It often has been said that any team putting together a title run needs just the right mix of talent and luck. The Nebraska Cornhuskers found that perfect combination to capture the inaugural National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship April 10 at Emerald Bowl in Houston.

After bowling for pinfall to establish seeding during the first two days of competition, the remainder of the double-elimination tournament pitted teams head-to-head in the Baker format best-of-seven series.

A loss to top-seeded Central Missouri State on Friday forced Nebraska to work out of the loser's bracket. But, the Cornhuskers battled to earn a rematch with the Jennies for the national title. As the only team to survive Friday's action without a loss, the Jennies needed just one series victory to clinch the championship, while Nebraska had to win twice to earn the crown.

In the first championship series, Nebraska jumped to a 2-1 lead. The fourth game of the series ended in a tie at 212 to force a two-frame roll-off. Central Missouri State opened the extra frames with a strike, but the Huskers' Shannon Pluhowsky countered with three straight strikes to secure the game and give her team a 3-1 series lead. In the end, Nebraska emerged with a 4-2 win to force a second match for the championship.

The Cornhuskers again jumped to an early lead with a victory in game one, but the Jennies battled back to collect two straight games and take the series lead. But Nebraska won the next two games to clinch the national championship.

Nebraska head coach Bill Straub said winning the championship was a big relief.

"When the championship was announced last spring, we knew we had a job to do, and we knew that second place wasn't good enough," he said. "It was something that kept the coaching staff up at nights, knowing that our goal was to bring home the national title. We downplayed it in front of the team all year, but it was something that was always in the back of our minds."

Nebraska senior and reigning U.S. Amateur champion Pluhowsky said she rallied her team after the disappointing loss to the Jennies on Friday.

"We only got beat by one pin, and having to bowl the extra match was a benefit for us because we got used to the lane conditions and television lights. It played to our advantage," she said.

Ron Holmes, head coach at Central Missouri State, said there were questions early on about how well his student-athletes would play together because they were so young.

"We had some growing pains, but we certainly were very successful in the events we competed in. We were peaking at the appropriate time for postseason play," he said. "Unfortunately, one school had to come away as runner-up and the other as champion. If it wasn't us, then I'm glad it could be Nebraska."

Holmes, who also is a member of the NCAA Women's Bowling Committee, recognized the NCAA and the committee for the championship.

Christina Peak rolled a perfect 300 game during the opening day of competition for Central Missouri State, which defeated Winston-Salem State (4-1), Fairleigh Dickinson (4-3) and Nebraska (4-3) to earn a pass into the national-championship series.

For Nebraska, the road to the title series included the loss to Central Missouri State and victories over Maryland-Eastern Shore (4-1), Sacred Heart (4-2) and New Jersey City (4-3).

Championship results

Round 1

Central Mo. St. (Angela Swift, Amber Lester, Alecia Hefter, Tina Peak, Amber Gazverde, Sara Cox, Sandra Dekoj, Kim Wirth) def. Winston-Salem St. (LaShonda Horton, Shannon Davis, Janell Lewis, LeAndrea Suggs, LaToya Deschamps, Ebony Douglas), 4-1; Fairleigh Dickinson (Amy Bohleber, Lisa Friscioni, Kristina Szalay, Erica Bixby, Elysia Current, Christi White, Jocelyn Davis, Becky Ketcham) def. Southern (Leigh Buickerood, Lyndsey Stewart, Crystal Alexander, Sarah Circle, Erin B. Williams, Jalilah Bluitt, Michelle Austin, Reynika Tillery), 4-3; Sacred Heart (Katie Atkins, Christina Onderdonk, Carolyn Rich, Nicole Peloquin, Erin Gore, Alex Soldano, Diane Raimann, Joanne Ong) def. New Jersey City (Christine Zsilavetz, Kathleen Weissman, Lisa Melchior, Jen Viens, Eryn Cully, Lauren Banz, Tracey Evans), 4-0; Nebraska (Adrienne Miller, Jamie Martin, Jen Schultz, Amanda Burgoye, Shannon Pluhowsky, Karla Engh, Nicole Aleo) def. Md.-East. Shore (Maryetta Lewis, Megan Raymond, Erin Fagan, Sandra Maresca, Victoria Gay, Kristie Minnis), 4-1.

Round 2

Central Mo. St. def. Fairleigh Dickinson , 4-3; Nebraska def. Sacred Heart, 4-2; Southern def. Winston-Salem St., 4-0; New Jersey City def. Md.-East. Shore, 4-0

Round 3

Central Missouri State def. Nebraska, 4-3; New Jersey City def. Sacred Heart, 4-1; Fairleigh Dickinson def. Southern, 4-1.

Round 4

New Jersey City def. Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-1.

Round 5

Nebraska def. New Jersey City, 4-3.

Round 6

Nebraska def. Central Mo. St., 4-2.

Round 7

Nebraska def. Central Mo. St., 4-2.