LAUREL, Md. - The No. 14/13 Norfolk State bowling team posted a perfect 15-0 record on the way to capturing the title at the Lady Bulldog Classic this weekend at the AMF Lanes in Laurel, Md., hosted by Bowie State.
Despite not having competed for more than a month, NSU continued its torrid stretch, as the Spartans have now won 25 straight matches, as well as 27 of their last 28, after also going a perfect 10-0 at the MEAC Southern Divisional Dec. 3-4. NSU ran its overall record to 47-14 on the year.
Seeded second heading into Sunday's final bracket round, NSU dispatched top seed Morgan State, 4-0, in Baker play to kick things off. NSU faced No. 13 seed Lincoln (Pa.) next and easily handled the Lions as well, 4-0. Morgan State earned a rematch with NSU in the championship bout and gave the Spartans all they could handle, but NSU won the seventh and final game for a 4-3 victory.
NSU fell behind two games to one to start the championship match against the Bears before winning the next two games. Morgan State easily won the sixth game before NSU earned the 175-160 win in the seventh and final game for the tournament title.
Morgan State had gone 11-1 over the first two days of competition and earned the top seed for Sunday's round of action by just one pin over NSU. The only loss for the Bears during the first two days of the tournament was to the Spartans.
Sophomore Thea Aspiras and senior Chelsea Krall led the way for the Spartans on Saturday, as the duo averaged 193.8 and 192.2, respectively, in six games. Freshman Kelsea Yarbrough also bowled all six games and averaged 186.3 pins per game.
Aspiras, Krall and Yarbrough each earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Aspiras and Krall finished second and third, respectively, in average for the tournament behind Morgan State's Keisheena Waldon. NSU won all three matches on Sunday, including the championship, despite not having the services of Aspiras.
Freshman Carrie Hickey, in her first collegiate competition, rolled a 186.7 average in three games for NSU, while fellow rookie Delilah Bethel carded a 184.0 average in five games on Saturday. Junior Jessica Overton had a 162.0 average in four games as well.
The Spartans had dominating opening day of competition in Baker play on Friday, winning all six matches and all but one of them by at least 100 pins. NSU started off with wins over Bowie State (726-610) and Elizabeth City State (770-614), followed by two more wins against Coppin State (682-530) and Virginia State (706-522).
North Carolina Central came closest to knocking off the Spartans on Friday, but NSU was victorious nonetheless, 747-680. NSU finished off the day with a 706-549 win against Lincoln (Pa.).
NSU had a similar time on Day 2 in team play, downing Virginia Union, 888-730, and Salem International, 943-626, to start things off on Saturday. NSU had its closest win of the tournament over Morgan State, 943-928, before a solid 1,025-902 win over No. 17 St. Peter's. The Spartans capped off the day with wins over Howard (948-758) and Chowan (815-479).
NSU finished second at last year's Bulldog Classic, and Aspiras captured the Tournament MVP title as a freshman.
The Spartans will head to Pennsylvania next weekend for the Kutztown Invitational Friday through Sunday. More than 20 teams will be in action there, including many of the nation's top-20 programs.
For more information, visit www.nsuspartans.com