INDIANAPOLIS – The Falcon bowlers ventured to Indianapolis to compete in the Western Shootout on October 16 and 17. After six full team games on Saturday and 16 Baker games on Sunday, the NDC women finished in 13th place, while the men were 16th.

With four of five bowlers topping the 200 mark, led by senior Reginald Petty Jr.'s 221, the Notre Dame men burst out of the gate with a first game score of 1,012 that topped all 73 teams in the Royal Pin-Western Bowl. Following with games of 991 and 934, the Falcon men were in first place with a 54-pin lead halfway through the first day of competition. The team also finished strong, posting their highest Baker score of 224 in Sunday's final game.

With a high game of 225, sophomore Michael Wiese averaged 191 to finish 28th among the 288 men who competed in the tournament. Petty, who also contributed a 223 score to the team effort, was 56th with a 183 average.

The NDC women, meanwhile, posted a high team game of 919, led by freshman Rachel Foreback's 244, the highest Falcon score of the weekend. Foreback was 33rd out of 203 competitors in the women's division with a 178 average. Freshman Asia Wells, who posted a 226 high game and 181 average, and senior Allyia Nicol, who averaged 176 with consecutive scores of 208 and 206, were 68th and 74th in total pins, respectively, despite each bowling only five of the six games. The Notre Dame women posted a high score of 223 during Sunday's Baker round.

The men's division was won by Calumet College of St. Joseph, while the University of Pikeville topped the women's division.

The Falcon bowlers will head to Columbus on Oct. 23 to make their season debut in the Ohio Bowling Conference.