Statesmen Close Year Sixth at Sectionals
William Penn University Athletics
Addison, Ill.–The William Penn women’s bowling team could not overcome a tough start, but still had a strong showing as it ended the season at the Intercollegiate Team Sectionals Saturday and Sunday.
WPU placed sixth out of 17 teams with 11,824 pins in 64 Baker games. Wisconsin-Whitewater entered as the second-highest ranked team in the field and came away with the title and the nationals berth with 12,621 pins, while Mount Mercy, Grand View, and St. Francis (Ill.) will join W-W at nationals.
The Statesmen finished strong as their final block score of 3,117 pins was the third highest overall.
Competing for William Penn was MacKenzie Boyd (Sr., Knoxville, Iowa, Psychology and Human Services), Nicole Craft (Fr., Wakefield, Neb., Physical Education), Audra Farley (Jr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Education), Kayla Gifford (Fr., Camanche, Iowa, Biology), Cybil Lennie (Jr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Human Services), Briell Newberry (Jr., Holland, Mich., Elementary Education), Amber Ovel (So., Waterloo, Iowa, Business Management), and Bailey Palmer (Fr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Undecided).
On Friday, several Statesmen also attempted to extend their individual campaigns by rolling in the Intercollegiate Singles Sectionals. The top nine bowlers in the six-round event qualified to advance to nationals.
Gifford paced the navy and gold as she finished 70th with 1,096 pins, while Boyd was next with 1,093. Farley (1,082), Niona Bruce (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Secondary Education) (1,073), Craft (1,054), Palmer (1,049), Kaylee Gerken (So., Dubuque, Iowa, Elementary Education) (1,005), and Ovel (1,003) also eclipsed 1,000 pins.
Lennie (997) and Newberry (974) took to the lanes Friday as well.
