WPU Reaches Match Play at NAIA Invitational
The Statesmen men’s bowling team put together a solid outing against schools in its same division as it competed at the NAIA Invitational last Saturday and Sunday.
In the regular-season event that featured only NAIA squads, William Penn placed fifth out of 13 teams with 8,590 pins in five regular games and 20 Baker games. Concordia (Mich.) topped qualifying with 9,114 pins.
The Statesmen earned a spot in the match play event, but were eliminated in the quarterfinals by St. Francis (Ill.) 3-0. #3 seed Pikeville (Ky.) eventually picked up the bracket competition title.
Hayden Tarris of Pikeville (Ky.) paced the 136-player field with a 222.8 average (1,114 pins), while the navy and gold were paced by two individuals in the top 20.
Noah Kidwell (Fr., Bettendorf, Iowa, Mechanical Engineering) was his team’s top roller, placing 19th with a 193.2 average (two games in the 200s), while Carter Boley (So., Grimes, Iowa, Engineering) was right behind him in 20th at 192.6 (high of 249).
Bryce Keykal (Jr., Princeton, Minn., Education) joined his aforementioned teammates with five games played, averaging 185.8 pins during the tournament.
The duo of Kody Sapp (Sr., Donnelson, Iowa, Sociology) (178.7 average) and Conor Fetherston (So., Dublin, Ireland, Software Engineering) (165.3 average) both started three games, while Jared Smith (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, General Accounting) posted a 166.0 clip in two rounds.
Aidan Piet (Fr., Meridian, Idaho, Business Management) knocked down 196 pins in his lone start, and Connor Rissi (Jr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Psychology) scored a 168 in his only game.
Next Up: William Penn takes a week off before traveling to Addison, Ill. on December 2-3 to compete in the Warhawk Open.
