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Collegiate Sports
Paige Wagner Paige Wagner
Great Bend's Wagner, WSU in bowling Final Four
ARLINGTON, Texas — Great Bend's Paige Wagner is a member of Wichita State's Arlington, Texas regional bowling champion and NCAA Final Four qualifier. Wichita State (77-34) rallied through the loser's bracket and will meet No. 1 Jacksonville State Friday at Parma Heights, Ohio. Wagner fired games of 195, 214, 222 and 226 during individual games at the regional. Newman University dropped the Shockers to the loser's bracket before they defeated Bryant University, Rhode Island, Newman and Louisiana Tech 4-2 and 4-0 in back-to-back Baker matches to qualify for the NCAA Final Four. No. 1 seeds Arkansas State and Vanderbilt will compete at the NCAA Final Four. Last year, Wichita State lost to Jacksonville State and Nebraska in Las Vegas. Wichita State completed an incredible run through the elimination bracket to win the Arlington Regional and advance to the program's second consecutive Final Four. Wichita State lost to Newman University after winning the traditional point 1,079-983 before dropping the Baker match 1,040-1,006 and the best-of-seven, 41/2-1/2. The Shockers cruised past the Bryant Bulldogs, 2-0, putting a up a big 1,127-906 win in the traditional format and following up with a comfortable 1,062-942 victory in the Baker match. WSU beat Newman, who had lost to Louisiana Tech on Friday, then beat Louisiana Tech twice. Thanks to Paige Wagner (222), Moragn Kline (221) and Sara Duque Jiménez (213), the Shockers snagged a 1,011-976 traditional win for a 1-0 lead. The Jets fired back in the Baker, rallying late for a 1,085-1,014 victory that sent the match to the best-of-seven Baker games. The Shockers put the pedal down, eliminating Newman by scores of 197-194, 226-191, 249-224, and 199-196. The win set up a matchup against the top-seeded Bulldogs. WSU seized the traditional point, this time riding Kline (257) and Aleesha Oden (237) for a 1,057-1,020 decision. The Bulldogs rolled to a 1,087-954 win that forced a best-of-seven. WSU grabbed control with wins in the first two games and were able to alternate victories from there for a 4-2 win: 214-197, 230-216, 243-267, 201-188, 203-268, 235-199. By winning that Mega Match, the Shockers forced a go-or-go home match to decide a champion. Wichita State blitzed Louisiana Tech, sweeping the series by scores of 223-199, 212-132, 225-170, 199-181 to punch their ticket to the Final Four. In addition to Jacksonville State, the Shockers will be joined in Parma Heights by Arkansas State and Vanderbilt, the other top seeds in their respective regions. Wichita State was the only non-top seed to win their regional.
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