Grand Rapids, Mich. ? Kansas University made its best showing ever at the Intercollegiate Bowling Championships on Friday, finishing in a fifth-place tie with Central Missouri State.
The Jayhawks won their first two matches, defeating top-ranked Saginaw Valley, four games to two, and No. 2 seed Nebraska, 4-3.
But Kansas fell to Western Illinois, 4-2, to drop into the contenders’ bracket, and Florida State eliminated the Jayhawks, 4-2.
“Obviously, on one hand, we’re disappointed,” KU coach Michael Fine said, “because we really felt we had a great opportunity to win. But on the other hand, this is the farthest any KU team has ever gotten. We knocked off two of the strongest teams in the country. I’m very proud of the effort given by the team.
“They fought to the very end.”
Bowling for the Jayhawks were Lawrence sophomore Jesse James, Andover senior Scott Light, Derby graduate student Eric Topham, Olathe senior Tom Partridge, St. Charles, Mo., junior Mike Keeler and Rochester, N.Y., freshman Marc D’Errico.
Four teams remain in contention for the national title, which will be determined today.
St. John’s and Western Illinois remain in the winners’ bracket, and Florida State and Wichita State are in the contenders’ bracket.
