LAUREL, Md. – The Norfolk State bowling team wrapped up play at the Lady Bulldog Classic on Sunday with a fourth place finish at the tournament that was hosted by Bowie State at the AMF Laurel Lanes.
NSU went 9-4 altogether over the three-day event, including a strong 5-0 opening day on Friday. The Spartans sat in fourth after Saturday’s team play with a total pinfall of 8,049 and finished in the same place after Sunday’s bracket round.
Freshman Nicole Rivera Santiago had the best day on Saturday as NSU went 3-2 in following up its strong Friday showing. The rookie averaged 195.8 in all five games, including back-to-back 200 games. Junior Courtney Brown also had a solid day, posting a 189.8 average in five games as well.
Senior Thea Aspiras and juniors Kelsea Yarbrough and Delilah Bethel also bowled five games each and averaged between 173 and 180.
NSU got off to a hot start on Friday in Baker play, beginning with a 782-439 win over Livingstone. They followed that up with a 676-521 victory against Hampton and a 701-649 triumph over Bowie State.
The Spartans closed out the first day with victories over Coppin State, 657-587, and North Carolina Central, 660-628.
On Saturday in team play, NSU won its 14th straight game dating back to its last tournament, the MEAC Southern Division on Dec. 7-8. The Spartans downed Virginia State, 962-851. No. 17 St. Francis Brooklyn ended the Spartan streak with a 955-931 win over NSU in the next game before the Spartans won the next two.
Victories over Morgan State, 940-798, and Howard, 907-618, were followed by a loss in the last game on Saturday to No. 4 Fairleigh Dickinson, 1020-833.
Then on Sunday, NSU opened the bracket round with a 4-0 loss to St. Francis Brooklyn in Baker format before rebounding to top Bowie State, 4-2. No. 13 Adelphi knocked NSU down to fourth place with a 4-1 victory over the Spartans to close out the tournament.
NSU will take part in the Kutztown Invitational next weekend in Reading, Pa., from Jan. 24-26.