Friday, April 11, 2014

UMES Rolls Past FDU 4-0 To Advance To The Third Round

Updated Bracket

WICKLIFFE, Ohio - After the Hawks fell to the upstart Bearkats of Sam Houston State in the opening match of the 2014 NCAA Bowling Championships, they came back with balls a blazing and topped Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) 4-0 to advance to the third round of the tournament.

Coach Kayla Bandy regrouped the Hawks before the FDU match and made a change early. With Megan Buja (Rockford, Ill.) leading off, she inserted Sara Pelayo (Distrito Federal, Mexico) into the second spot just after the match start and it seemed to reenergize the team. With Valerie Riggin (Vista, Calif.), Tatiana Munoz (Ibague Tolima, Colombia) and Mariana Alvarado (Leon, Mexico) holding down the third through fifth spots, they dominated the Knights.

UMES took game one 206-191, tallying six strikes, including a two from Alvarado. The Knights made a valiant run, coming back from splitting in the second, third and fourth frames and forcing Alvarado to strike to win.

In game two the Knights made a run but Alvarado struck out and Buja tossed strikes in both frames to secure the win. The game was swung in the seventh frame when Pelayo shot at a rack without a nine pin. It was reset and the spare she left turned into a strike while FDU missed their spare in the matching frame.  Game three was all UMES. The Hawks tossed nine strikes, three coming from Alvarado's strike out and they rolled to a 256-199 win.

In game four the Hawks had the momentum. With Buja opening with a strike and Pelayo, Riggin and Alvarado each had a pair of strikes and UMES finished with a 226 before FDU even bowled the seventh frame and already unable to win. They would finish with a 158.

The win allows the Hawks to advance to a match up with the nation's No. 1 team Arkansas State, who lost to Nebraska 4-3 earlier in the day. That match is scheduled for a 5:40 p.m. (ET) start. If they win, they will face Sam Houston State again.

In that first match, Sam Houston State got there by beating Wisconsin-Whitewater and UMES. The Hawks started the opening match 2-0. They got a game one win 180-171 as Munoz converted a huge split in the ninth before Alvarado struck and spared to shoot 180. Sam Houston had to strike out to beat UMES, but they only got nine on the first ball, ensuring the UMES win.

UMES seemed in control after they rolled to a game two win 227-222. The match went to the anchors, both on spares with Sam Houston State leading 184-177. Alvarado proved her mettle as she struck out.

After that the two teams went back and forth in game three. There were a lot of strikes, but a couple key opens proved costly as UMES fell 219-213. That loss rattled the Hawks and they lost their line. Sam Houston State went on to win the next three games (195-159, 158-252, 187-204).

The Bearkats got just eight on their first ball and spared it. After that the two teams went back and forth in game three. There were a lot of strikes, but a couple key opens proved costly as UMES fell 219-213. That loss rattled the Hawks and they lost their line. Sam Houston State went on to win the next three games (195-159, 158-252, 187-204).

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION

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