HARAHAN, La. – The seventh-ranked Louisiana Tech bowling team finished fourth at the Conference USA Championships at Colonial Lanes on Saturday.
Louisiana Tech scored their third 1,100 during the traditional portion, picking up the win over Vanderbilt, 1,102-1,024, and taking the 1-0 advantage for the third time. Abbie Leiendecker spared to open the game, followed by a six-bagger before leaving a 10-pin. She would finish with four of the final five strikes for a 267. Allie Leiendecker and Kylee Trexler started slow but found their mark later in the game to roll a 236 and 235, respectively. Danielle Jedlicki held down the middle of the lineup with a 197.
The Bulldogs started the Baker set the same way they had the previous day. Starting with games of 195 and 174, Tech fell behind by 16 pins but began to pick things up in game three. The Bulldogs closed the gap to four after a 203 and took a 51-pin lead heading into the final game. Tech had five of the first six strikes, and Vanderbilt had no answer. The Bulldogs closed the match with a 245 to take the Baker point 1,065-928 and move on to the next round.
Louisiana Tech returned to take on No. 3 Youngstown State with an opportunity for a spot in the conference semifinals. The Bulldogs struggled to make consistent shots and fell 982-908. Kylee Trexler was the only bowler for Tech in the plus with a 202.
The Bulldogs responded in a big way, taking the Baker point 1,023-926. Tech came out with a 213 and 248 to build a 79-pin lead. The Penguins cut into the lead by 25 pins after the Bulldogs rolled a 165. Tech grew the lead back to 92 after a 216 and cruised to the win with an 181.
Tech started the best-of-seven struggling to hit their mark and had three splits. Youngstown State stayed clean and came away with the 197-157 win. The Bulldogs looked like they had things figured out, but once again, splits would cost them an 189-176 loss in game two. The opens continued to haunt LA Tech in a 232-164 loss in game three. They finally found their marks and stayed clean to extend the match with a 230-205 win, but Youngstown State strung a couple of turkeys together to take game five 236-200 and the match 4-1.
UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech will find out Wednesday where they are headed for the NCAA Regionals on April 5-7.
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