FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2015

CONTACT:
Gordon Vadakin
Phone (316) 978-7655
Fax (316) 978-6056
email - shocker.bowling@wichita.edu
www.wichita.edu/bowling

WICHITA, Kan. – During the season opening MidStates Tournament in Wichita, Kan., the Lady Shox defended their title while the men finished second. The tournament was held over the weekend at The Alley and Northrock Lanes.

The tournament consisted of nine traditional team games followed by sixteen baker games. Tournament champions were determined by total pinfall. No bonus pins were awarded.

After game one, the ladies were leading by 90 pins and continued to lead the rest of the tournament, never falling out of the top spot. 268 separated Wichita State from Grandview University.

The ladies, who finished third last year in the national championships, were more than excited for the season to start.

“We couldn't wait for the season to start! We were excited to get the season rolling, set new goals and work to get to a place we have never been,” sophomore Sierra Kanemoto (Dayton, Ohio) said. “We didn't really have any expectations for this weekend, just play lanes and have fun. We did just that and I expect the rest of the season to be filled with laughter, hard work and victories.”

Individually, Kristie López (Ponce, Puerto Rico) finished in second place with a nine game average of 204 and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Laura Plazas (Bogotá, Colombia) and Sydney Brummett (Fort Wayne, Ind.) also had great performances, averaging 206 and 205 over six and eight games, respectively.

The junior varsity women also dominated the field over the weekend, winning the tournament by over 200 pins ahead of Lindenwood JV. The ladies were led by freshman Kayla Ovesny (Norman, Okla.) with a seven game average of 192.

At Northrock, the Shocker men finished second to Lindenwood University by 300 pins. As demanding as the pattern was, the men had a good first tournament.

“This was the driest I have ever seen Northrock get at MidStates,” head coach Gordon Vadakin said. “Our guys played well. It was a good first tournament and a solid start to build on.”

The last time the men were in Northrock, they were raising the Helmer Cup. This is a new year with a new team, so they have put that memory behind them.

“A new team always feels different, but we are coming together and meshing really well early in the season. We just have to do the right things day in and day out. We aren't defending anything at this point, we have to make it back to Northrock in April for that to happen,” junior Justin Zwaschka (Saint Joseph, Mo.) said.

The men were led by AJ Chapman (Manchester, Iowa) with a nine game average of 210, followed by Brandon Biondo (Carpentersville, Ill.) with a 208 average for nine games. Both boys were named to the All-Tournament team, finishing third and fifth, respectively. Zach Rhoades (Lafayette, Ind.), Mitch Hupé (Winnipeg, Canada) and Zwaschka also had great tournaments, averaging 208, 206 and 201 for eight, seven and nine games, respectively.

The junior varsity men made quite the comeback to win the tournament. The men were down 180 pins after day one, worked hard and dug deep to finish the tournament ahead of Lindenwood University. The other junior varsity team, led by Jonathan Bowman (Peru, N.Y.) who averaged 200 over nine games, finished fifth.

Taking no breaks, Wichita State heads to Lincoln, Neb. this coming weekend to compete in the Sandhills Classic, hosted by Midland University.

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The Rhatigan Student Center has been the major financial and administrative supporter of the Wichita State University bowling program since 1959.