The men and women’s bowling teams will travel to compete Saturday in the Jayhawk Collegiate Classic in Lawrence.

The team is two events into its 10-event season.

The Shockers last competed in the Sandhills Classic in Lincoln, Nebraska, where it brought home two second-place trophies. The men took second place for the second time this season, and the women hold a first and a second place finish through two events.

“It is pretty typical for where we are at this point in the year,” Gordon Vadakin said.

The women have led going into match play the last two tournaments. They fell in the championship round of match play of the Sandhills Classic in a best of five series, 3-1.

The men competed in an eight team match-play bracket. The team fell in the championship round of match play in a best of five series to the University of Kansas.

“It was kind of a huge win for KU,” Vadakin said. “ They don’t normally beat us. It was a big victory for them, and I recognize that, but it isn’t something that is going to happen very often, I’d like to believe.”

The Shockers will get the opportunity to challenge the Jayhawks again this weekend in KU’s home tournament. Meanwhile, other schools have their eyes set on the reigning National Champions.

“When you have won the national title the previous year, I think you are always playing with a target on your back,” Vadakin said. “I think a lot of programs are looking for a way to knock us off.”

Vadakin said the focus at this point in the year is to work on gaining competition experience in the match-play format for the teams’ rookies and veterans. The Shockers have four new men and one new woman on its select team this season.

Wichita State is often the favorite in smaller events, such as the Jayhawk Classic this weekend. For Vadakin, the goal maintains the same in all formats of competition.

“We expect to win every event,” Vadakin said.

The Shockers will get the chance to claim dual first place finishes Saturday for the first time this season in the Jayhawk Collegiate Classic at Royal Crest Lanes in Lawrence.