MILLSBORO, Del. — It was a completely different look on the second day of the Hawk Classic for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) as they came out firing in the team game format, going 5-1 overall. The early boost propelled the Hawks to as high as second place late in the day, but they faltered in the last two matches, not putting up enough pins to keep them in the top.
The chance to win Coach Bandy referred to is that the only the top four teams have the opportunity to win the tournament. UMES was in that group most of the day today, but towards the end did not tally high enough pinfalls to keep them there. Now the best they can finish is third place with three wins tomorrow.
The Hawks opened the day taking on No. 9 Stephen F. Austin as the opening match pitted the fifth-seeded Hawks against the sixth seeded Jacks. UMES poured it on 1043-924. The Hawks’ score was the highest in the first team game block and wound up being the fifth best effort of all teams on the day. Thashaina Seraus tossed a solid 242 and got help from Victoria Jones who added a 227. Valerie Riggin also had a 200-plus game with a 212.
From there the matches resumed cross-pool play as UMES took on No. 14 Long Island. The Blackbirds were no match as the Hawks flew higher, 963-763, a 200 pin edge. Seraus again led UMES with a 225. Mariana Alvarado got back on track with a solid 196 in the win.
Next up for UMES was MEAC foe, North Carolina A&T State. The Aggies, ranked 13th in the nation, got the best of the Hawks two weeks ago, but not today. UMES rolled past NCAT 1,033-976 getting another high game from Seraus who rolled a 236. Alvrado added a 218 and Tatiana Munoz joined the day’s 200 club with a 221.
The field took a lunch break after three matches and came back to honor the seniors. UMES honored Alvarado, Jones, Munoz and Riggin with framed jerseys and photos and had a special presentation to them with family, friends and UMES administrators. The Hawk Classic also honored all seniors present.
After the break the field reshuffled to have inter-pool play. The Hawks faced No. 3 Sam Houston State next. The top two teams in the pool went head to head and UMES came out on top, 998-955 getting some late strikes to push them over the edge. Munoz was the only Hawk in the two-hundreds, with an impressive 237, but Jones and Alvarado helped with a 198 and 196 respectively.
At this point in the day UMES had climbed all the way into second place. The lead was less than 20 pins over Sam Houston State who was in third and they were just six pins ahead of Vanderbilt in fourth. It could still go a lot of ways.
Unfortunately for the Hawks, it went south.
UMES next faced Saint Francis (Pa.) and the No. 10 team in the country was heating up. They got the best of the Hawks 1,047-854. It looked like a different team. Alvarado hung tough with a 197 and Riggin with a 182, but Seraus and Jones managed just a 153 and 155 respectively. With no one in the two-hundreds and SFU tossing a 227, 238 and 236 with their three-five bowlers, the Hawks didn’t have a chance.
The Hawks closed out the day with a win over Adelphi. The Panthers, who are receiving votes in the latest NTCA poll, didn’t muster much offense. UMES was again led by Alvarado with a 195, but the next best was Jones and Riggin who each tossed a 173. Luckily for the Hawks, Adelphi posted games of 116 and 134 and fell to UMES 879-973. That less than 900 score combined with the previous one, meant UMES would stay in fifth, 136 pins from being fourth.
Seraus finished the day 7th overall with a pinfall of 1,212 and 10th in total average with a 202. Munoz was 20th overall and second on the Hawks with a 1,170 pinfall and a 195 average. Alvarado wasn’t far back of her in 22nd with 1,165 pins and a 194.17 average. Jones and Riggin were 37th and 38th overall, placing all five Hawks in the top 40 of the 116 woman field.
UMES will face Saint Francis (Pa.) in the opening match tomorrow of bracket play. The format is best-four-of-seven Baker games. While the fifth and sixth seeds are squaring off, the top two seeds Fairleigh Dickinson and Vanderbilt will bowl for a shot at the finals. Third-seed Sam Houston State and fourth-seed Sacred Heart will bowl as well. The loser of that match will face the winner of the UMES vs. SFPA match in the second round.
Other matchups include seventh seeded Delaware State and eighth seeded North Carolina A&T State, who dropped from third place at the end of day one. Ninth seed Stephen F. Austin will face tenth seed Long Island while 11th seed Kutztown will face 12th seed St. Francis-Brooklyn. Monmouth, the 13th seed faces 14th seed Adelphi while 15th seed Norfolk State will take on 16th seed Franklin Pierce. Howard and New Jersey City round out the field as the 17th and 18th seeded teams.
Tomorrow, the day starts at 8:00 a.m. with the best of seven Baker matches. An awards ceremony will conclude the day around noon.