and the bracket for the 2025 NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship are available on NCAA.com.