Five times, the #19 Valpo bowling team stepped up to the lanes on Friday on the first day of competition at the Red Flash Invitational in Altoona, Pa., and all five times, the Beacons came away victors, as Valpo posted a perfect 5-0 record and finished the day in third place in the team standings.

How It Happened

• Valpo opened the day, contested in the traditional team format, against Pitt-Bradford and rolled to a 980-717 victory. The Beacons were led in the opener by freshman Payton Rowley (Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville), who recorded a season-high game of 230.
• Another three-digit victory went Valpo’s way in the second match slot, as the Beacons took down Penn State-Altoona, 898-772, led by a 188 game from junior Lilu Smith (Gahanna, Ohio/Lincoln).
• Smith paced Valpo in its next match as well, rolling a season-best 246 to lead the way in a 930-906 win over Morgan State.
• The Beacons faced host #RV St. Francis (Pa.) in the fourth match slot, and while it proved to be the team’s closest match of the day, Valpo walked away with an 896-882 win. Freshman Alexis Wooley (Fort White, Fla./Fort White) posted a team-best 194 in that match.
• The 5-0 day concluded for the Beacons with a 900-736 win over Mt. Aloysius, led by a 201 game from freshman Maia Struble (Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond).
• Valpo closed the day with a total pinfall of 4,604 pins, good for third place in the 10-team field.
• Smith ranks fourth in the tournament field in average, recording a 197.8 average over Friday’s five matches, while Struble ranks eighth with a 190.2 average.
• It was the program’s first perfect day in the win/loss column since going 4-0 last January on day two of the Peacock Classic, while it was the program’s first 5-0 day since sweeping five matches on day one of the 2022 Peacock Classic.

Next Up

Valpo (35-20) continues action from the Red Flash Invitational on Saturday with a quintet of baker matches, beginning at 9 a.m. CT.