HemiEd
05-03-2007, 06:03 AM
http://www.kansas.com/240/story/51263.html
Cheerleading and Womans bowling in the same year!
WSU women win USBC championship
BY MATT BROWNING
Wichita Eagle correspondent
By Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle
Wichita State’s Emily Maier, center, greets Felicia Wong after Wong rolled a strike during the Shockers’ victory over McKendree on Saturday in the U.S. Bowling Congress team championships at Northrock Lanes. WSU’s women won their eighth national title.
Shockers win national champioship
When Wichita hosted what is now known as the U.S. Bowling Congress team championships in 2000, the Wichita State women's team was unquestionably the favorite.
But the Shockers didn't play like it, succumbing to all the pressure and falling out early in the tournament.
The Shockers had a chance to redeem themselves this year --and WSU certainly didn't disappoint as it defeated McKendree College (Ill.) 2 games to 0 to win the Shockers' eighth national title Saturday afternoon at Northrock Lanes.
Wichita State's women have won two out of the last three crowns. Saginaw Valley State defeated Robert Morris for the men's title.
"That was an outstanding performance," WSU coach Mark Lewis said. "It's even more special to win in front of our home crowd."
Just getting to the finals was actually a chore for the top-ranked Shockers.
They lost their first match of the tournament in the semifinals against Central Florida. But since it was a double-elimination format, the Golden Knights had to win two matches.
Wichita State had none of that, winning the second match 4-1.
"Newman and Central Florida made us earn it," Lewis said. "There are so many great teams, it makes everything so difficult."
The semifinal victory set up a title match with ninth-seeded McKendree, which defeated Penn State in the semis.
Both teams struggled to make shots in the first game of the finals.
McKendree had five open frames, while the Shockers had four.
"You could tell we are very young because we were very uptight and nervous in the first game," McKendree coach Gary White said. "We never really got relaxed until the middle frames of the second game."
Following Christina Young's strike in the ninth frame, the Bearcats trailed by just one pin.
But there were only four strikes in the first game between the two schools as WSU won 138-128.
"We definitely weren't nervous in the first game," said Maier, despite the lowest winning score of the tournament.
"We just needed to get some momentum, something to get us excited."
Whatever WSU needed, it certainly found it in the beginning stages of the second game.
Consecutive strikes by Felicia Wong and Maier in the third and fourth frames gave the Shockers a commanding 85-39 lead.
"We finally made some shots, more importantly spares," Wong said. "That was the difference between the first game and the second."
The closest the Bearcats would get was 34 points.
Wong and Maier put the finishing touches on the title with consecutive strikes again in the seventh and eighth frames and Wichita State won the second game 200-165.
"We stayed focused," Lewis said. "We tried to stay in the here and the now."
The Bearcats' Rebekah Diers was named the tournament's most valuable player. Even though McKendree came up short, White saw what he wants his program to become.
"Wichita State has such a storied program and we are trying to be like them," White said. "It was a good experience for us. I told the girls that there are 14 other schools who wish they were us right now."
While Lewis said it's hard to compare teams, he stressed this team is quite a bit different then his 2005 champs.
"We have returning players, transfers and foreign exchange students all trying to mesh together," Lewis said. "To have all of that and win a national championship is very unique. It's unbelievable."
Saginaw Valley State men 2, Robert Morris 0
The Cardinals became the first school since Western Illinois in 2001 to win consecutive championships.
They were led by Dan MacLellan, the tournament's MVP.
"Coaches never get tired of winning," Saginaw Valley State coach Dan Dorion said. "I think it's the best team we have ever had, and we will keep getting it done."
Cheerleading and Womans bowling in the same year!
WSU women win USBC championship
BY MATT BROWNING
Wichita Eagle correspondent
By Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle
Wichita State’s Emily Maier, center, greets Felicia Wong after Wong rolled a strike during the Shockers’ victory over McKendree on Saturday in the U.S. Bowling Congress team championships at Northrock Lanes. WSU’s women won their eighth national title.
Shockers win national champioship
When Wichita hosted what is now known as the U.S. Bowling Congress team championships in 2000, the Wichita State women's team was unquestionably the favorite.
But the Shockers didn't play like it, succumbing to all the pressure and falling out early in the tournament.
The Shockers had a chance to redeem themselves this year --and WSU certainly didn't disappoint as it defeated McKendree College (Ill.) 2 games to 0 to win the Shockers' eighth national title Saturday afternoon at Northrock Lanes.
Wichita State's women have won two out of the last three crowns. Saginaw Valley State defeated Robert Morris for the men's title.
"That was an outstanding performance," WSU coach Mark Lewis said. "It's even more special to win in front of our home crowd."
Just getting to the finals was actually a chore for the top-ranked Shockers.
They lost their first match of the tournament in the semifinals against Central Florida. But since it was a double-elimination format, the Golden Knights had to win two matches.
Wichita State had none of that, winning the second match 4-1.
"Newman and Central Florida made us earn it," Lewis said. "There are so many great teams, it makes everything so difficult."
The semifinal victory set up a title match with ninth-seeded McKendree, which defeated Penn State in the semis.
Both teams struggled to make shots in the first game of the finals.
McKendree had five open frames, while the Shockers had four.
"You could tell we are very young because we were very uptight and nervous in the first game," McKendree coach Gary White said. "We never really got relaxed until the middle frames of the second game."
Following Christina Young's strike in the ninth frame, the Bearcats trailed by just one pin.
But there were only four strikes in the first game between the two schools as WSU won 138-128.
"We definitely weren't nervous in the first game," said Maier, despite the lowest winning score of the tournament.
"We just needed to get some momentum, something to get us excited."
Whatever WSU needed, it certainly found it in the beginning stages of the second game.
Consecutive strikes by Felicia Wong and Maier in the third and fourth frames gave the Shockers a commanding 85-39 lead.
"We finally made some shots, more importantly spares," Wong said. "That was the difference between the first game and the second."
The closest the Bearcats would get was 34 points.
Wong and Maier put the finishing touches on the title with consecutive strikes again in the seventh and eighth frames and Wichita State won the second game 200-165.
"We stayed focused," Lewis said. "We tried to stay in the here and the now."
The Bearcats' Rebekah Diers was named the tournament's most valuable player. Even though McKendree came up short, White saw what he wants his program to become.
"Wichita State has such a storied program and we are trying to be like them," White said. "It was a good experience for us. I told the girls that there are 14 other schools who wish they were us right now."
While Lewis said it's hard to compare teams, he stressed this team is quite a bit different then his 2005 champs.
"We have returning players, transfers and foreign exchange students all trying to mesh together," Lewis said. "To have all of that and win a national championship is very unique. It's unbelievable."
Saginaw Valley State men 2, Robert Morris 0
The Cardinals became the first school since Western Illinois in 2001 to win consecutive championships.
They were led by Dan MacLellan, the tournament's MVP.
"Coaches never get tired of winning," Saginaw Valley State coach Dan Dorion said. "I think it's the best team we have ever had, and we will keep getting it done."