EULESS, Texas. – After beginning the championship match with a tie at 188, St. John’s University senior Adam Chase defeated North Carolina State’s Nick Davis – 172-166, 231-216 and 204-169 – during each of the next three games to win the men’s national title at the 2009 USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships at AMF Euless Lanes in Euless, Texas, Tuesday.

The title match was close from start to finish, but Chase was the more timely of the two bowlers, making the shots he needed to make when he needed to make them in order to close the match out in four games. The long path was nothing new to Chase, who bowled a field-high 24 games during Tuesday’s match-play round.

Afterward, Chase was pleased to have collected the victory, but he was not shy about showing the toll the long day had taken on him.

“After 24 games, I’m exhausted, but I just kept finding a way to grind games out to keep moving on,” Chase said. “I could go to bed right now, but what a great feeling.”

Chase earned the right to bowl for the title by downing No. 3-seed Robert Klann 3-2 (185-158, 177-188, 186-202, 210-135, 229-207) during semifinal action. One round earlier, Chase advanced by scoring a 3-2 (172-231, 275-264, 179-213, 212-174, 265-234) victory over the tournament’s No. 2-seed, Wichita State’s Jacob Peters.

As the No. 10-seed for match play, some spectators may have viewed Chase as a long shot title contender; nevertheless, he believed in himself from start to finish, and he credits that belief with having helped him through each match.

“I got a few bad breaks yesterday to qualify tenth, but I’ve been bowling really well over the last couple months, so I was really confident that I could do something special in this tournament,” Chase said. “I just took it one game a time, and I made the most of things today.”

On the day, Chase averaged 201.50 and authored three games – 275, 265 and 257 – of 250 or greater. He finished the tournament with a 36-game average of 197.

2009 USBC INTERCOLLEGIATE SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
at AMF Euless Lanes Euless, Texas
Tuesday's match-play results
(Best-of-5, single-elimination)
Seeds in parentheses

First Round
(9) Derek Hartnell, Newman def. (16) Brad DeUmberto, Martin Methodist 3-1 (193-173, 210-232, 171-146, 154-151).
(12) Christopher Moyer, Saginaw Valley def. (13) John Szczucinski, Toledo 3-2 (212-165, 171-213, 244-173, 193-234, 208-159).
(11) Zack Wilhelmi, North Dakota State def. (14) Samm Krucek, Calumet 3-1 (205-162, 228-215, 165-186, 256-219).
(10) Adam Chase, St. John’s def. (15) Carl Zbranak, William Paterson 3-2 (152-188, 223-202, 182-186, 213-181, 178-175).

Second Round
(9) Derek Hartnell, Newman def. (8) Dennis Kasprzak, Weber State 3-0 (193-189, 182-135, 201-169).
(5) Nick Davis, North Carolina State def. Christopher Moyer, Saginaw Valley 3-1 (228-177, 225-265, 278-235, 246-224).
(6) Jonathan Buckert, Wichita State def. Zack Wilhelmi, North Dakota State 3-1 (173-165, 181-164, 196-208, 192-154).
(10) Adam Chase, St. John’s def. (7) Will Haroldson, Bellarmine 3-2 (208-176, 213-208, 171-197, 154-204, 257-196).

Quarterfinals
(1) Joshua McBride, Wichita State def. (9) Derek Hartnell, Newman 3-1 (223-211, 177-195, 213-192, 192-156).
(5) Nick Davis, North Carolina State def. (4) Jonathan Merriman, North Texas 3-2-1 (168-246, 192-225, 237-179, 185-160, 167-167, 236-192).
(3) Robert Klann, Lindenwood def. (6) Jonathan Buckert, Wichita State 3-2 (258-222, 188-202, 162-195, 173-171, 239-234).
(10) Adam Chase, St. John’s def. (2) Jacob Peters, Wichita State 3-2 (172-231, 275-264, 179-213, 212-174, 265-234).

Semifinals
(5) Nick Davis, North Carolina State def. (1) Joshua McBride, Wichita State 3-2 (207-234, 219-189, 169-171, 203-178, 224-222).
(10) Adam Chase, St. John’s def. (3) Robert Klann, Lindenwood 3-2 (185-158, 177-188, 186-202, 210-135, 229-207).

Championship
(10) Adam Chase, St. John’s def. (5) Nick Davis, North Carolina State 3-1-1 (188-188, 172-166, 231-216, 204-169).
Monday's qualifying results (12 games)
(*Haroldson earns No. 7 seed by virtue of 278 high game)
1. Joshua McBride, Wichita State, 2,421; 2. Jacob Peters, Wichita State, 2,393; 3. Robert Klann, Lindenwood, 2,376; 4. Jonathan Merriman, North Texas, 2,357; 5. Nick Davis, North Carolina State, 2,347; 6. Jonathan Buckert, Wichita State, 2,338; 7. (tie) * Will Haroldson, Bellarmine, 2,311; Dennis Kasprzak, Weber State, 2,311; 9. Derek Hartnell, Newman, 2,278; 10. Adam Chase, St. John’s, 2,256; 11. Zack Wilhelmi, North Dakota State, 2,227; 12. Christopher Moyer, Saginaw Valley, 2,171; 13. John Szczucinski, Toledo, 2,136; 14. Sammy Krucek, Calumet, 2,134; 15. Carl Zbranak, William Paterson, 2,126; 16. Brad DeUmberto, Martin Methodist, 2,034.
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