After a tough opening day, Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) earned the sixth seed at the 2010 NCAA Championship. The Hawks posted a 2-5 record over seven games and recorded a pinfall of 7,030. Their pin total was the second highest in the field; they trailed just Nebraska, by 251 pins. In the previous six tournaments that would have given UMES the second seed, but in a new format that now seeds on win/loss percentage, the Lady Hawks are sixth.
It seemed every team bowled their best against UMES, the nation's No. 1 team in the latest National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) poll. In fact, in four of the seven games UMES bowled, their opponent tallied their highest pinfall of the day.
The Hawks (102-35) opened with Nebraska, the reigning champs. The Huskers slipped by UMES 989-916. Struggling with the loss, UMES then fell to Fairleigh Dickinson who tallied a 1085 to the Hawks 1066. UMES picked it up to defeat rival Delaware State 1082-1000 and Central Missouri 1030-981. The Jennies rolled their second best score of the day against the Hawks while DSU and FDU both their best.
After a lunch break the Lady Hawks appeared sluggish. They meant up with Vanderbilt, falling 1056-1021, the Commodores top score of the day. UMES then fell to New Jersey City who posted a 1044, their highest of the day to UMES' 1011. Arkansas State finished off the Hawks on the day with a 940-907 win.
"Everybody brings their A-game against us," said Head Coach Sharon Brummell. "We are the number one team in the country; everyone wants to prove their better. Today, many of them did. We actually bowled well, you can see that in the pinfall, but it wasn't good enough or we would have had a higher seed. We just left too many open frames."
First-team All-American Maria Rodriguez was solid all day, posting the second highest individual performance in the field. She tallied a 1546 over seven games and averaged a 220.85. Fellow All -American Kristina Frahm was also consistent, posting a 1485 and averaging a 212.4, good enough for fifth overall. Another UMES All-American, Paula Vilas, just missed the top ten, finishing 11th with a 1405 pinfall and averaging a 200.7. The three combined for 15 games over 200 with a high of 246, which Rodriguez posted twice and Vilas once.
With such good numbers one could see why the bowlers were frustrated with their seeding. "As far as our win-loss record, I'm not real happy with that, but I'm not real sad about it either, because I know we were second overall in total pins," added Brummell.
"We can knock the pins down, and tomorrow is a new day. The tournament starts tomorrow, and I think our kids will come back knowing what they have to do tomorrow. I think we'll be okay."
UMES will find out tomorrow if they are ok, as they face third-seeded Vanderbilt, who went 3-3, at 9:00 a.m. The face-off is a rematch of 2008 when UMES, seeded seventh, defeated then second-ranked Vandy to remain in the winner's bracket. The Hawks went on to win the championship.
Also in a rematch of 2008 top-seeded Nebraska, who was a perfect 7-0, will take on eighth seeded Central Missouri, 1-6. The Jennies defeated Nebraska that year in the opening match-up.
Arkansas State earned the second seed with a 5-2 mark and will face Delaware State who went 2-5. NJCU and FDU battle as the fourth and fifth seeds. The Gothic Knights went 4-3 while FDU was 3-4.
All matches are broadcast live via web streaming on www.NCAAsports.com
"This is our seventh straight year in the national championship, so of course experience helps," responded Brummell to a question about experience in the event. "Coming in, it's not like we're simply here to have fun. We've been here and done that, so you kind of get used to participating in this just like a regular tournament. Once you win the first time, you just want to win again and again"
Round recaps are courtesy Ralph Ventre, Assistant Director of Communications, Northeast Conference
ROUND 1:
Nebraska 989, UMES 916
Defending NCAA champion Nebraska won its first qualifying match of the day by outlasting Maryland Eastern Shore, 989-916. Three Huskers rolled games in excess of 210. Senior Cassandra Leuthold (213) led the way followed by junior Katie Ann Sopp (212), and sophomore Valerie Calberry (211). Junior Kristina Frahm 237 was the lone UMES bowler to reach 200. The team's second-highest individual score came from sophomore Paula Vilas (182).
ROUND 2:
Fairleigh Dickinson 1085, UMES 1066
Posting the highest team score in the second round of traditional matches, Fairleigh Dickinson won again. The Knights, who also eclipsed the 1,000-pin mark in their opening match against Vanderbilt, outlasted Maryland Eastern Shore in a tight 1085-1066 decision. Each of FDU's five bowlers accounted for a score of at least 196. Senior Nichole Toto, who was not in the Knights' lineup during the opening round, came off the bench to roll a team-high 257. FDU freshman Danielle McEwan topped her 213 game from the first round by rolling a 223. Meanwhile, UMES accounted for the round third-highest team score despite suffering a defeat. Hawks' junior Kristina Frahm (236) eclipsed the 235-pin mark once again, while junior Maria Rodriguez bounced back from her opening round 172 game by turning in a 246.
ROUND 3:
UMES 1082, Delaware State 1000
Maryland Eastern Shore defeated a familiar opponent in round three of traditional team play. The Hawks topped fellow MEAC member Delaware State by 82 pins. Junior Maria Rodriguez matched the 246 she bowled in the previous round to lead UMES. Her freshman teammate T'Nia Falbo was right behind, turning in a 245 game. Delaware State reached the 1,000-pin mark for the second time in their first three matches, but remained winless heading into the fourth round. DSU senior Kalyn Washburn accounted for a match high 254.
ROUND 4:
UMES 1030, Central Missouri 981
After dropping its first two matches in qualifying play, Maryland Eastern Shore made it two wins in a row when it defeated Central Missouri by 49 pins in Round 4. Helping the Hawks to their third consecutive traditional team score in excess of 1,000, junior Maria Rodriguez bowled a team-high 222. Sophomore Paula Vilas (219) and junior Kristina Frahm (212) also bowled 200- plus games for UMES. Despite the defeat, Central Missouri's Kelli Schroeder (255) accounted for the highest individual score of the match.
ROUND 5:
Vanderbilt 1056, UMES 1021
Vanderbilt topped Maryland Eastern Shore, 1056-1021, to earn its third win. The Commodores' pinfall was the second highest of Round 5. Maryland Eastern Shore posted the third-highest mark, but couldn't overcome a Vanderbilt lineup that saw all five of its bowlers turn in nothing less than a 194 game. Sophomore Brittni Hamilton led the Commodores' effort, following up her 279 game from the prior round with a 244 against the Hawks. UMES sophomore Paula Vilas produced her highest game (246) of the tournament thus far.
ROUND 6:
New Jersey City 1044, UMES 1011
New Jersey City broke the 1,000-pin barrier for the first time in six matches to defeat Maryland Eastern Shore, 1044-1011. The two teams accounted for the two highest pinfalls of Round 6. A trio of Gothic Knights posted games over 230. Senior Jenn Marmo (235) produced her highest pinfall of the tournament thus far to lead the way. Senior Nicole Drejerwski made it three consecutive 200-plus performances by rolling a 233. Sophomore Jennifer Daunno was right behind with a 232 game. UMES junior Maria Rodriguez continued her tear by rolling a 223 game, her fifth consecutive 220-plus effort.
ROUND 7:
Arkansas State 940, UMES 907
Arkansas State posted its fifth win of the day by downing Maryland Eastern Shore, 940-907, in the first day's final round of matches. The victory allowed Arkansas State to jump up to the No. 2 seed for championship bracket play. ASU sophomore Samantha Santoro closed out an outstanding day by turning in a 192 game, only her second sub-200 effort in seven matches on Thursday. UMES junior Maria Rodriguez's team-high 215 game, was her sixth straight 200-plus performance.