The 17th-ranked and 11th-seeded Tulane Green Wave faced a thrilling challenge on Thursday afternoon against No. 7-seeded Youngstown State at the Conference USA Championship held at Colonial Lanes in Harahan.
The elimination match went the full distance, with the Green Wave emerging victorious in the seventh game of the best-of-seven Baker match to defeat the defending national champion and advance to the next round.
Tulane’s Historic Win
With the win, Tulane became the first team to win in each of the three Conference USA Championships since bowling was introduced in the 2023-24 season. This was also the first time the Green Wave faced the Penguins in the tournament.
Match Recap
The match was a back-and-forth affair. Despite a strong performance in the traditional match, Tulane initially fell behind after Youngstown State posted a 949, overcoming Tulane’s score of 844. Mia Stolakis led the Wave with a score of 225, the only Tulane player to surpass 200. Juanelyz Solla, Paige Matiasek, Valeria Colon, and Linnea Holcomb also contributed, but the team found itself in a 1-0 deficit.
Tulane quickly bounced back in the Baker match, topping the Penguins 1,042-898. The Wave played consistently throughout, starting with a tight opening game that ended in a tie at 174. However, Tulane pulled ahead with scores of 226, 229, 200, and 213 in subsequent games. Youngstown State struggled to match, only reaching 200 once during the match.
The Best-of-Seven Baker Match
The mega-match was tied, so a best-of-seven Baker match was required. The Penguins came out strong, winning the first game 202-192. Tulane responded by claiming the second game 236-181. The Wave then pulled ahead with a 231-205 victory in the third game. Despite a narrow miss in the 10th frame that cost Tulane the fourth game, the Wave stayed resilient, winning the next game 204-154.
Youngstown State fought back, winning game six 210-194 to force a deciding game seven. As has been the pattern throughout the match, game seven came down to the wire. The Penguins were striking in the 10th frame, but Stolakis secured the win for Tulane with a clutch shot in the final moments, delivering the winning shot to secure a 198-193 victory.
What’s Next for Tulane?
Tulane will advance in the bracket and face Sam Houston, the No. 8 seed and ranked ninth nationally, on Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. The match will take place on lanes 19-20. If the Green Wave wins, they will face the loser of the matchup between Jacksonville State and Nebraska, the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds, respectively, at 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon.
