SMYRNA, Tenn. – North Carolina A&T went 2-1 on the final day of the Columbia 300 Music City Classic to finish in third place in the bowling tournament on Sunday at the Smyrna Bowling Center.
The fourth-ranked team in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA), the N.C. A&T Aggies had their consecutive tournament win streak stopped at four. But the Aggies (44-8) played well despite many of their opponents being nationally-ranked.
The Aggies started the day by defeating nationally-ranked Louisiana Tech, the sixth-ranked team in the NTCA poll, 4-1 in a best-of-seven bakers match.
The two teams split the first two games before the Aggies took a 2-1 lead in the series with a 222-190 win in Game 3. N.C. A&T moved one step closer to ending the contest with a 218-189 win in Game 3. They advanced to the next round with a 169-136 victory.
The McKendree Bearcats, the top-ranked team in the nation, defeated No. 5 Nebraska 4-2 to move into the championship round. As the loser of the contest, the Nebraska Cornhuskers had to play N.C. A&T with the winner to play McKendree.
Games 1 and 2 went to the Aggies, 176-161 and 233-231. The Aggies threatened to put the Cornhuskers down three games, but the Huskers pulled out a 204-202 Game 3 win. They then tied the series with a 207-169 before winning the final two matches to win in six games, 4-2.
La Tech defeated No. 16 Stephen F. Austin 4-3 to advance to play the Aggies for the second time on Sunday. The Bulldogs won Game 1, 232-142, before the Aggies bounced back with a 216-187 win. The Aggies took the series lead with a 226-199 victory before jumping up 3-1 with a 219-171 victory.
The Bulldogs survived Game 5 with a close 216-200 win. But N.C. A&T won the final game, 233-214, to win the series 4-2 and place third.
Nebraska lost to the top-ranked Bearcats, 4-2, in the championship game to win the tournament, followed by the Cornhuskers, the Aggies, La Tech and No. 17 Tulane to round out the top-five.
Senior Cameron Strombeck earned all-tournament team honors after finishing fifth as an individual.
The Aggies finish the regular season in Greensboro with the Vernell Stallings Invitational, March 13-14 at Triad Lanes.
