No. T4 Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) bowling team traveled to the National Collegiate Match Games this past weekend.  After being down after the opening day, the hawks closed the gap to take second place overall in the tournament and post a 3-1 NCAA record.

The event, a United State Bowling Congress (USBC) tournament allows UMES to bowl in the sectional qualifier later in the year, an event the Lady Hawks won last season. Qualify high enough in that and earn a trip to the USBC National Championships, a trip UMES normally makes.

While at the tournament, the Hawks bowled no. T4 Central Missouri University (CMU), the only other NCAA team in attendance.  UMES bowled them four times, twice in team games and twice in Baker format.  In team games the Hawks combined two games to take one match 1857-1642 and the other 1916-1750. In Baker matches UMES posted an741-859 loss and took a 763-698 win.

The 3-1 NCAA mark gives the Hawks a 39-11 overall record.

Individually, freshman Anggie Ramirez was on fire.  The first-year Hawk posted a 1273 pin fall over six team games for an average of 212.167 and earned MVP honors.  Ramirez rolled high games of 235 and 228 during the event.  However, since those were not against NCAA teams, they do not count to her career totals.  Her other four games, do count as she posted a 200, 197, 202 and 211 against CMU.

Not far behind was All-American Maria Rodriguez who finished second overall.  She tallied 1,247 pins and averaged a 207.833 over six games. Rodriguez rolled a 173, 246, 208, 173, 222 and a 225.  Kristina Frahm was 13th overall posting an 1181 pin fall and averaging a 196.833 in team games.  Her high games were a pair of 204's.

As a team UMES put up 10,828 pins, trailing winner Wichita State by 68 pins. UMES earned a pin bonus of 750, 100 less than the Shockers and earned a baker bonus of 550, 150 better than Wichita State.  The Lady Hawks put up their best game of the event, an 1163 in their first game of the tournament.  Their best Baker game as a team was an 888.

UMES now heads to the final MEAC Northern Division match in Baltimore, Md.  They trail No. 6 Delaware State by two games, heading into the final match-up. The two teams will meet twice and play the full divisional schedule.  Following that match-up UMES takes over a month off until the Mid-Winter Classic on January 15-17.