HARAHAN, La. --- The Tusculum University women's bowling team finished strong by going 3-0 on Sunday to close out the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Invitational which was held this weekend at Colonial Lanes and hosted by Tulane University.

The Pioneers (5-8) won all three of its Baker-Best of 7 matches on Sunday defeating Texas Southern and Valparaiso by identical 4-2 scores and claimed 11^th place honors by avenging Saturday's loss to Jackson State and defeated the Tigers with a convincing 4-1 decision in the tournament finale.

In Sunday's first match with Texas Southern, the Pioneers lost the opening game 169-152, but bounced back with a 166-156 win in the second. Texas Southern won the third 193-147, but the Pioneers answered winning by 43 pins in the third and 26 in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. TU claimed the final game 204-193 to advance.

Against Valparaiso, Tusculum jumped out to a 2-0 lead winning the first game 214-166 and 187-142 in the second.  Valpo won the third game 185-178, before TU made it a 3-1 game with a 189-143 victory in the fourth.  Valpo trimmed the deficit to one with a 203-169 win in the fifth, but TU closed out the match with a 194-172 victory in the sixth game.

In the final match of the day against Jackson State, the Pioneers won the first two games 188-183 and 188-178, before JSU won the third 211-179. But Tusculum closed out the tournament winning the final two games, 189-183 and 196-142 to cruise to the victory.

Sam Houston State won the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate title as they went 3-0 on Sunday including two wins against top-ranked Vanderbilt.  Maryland Eastern Shore finished third, followed by Louisiana Tech, North Carolina A&T, UAB, Tulane, Lincoln Memorial, Stephen F. Austin State, Alabama State, Tusculum, Jackson State, Southern, Valparaiso, Texas Southern and Grambling State.

The Pioneers, who are playing in their inaugural season, return to action next weekend (Oct. 25-27) as they travel to the Bearcat Open in St. Clair, Illinois and his hosted by McKendree University.

Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Invitational Final Standings