CHESTERFIELD, Mo. --- The Tusculum University women's bowling team went 1-2 in bracket play on Sunday to finish 10th at the 2020 Columbia 300 Saints Invitational. The three-day, 19-team event was hosted by Maryville University and held at the Bowlero Lanes.
The Pioneers (35-41) opened the day with a 4-0 Baker 7-game playoff loss to 20th-ranked Lincoln Memorial.
But TU bounced back with a 4-3 win over Valparaiso to advance to the ninth-place game and a rematch with LMU. But the Railsplitters came away with another 4-0 decision to claim ninth place honors, while Tusculum finished 10th, a spot they maintained after each day's competition.
In Sunday's win over Valparaiso the Pioneers won the opening game by a single pin, 178-177. Valpo answered winning the next two games by scores of 181-178 and 212-195. TU tied the match at 2-2 with a 212-180 victory in the fourth game, before Valpo regained the lead 3-2 with a 214-192 win. But the Pioneers bowled over 200 in the next two games winning 219-131 and 202-179 to claim the victory.
Tusculum finished the weekend with a 4-8 record, including a 1-6 mark against nationally-ranked teams including Friday's upset win over third-ranked Nebraska.
TU returns to action Feb. 7-9 when the Pioneers travel to Orlando, Florida for the Wildcat Classic.
