Morningside’s men’s bowling team took top honors at the Stout State Open tournament in Eau Claire, Wis.

Morningside College’s men’s bowling team took top honors at the Stout State Open tournament held Saturday and Sunday in Eau Claire, Wis.

The Mustangs knocked down 8659 pins for the top score in the 10-team field and then won the single-elimination Match Play Bracket tourney when they came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Waldorf University 197-213, 189-192, 204-161, 205-165, 225-181 in the best three-of-five championship match.

Morningside finished 31 pins ahead of Waldorf in the nine-game team scoring totals to top a field that also included Iowa State University, Minnesota State University-Mankato, Winona State University, Viterbo University, and the Universities of Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Stout, and Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Alex Eukovich, a junior from Berwyn, Ill., led the Mustangs with a 209 average and had the team’s top single-game score at the tournament with a 255. Michael Putzier, a freshman from Sioux Falls, S.D., was next with a 199 average. Ethan Mikkelson, a freshman from Sioux City, had the Mustangs’ second best single-game score at the tournament with a 254 and finished with a 195 average.

The Mustangs’ other bowlers who contributed to the victory and their averages were Matt Hystad, a freshman from Le Mars, Iowa, with a 196 average; Brett Hansen, a freshman from Vermillion, S.D., with a 185 average; Tanner Hansel, a sophomore from Sioux City with a 182 average; and Dylan Casper, a junior from Sioux City with a 182 average.

Morningside finished third with 7211 pins in the five-team women’s field. The Mustangs finished 60 points out of second place behind Wisconsin (7271). Viterbo was a runaway winner in the team standings with 7638 pins before it lost to the Badgers in the Match Play Bracket tourney.

Wisconsin advanced to the title match against Viterbo with a 200-210, 192-169, 173-140 victory against Morningside in the semifinal match.

Haley Mathes, a sophomore from Oskaloosa, Iowa, was the top competitor for the Mustang women and was named to the five-bowler all-tournament team. Mathes bowled all nine games for the Mustangs and finished with a 173 average. She also had the Mustangs’ top individual game score with a 233.

Emma Sonier, a freshman from Sioux City, had a 200 game at the tourney when she rolled a 211 in her first game. She had the Mustangs’ second highest average at the tournament with a 164. Katie Pearson, a junior from Sioux City, and Marie Sitz, a sophomore from O’Neill, Neb., were right behind with averages of 161 and 160, respectively.

The Mustangs will compete in the Jayhawk Collegiate Challenge on Nov. 5 and 6 in Lawrence, Kan.

Men’s Results

Women’s Results