Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) overcame Lindenwood 2-1 to win the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITCs) and with it their second National Championship this season.

Last weekend, UMES knocked off Vanderbilt to claim their second NCAA Women's Bowling title and a week later hoisted the Kerm Helmer Cup at the Intercollegiate Team Championships, besting a third place finish in 2008, the first time they won the NCAA title.

This is the Hawk's first ITC title in their eighth appearance. They have participated every year since 2003 with the exception of 2007.

UMES' Maria Rodriguez (Ibague Tolima, Colombia) barely converted the 3-6-9 spare in the final frame to beat Lindenwood, 164-158, in the deciding game. The Hawks dropped the opening game to the Lions, 182-156, before rallying back to win the second game, 189-183.

The final frames spelled doom for the Lions of Lindenwood. In game two they left an open in the eighth frame and Anggie Ramirez (Bogota, Colombia) made them pay by throwing a strike to give her Hawks the lead by seven pins. Kristina Frahm (Oswego, Ill.) and Rodriguez kept the Hawks in front for the game two win by both making 9-spares in the ninth and tenth frames respectively.

Game three saw them leave another open, this time in the ninth to keep UMES' hopes alive. Frahm doubled after Ramirez's strike and Rodriguez's spare clinched the win. The Lady Hawks overcame three opens earlier in the game in the third, fourth and fifth frames but were offset by Lindenwood opens in the first and second frames.

Rodriguez is just the second player in UMES history to earn an All-Tournament Team honor at the ITCs. MaryEtta Lewis got a nod in 2006.

Central Florida's Kara Bunting earned the tournament's most valuable player honors, while Lindenwood's Jenny Petzoldt was the runner-up. Danielle Merino of Adelphi, Amanda Greene of Lindenwood, Jenn Boisselle of Central Florida and Rodriguez rounded out the all-tournament team.

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