WICHITA, Kan. — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore started the day off by getting a win, when head coach Kayla Bandy won the coaches’ shootout, a tradition that features five attempts with the lower tallies eliminated each round with each team’s head coach throwing a house ball and wearing house shoes.  It seemed to get the momentum going for the Hawks.

In the first block of four games the Hawks went minus seven, meaning they shot a 793, eight pins below a 200 per game average.  That landed them in ninth place after block one despite games of 220 and 208.

Block two the Hawks came to life, going plus 157 (957), paired up with Delaware State and shot an impressive 178 to take first place in the 16-team field.  With games of 246, 224, 209 and 278, UMES looked ready to take command of the field.

In the third block Maryland Eastern Shore posted an 847 (+ 47) and extended their lead to stand at plus 197 and held a 31 pin lead over the surging Webber International Warriors, half way through the qualifying day.  The Hawks had games of 214, 222, 189, 222.

Eastern Shore struggled in games 13 and 14 on the left side of the house but recovered in 15 and 16 to shoot a 751, minus 49 pins.  That performance dropped the Hawks to fourth place overall, 12 pins out of third place and 56 out of first.  They shot a 152 and 190 followed by 198 and 211.

UMES moved back to third place after the next block of games (236, 202, 219 and 216), 873 total, to stand at plus 221 on the day.

The final four games would be a position round and the Hawks would face the fourth place team Emmanuel.  The Lions got the better of Eastern Shore on that day as UMES posted scores of 191, 150, 196 and 171 and the minus 81 sent them to sixth place.

The Hawks will face 11th-seeded Wisconsin-Whitewater, one of six NCAA member schools in the event.  The winner will face the winner of third-seed Wichita State and 14th seeded Wright State.  The losing team of the first match drops to a consolation bracket and bowls again at 8:00 a.m. on Friday.

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