The #15 Valparaiso University bowling squad continued the Mid-Winter Invitational in Jonesboro, Ark. on Saturday, competing on the second of three days of action.

Valpo finished the day with 9,045 pins through the first two days of competition, good for 11^th position. Sam Houston State leads the team standings with a pinfall of 10,227 pins through 10 matches.

The Crusaders opened Saturday’s action, contested in the traditional team format, against #9 McKendree, falling 1056-907 despite a game of 206 from sophomore Aubree Trexler (Arcadia, Ind./Hamilton Heights). In Valpo’s second match, junior Alyssa Meade (Chesterfield, Mich./L’Anse Creuse North) and freshman Kendra Tryniski (Fulton, N.Y./Fulton) posted matching 209 efforts in a 944-913 loss to Jackson State.

Valpo picked up a win in its middle match of the day, defeating #10 Maryland Eastern Shore by a 938-876 final, behind efforts of 210 by Meade and 224 from senior Katherine Sulaitis (St. Charles, Ill./East). Three Crusaders broke 200 in their next match, as Sulaitis rolled a 223, Tryniski a 206 and Trexler a 201 to lead Valpo as it posted its best score of the day, but it wouldn’t be enough to down #8 Stephen F. Austin in a 1069-971 defeat. Trexler cracked 200 for the third time in the day’s five matches in the Crusaders’ finale, posting a 212 game, as Valpo lost to host #1 Arkansas State, 1004-940.

“We did bowl better today, but we need to be more consistent on first ball average,” said Crusader head coach Matt Nantais. “We will be throwing at spares all week before we head out to Kutztown. It is frustrating when we can bowl at a high level and we are not doing our job.  Tomorrow we will come out and look to move up the bracket – if we can finish with three wins, it will be an acceptable record with the field that is here.”

Valparaiso (30-31) enters Sunday’s bracket play seeded 11^th and will take on Louisiana Tech to open action in the morning.