The Valpo bowling team earned a pair of victories in Saturday action at the Big Red Invitational in Lincoln, Neb., while Lilu Smith (Gahanna, Ohio/Lincoln) broke 250 twice and finished the day eighth in the individual standings.

How It Happened

• Valpo opened the day, contested in the traditional team format, against #1 McKendree and fell by a 1137-1031 final. Kaitlyn Cavender (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay) rolled her high game as a Beacon, posting a team-best 237, while Alli Eible (Burton, Mich./Kearsley) recorded a 215 and Addy Bates (Cedar Park, Texas/Cedar Park) a 211.
• Valpo bounced back in the second match slot with a 937-877 victory over #25 Central Missouri. Smith paced the Beacons’ effort in the win with a 258 — at that point, her best game at Valpo.
• Smith one-upped herself in the next match, rolling a 266 — just two pins shy of Valpo’s individual single-game top-10. Despite the stellar game from Smith, as well as scores of 216 by Noelle Doody (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) and 212 by Bates, Valpo dropped a 1174-1064 decision to #3 Nebraska.
• Valpo’s 1064 score against the hosts is the eighth-highest in a traditional team match in program history.
• Smith again broke 200 in the next match, posting a 208 in a 1055-901 loss to #9 Youngstown State.
• The Beacons closed the day on a winning note, taking down Quincy by a 981-899 final. Smith and Cavender tied for team-high honors in the victory with a pair of 216s, while Isabella Palamaro (Thiells, N.Y./North Rockland) notched a 204 in her lone start of the day.
• Valpo finished the day in seventh place in the team standings with a total pinfall of 9,688 pins. Smith posted the team’s top average of 226.0, good for eighth place in the individual standings and just 13 pins out of the top-five.

Next Up

Valpo (43-42) will conclude competition in Lincoln with a pair of matches on Sunday in the best-of-seven baker format. The Beacons will first take on Quincy before closing the tournament against host Nebraska in the first broadcast of intercollegiate bowling on the Big Ten Network. Start time against the Huskers is slated for 11 a.m.