HARAHAN, La. --- The Tusculum University women's bowling team recorded its first victory in program history on Friday as the Pioneers opened the 2019 campaign at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Invitational. The 16-team event is being held at Colonial Lanes and hosted by Tulane University.
Eight of the 16 teams participating are nationally-ranked including three of the five teams Tusculum opened with on Friday which were all listed in the top-10 of the National Tenpin Coaches Association's Preseason Poll.
The Pioneers opened with No. 5 Sam Houston State and battled the Bearkats to the very end before falling 950-912 in a five-game Baker format match.
Tusculum bounced back in their second outing of the day as the Black and Orange roared to a 920-747 victory against Grambling State for the Pioneers' first win in its inaugural season.
TU stumbled in its next contest dropping a 998-774 decision to talented North Carolina A&T team who is ranked eighth in the country.
The Pioneers squared off against Maryland Eastern Shore and played the defending MEAC Champions tough before succumbing to the Bison, 910-872.
Tusculum closed out the first day with a heart-breaking loss and were edged by Alabama State, 952-947 as the Pioneers finished with a 1-4 record.
TU will play five traditional game matches on Saturday and will open with host and 14th-ranked Tulane. The Pioneers will face No. 17 Louisiana Tech and then top-ranked Vanderbilt. Tusculum will close out Saturday play against Jackson State, followed by 13th-ranked Lincoln Memorial.
The teams will then be seeded based on total pins for the bracket round Sunday which will be three Baker best-of-7 games. Final positions will be determined after the bracket results.
Tusculum Results
Friday, October 18, 2019 (Baker 5-Game Format)
No. 5 Sam Houston State 950, Tusculum 912
Tusculum 920, Grambling State 747
No. 8 North Carolina A&T 998, Tusculum 774
No. 7 Maryland Eastern Shore 910, Tusculum 872
Alabama State 952, Tusculum 947
Saturday, October 19, 2019 (Traditional Game Format)
Tusculum at No. 14 Tulane
Tusculum vs No. 17 Louisiana Tech
Tusculum vs No. 1 Vanderbilt
Tusculum vs Jackson State
Tusculum vs No. 13 Lincoln Memorial
