Chloe Skurzynski finished in the Top 16 at the 2019 Intercollegiate Singles Championships at Poelking Lanes South in Dayton, Ohio. The freshman, who proved to be so clutch in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Bowling Championship last month, came up just short on Wednesday morning, falling to Vanderbilt's Jordan Newham.
Skurzynski would defeat Robert Morris Illinois' Megan Macunovich in the opening round on Tuesday.
But the singles competition for the freshman was about far more than the win and loss; it was about the experience and what it means for the upcoming Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITCs), starting Thursday, and the Hawks' quest for a sixth national championship.
"It was a great experience for her against the best collegiate bowlers in the country," said Hawks head coach Kayla Bandy. "She made great shots physically, but fell short in her last match against Jordan, who was tough to beat. She is a great competitor with years of experience, she gave the lanes what was needed to get her ball through the pocket and score."
The match was closer than the pinfall indicated as Skurzynski was on, throwing mostly strikes and nine-spares, but Newham was able to string strikes together to lead to the win. It frustrated the young Hawk, but it is also a great learning experience.
"This experience will help propel Chloe to the next level as her collegiate career transpires," Bandy said. "She is a freshman and can build on this postseason, learning from each and every experience."
Against Newham, Skurzynski dropped game one by 38 pins, 213-175, and then dropped game two 244-208 despite a clean game. She fought in game three, opening with four strikes and two 9-spares in the first six frames before opening the seventh. Newham struck four times to thwart the comeback despite Skurzynski winning the game 194-190.
She fell by 70 pins.
Newham would go on to top Duquesne's Olivia Farwell in the next round and advance to the final four and a spot on the television broadcast on Saturday.
Skurzynski bowled well in the opening round on Tuesday, topping Macunovich. She fell in game one 151-145, but rebounded in game two, finishing with a strike in the ninth and two in the tenth to win 205-171 and take a 28-pin lead. Macunovich pressured Skurzynski in the third game and won 228-211, despite the Hawk tossing another turkey.
The pinfall wasn't enough, though, as Skurzynski took the win by 11 pins.
She qualified 13th with an 1,174 pinfall over six games, her best coming in the second game with a 226. Her lowest was just a 178, coming in game six.
In a media interview prior to competition, Skurzynski discussed how excited she was to compete in the event.
"I am thrilled about it, but I'm trying to keep my composure," she said. "It's really humbling to know that among all the girls who bowled in the sectional qualifiers, I'm in the top 24. I'll be grinning from ear to ear, even if I finish 24th."
She did better than that and as a freshman was among the top 16 in the nation. Not bad for someone still bowling in their first collegiate semester.
"We are proud of Chloe," said Bandy. "I am proud of the team that cheered her on too, cheering for every shot that she threw, and I look forward to the team doing great things this week."
Skurzynski joined her teammates in the Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC), which began with qualifying Baker games starting at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday.