SMYRNA, Tenn. (3/19/16) – The Arkansas State women's bowling squad moved from seventh to first place Saturday with a 5-1 performance at the Columbia 300 Music City Classic being held at the Smyrna Bowling Center in Smyrna, Tenn.

The Red Wolves (73-30) were the only team to total more than 6,000 pins on the day with 6,076 and leaped into first place with a two-day total of 11,729. McKendree is second with 11,674 pins with Nebraska in third place with a total pinfall of 11,616. The host school, Vanderbilt, is fourth with 11,548 pins, while Stephen F. Austin and Wisconsin-Whitewater round out the top five with 11,321 pins apiece.

“We made some surface adjustments to our equipment and that really helped us in the matches today,” A-State head women's bowling coach Justin Kostick said. “These are some tough lanes so I was glad we bowled better today. We had some very nice wins and it's always great to get the top seed heading into Sunday.”

A-State opened the day with a 985-814 win over Florida A&M with Haley Richard leading the team with a 243 score. The day continued with an impressive 1,046-1,030 victory over No. 6 Central Missouri and featured Ashley Hostert bowling a 248 to top the squad with Jordan Richard rolling a 227 for the second-best mark on the team. The Red Wolves closed the first block of matches with their only loss of the day, a 1,006-915 decision to No. 10 Wisconsin-Whitewater with Brooke Wood posting a 218 to lead the squad.

Arkansas State posted an even 1,000 to No. 18 Saint Francis College-Brooklyn's 874 to open the second block of games and were led by a 238 from Jordan Richard. A-State followed with a 1,118-887 win over Long Island University-Brooklyn with Stephanie Mims posting a 239 to lead the team. The Red Wolves concluded their day with a 1,016-940 victory over No. 9 Fairleigh Dickinson with Haley Richard and Jordan Richard leading the team with a 234 and 233, respectively.

Jordan Richard leads the individual standings with 1,330 pins (221.67 per game), while her sister Haley is in fourth with 1,244 pins (207.33 per game). Wood finished seventh in the individual standings with a total pinfall of 1,229 (204.83 per game), while Mims (1,143 total pins) and Hostert (1,130 pins) ranked 34th and 37th, respectively.

“I was really proud of Jordan today,” Kostick added. “Haley and Brooke were outstanding as well, while Stephanie and Ashley were very solid too. With as many teams that are here, finishing where they did was impressive.”

The Red Wolves will take on McKendree tomorrow in the first round of the best-of-seven Baker bracket play. The winner will move to the championship match, while the loser will play the Nebraska-Vandy winner for the right to go to the championship match in round three. Sunday's action is set to begin at 8:30 a.m.

For the latest on the A-State women's bowling team, fans can follow the squad on Twitter (@stAtebowling) and by liking the Arkansas State Women's Bowling Facebook page.