Coppin State takes to the lanes at Kutztown Invitational

READING, Pa. – The Coppin State women’s bowling team faced three nationally-ranked opponents during the opening day of the annual Kutztown Invitational at Heister Lanes Friday afternoon.

Coppin State competed in five quad-Baker matches falling to 12th-ranked Sacred Heart, 14th-ranked St. Francis Brooklyn, Monmouth (who is receiving votes), Morgan State and 17th-ranked Long Island University. The Eagles finished with 4,203 pins following the long and grueling day in which bowlers competed for nearly six hours.

Coppin State’s high match was a 740 in its first outing of the day. Each of Coppin State’s opponents rolled at least an 850 to earn the victory. Coppin State’s average for the 300 frames it rolled on Friday was a 140.1.

The 27-team event is the largest NCAA regular season bowling tournament in the country. Sixteen of the nation’s top 20 teams in the latest National TenPins Coaches’ Association (NTPCA) Top 20 poll are participating in the tournament.

Coppin State returns to action Saturday morning at 9:25 when it competes in six traditional team matches against second-ranked Farleigh Dickinson, Adelphi, Pitt-Bradford, Cheyney, Medaille and Mount Alysious.

For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com

READING, Pa.—While a solid 5-1 mark isn’t anything to complain about, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) women’s bowling team had hoped for a little better after day one of the 2015 Kutztown Invitational.  UMES started in 14^th place after their first match, but steadily improved to climb all the way to eighth place by the end of the day and sit less than 50 pins out of fourth place, the spot they need to be in to bowl for the tournament championship on Sunday and the spot they won from in 2014.

The Hawks bowled five-game Baker matches all day in a 27-team field and amassed a sold 5-1 mark, picking up a win in their opening match over Pitt-Bradford, 939-714.  The four seniors and one junior made up the lineup with Thashaina Seraus leading off, Valerie Riggin in second, Victoria Jones third, Tatiana Munoz in fourth and reigning ECAC and MEAC Bowler of the Week, Mariana Alvarado in anchor.

While the win came easy enough, head coach Kayla Bandy wasn’t happy.  Sitting in the middle of the pack after that match, she juggled her lineup to face the nation’s No. 2 team Fairleigh Dickinson.  Alvarado led-off, freshman Melanie Copey entered in the second spot and Riggin, Seraus and Jones rounded out the team.  The Hawks got a win in game one, 210-199 but lapsed in game two 207-176.  FDU won game three 188-180 and increased their lead to 27 pins.  UMES got five pins back in game four with a 195-190 win, but the Knights poured it on in the fifth game, 210-190 to win by 42 pins, (994-951). It was a negligible difference, but enough to give FDU the win against their rival in the northeast region, but not a better enough effort to have Bandy juggle the lineup again.

In the third match of the day UMES faced the host and No. 18 Kutztown.  The Golden Bears were coming off a big upset win over No. 4 Central Missouri, but they couldn’t carry over the momentum as the Hawks got the better of their hosts, 1023-884.  Jones, Riggin, Munoz, Alvarado and Searus dominated the Bears with games of 189, 193, 203, 215 and 223.

In match four the Hawks needed to focus on pin fall.  Taking on over-matched Medaille, the top-ten Hawks rolled by over 300 pins, 1044-716 and climbed several spots in the standings.  Munoz, Jones, Alvarado, Riggin and Searus did the damage, tossing games of 213, 237, 212, 211 and 171. 

The fifth match of the day pitted UMES against No 11 St. Francis (Pa.).  With the lineup nearly the same as the Medaille win, just Riggin and Alvarado traded places, the Hawks would prove victorious again. With games of 206, 196, 234, 211 and 175, UMES cruised to a 1028-951 win, and besting the Red Flash three of the five games.  The Hawks wrapped up the day with a win over Adelphi, who was having a good start to their tournament.  UMES again rolled in the upper 1,000s, posting a 1034-963 win.  With an identical lineup as the SFPA win, UMES posted games of 235, 216, a tough 162, a 196 and a 225.

The Hawks tied for the best record in the event after six matches.  Central Missouri had the same record and is in first place after day one.  They tallied 6,439 pins, 133 in front of Fairleigh Dickinson who went 4-2 and amassed 6, 306 pins.  No 7 Wisconsin-Whitewater is in third place with a 5-1 mark and 6,252 pins.  Those are the only three teams to eclipse the 6,100 pin mark.  UMES was one of five others to break 6,000 pins on day one.  Those five teams are separated by just 48 pins.  No. 8 Stephen F. Austin sits in fourth place at 4-2 with 6,061 pins.  No. 6 Vanderbilt is 4-2 with 6,038 pins in fifth and No. 3 Arkansas State is in sixth place with 6,034 pins and a 4-1 mark.  Fellow MEAC member North Carolina A&T State is in seventh with a 4-1 record and 6,026 pins while UMES is eighth with 6,013 pins.

Long Island, Adelphi, Delaware State, Kutztown, UAB, Sacred Heart and Valparaiso make up the ninth through 15^th place teams.

The event is being held at Heister Lanes in Reading, Pa. for the seventh straight year.  The lanes are half wood, half synthetic and present a unique challenge to many bowlers.  Not usually for UMES, who has a pair of 300 games at the site and has won this event four of seven years.  The Hawks need to climb to fourth place by the end of Saturday to have a shot at a fifth title against a field featuring 10 of the top 12 teams in the nation.

For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com