Women’s Bowling finishes fifth on NAIA Southeast Open Saturday

Women's Bowling finishes fifth on NAIA Southeast Open Saturday

LILBURN, Ga. (February 3, 2024) – The Milligan University women's bowling team placed fifth among 11 teams at the Saturday session of the NAIA Southeast Open at Bowlero Lilburn.

The Southeast Open one-day tournament format included three team games and 20 baker games. Milligan finished with 6,319 pins to finish behind perennial NAIA contenders No. 1 SCAD Savannah, No. 2 Pikeville, No. 12 Cumberland and Webber International.

"I'll take a lot of the ownership for our mediocre performance today," said head coach Brian Rickert. "I was in a constant state of frustration that I just couldn't get the ladies lined up on this tough oil pattern in a way that they could get into any type of a groove. We literally tried everything and when we got some momentum going, we'd go back and leave pins on the lane or just throw bad shots."

Brianna Rickert led Milligan's varsity in the team games with a total of 569 pins (189.67 average) to place 17th. Her top game of 214 came in her opening effort.

Taylor Davis followed with 559 pins (186.33 average) to finish 21st.

In 20 baker games Milligan totaled 3,674 pins (183.7 average). The Buffs' top four-game block came in the opening sequence where Milligan posted scores of 227, 204, 155 and 226 for a total of 812 pins (203.0 average).

"The positive of this group is that they never give up," said Rickert. "They throw every single shot with the same energy as the first ball. I know we'll come back stronger tomorrow!"

Olivia VanHooser paced Milligan's junior varsity and with a high game of 255 and had Milligan's top overall three-game total of 592 pins (197.33 average) to finish seventh overall. Alexis Wrigth notched a 28th-place finish with 541 pins (180.33 average).

"I couldn't be more proud of freshman Olivia VanHooser and her finish today," said Rickert. "She is another one who has worked and worked at her game since the moment she stepped on campus. That was a huge score that lifted her entire team. Our JV squad has gotten better and better all year."

Milligan returns to action tomorrow with another standalone competition day at the NAIA Southeast Open.