The #14 Valparaiso bowling team got the 2013-14 regular season off to a strong start on Friday on the opening day of the New Jersey Jamboree in Elmwood Park, N.J., going 4-1 on the first day of action.

The Crusaders sit in tenth place out of the 19 competing teams in the standings, which are determined by total pinfall, after day one.  Valpo toppled 3,680 pins on Friday, contested in the four-game baker format, and sits just five pins back of Maryland Eastern Shore for ninth place.

Valpo opened the tournament against #20 Bethune-Cookman and handled the Wildcats easily, jumping out to a 28-pin advantage after game one and beating them in all four games in a 691-613 victory.  The Crusaders then downed #9 Stephen F. Austin, 763-742, rallying from a 19-pin deficit after game one with a 209 in game two, and then closing out the victory with a game of 213.

Valpo trailed after the opening game against #RV Delaware State as well, but put together back-to-back games of 217 and 232 to take control in a 797-731 victory.  The Crusaders then cruised to a 702-525 win over #18 New Jersey City, the 177-pin margin the fifth-largest in program history in a four-game baker match, before dropping a 749-727 decision in the day’s final match to #11 Adelphi.

Valparaiso (4-1) will continue play at the New Jersey Jamboree on Saturday with five traditional team matches.