GREENSBORO, N.C. (2/25/24) – For the second consecutive week, the Arkansas State women’s bowling team claimed a tournament title as the Red Wolves defeated No. 1 Jacksonville State in the championship match Sunday at the Stallings Invitational.

A-State (71-20) met Jacksonville State to open bracket play and the best-of-seven took seven games to merit a decision. Jacksonville State took a 2-0 lead with narrow 198-195 and 205-199 decisions, but A-State made it 2-1 with a 224-192 margin in game three. Jacksonville State made it 3-1 with a 191-182 tally in game four, but the Red Wolves forced game seven with wins of 225-193 and 214-210 in games five and six, respectively. Jacksonville State clinched their spot in the championship match with a 261-184 pinfall in game seven.

The Red Wolves faced No. 5 Vanderbilt to decide who would meet Jacksonville State in the title match. A-State grabbed a 2-0 advantage with margins of 268-165 and 226-204, but Vanderbilt won the next three games, 228-219, 247-170 and 221-205, to put A-State a loss away from the third-place match. The Red Wolves forced game seven with a 181-180 advantage in game six and took game seven 219-132 to meet Jacksonville State in the title match.

In the title match, the two teams were even in the first game 192-192. A-State took the next two games, 258-216 and 204-191, to lead 2.5-0.5, but Jacksonville State answered to even the series at 2.5-2.5 with margins of 225-171 and 210-198. The Red Wolves won game six 204-179, but a 179-162 advantage by Jacksonville State in game seven forced a decisive tiebreak. A-State locked up the victory with a 105-72 pinfall in the five-frame tiebreak.

A-State closes out the regular season March 15-17 at the Music City Classic in Smyrna, Tenn. The Conference USA Championship is March 21-24 in Harahan, La. The NCAA Regionals are slated for April 4-6 and the NCAA Championship April 11-13 in Allen Park, Mich.