SMYRNA, Tenn. --- Tusculum University freshman Raycine Mortensen averaged 206.0 in her five matches as the Pioneers went 1-3 on Saturday at the Columbia 300 Music City Classic. The three-day, 29-team tournament is being hosted by Vanderbilt University and held at the Smyrna Bowling Center.
Mortensen's average was the 16th-best of the 186 bowlers competing Saturday. She bowled over 200 in four of her five games of the traditional scoring format, including 231 in the Pioneers 1,006-715 win over Aurora University.
TU started the day with a tough 954-887 loss to No. 3 Nebraska as Mortensen was the top bowler for the Pioneers with a 201. Tusculum locked horns with another ranked in No. 7 Stephen F. Austin. SFA pulled out a 1003-846 win in the second match of the day. TU's Tacey Ballen provided the high score for the Pioneers with 190. She followed that with a 217 against Aurora.
After the Aurora win, TU finished with its third consecutive ranked foe in No. 21 UAB as the Blazers prevailed 1,067-909.
Tusculum is 19th in the tournament field with 8,912 total pins. TU will face No. 18 Adelphi in a tournament bracket game.