Perfect game on final day leads Maryland-Eastern Shore to Kutztown 1st place win

READING, Pennsylvania  -  The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) took another first place finish and with it their second straight Kutztown Golden Bear Invitational Title, besting Vanderbilt in the finals 4-1 to claim the first place trophy. Along the way they shot a perfect 300 in the first match of the day, it is just the second time in school history the Hawks have shot a perfect 300 game in Baker play.

The Hawks, who dominated the tournament from start to finish, opened the day as the number one seed, facing the second-seeded Commodores from Vanderbilt. UMES jumped out to a one game lead with a 246-189 win but Vandy rebounded to even the match at two with a 233-197 win. Then it happened, the Hawks were perfect, shooting 300 and collecting all 12 strikes and besting Vandy's 166. The perfect five line-up was: Kristie Lopez (Ponce, Puerto Rico), Valentina Collazos (Cali, Colombia), Mariana Alvarado (Leon, Mexico), Anggie Ramirez (Bogota, Colombia) and T'nia Falbo (Greensburg, Pa.). With a perfect game and 2-1 lead you would think UMES was cruising toward the finals, but the Commodores won the next three games 234-214, 188-170 and 225-201 for the 4-2 win.

It was the first loss of the tournament for UMES and the emotional roller coaster from 300 to a loss sent them searching for an answer. They would have to find it against Norfolk State, the four-seed, who topped Wisconsin-Whitewater in the three vs. four match-up.

It was a struggle getting it back together and head coach Kristina Frahm juggled her line-up. Lopez went out, Collazos went to lead-off and Megan Buja (Rockford, Ill.) entered. It wasn't long before Tatiana Munoz (Ibague Tolima, Colombia) replaced Collazos, but the shuffling worked. After Norfolk took a 2-0 lead (224-177, 186-167), UMES would find their line and take a 3-2 lead (241-176, 277-235, 239-186). Norfolk rebounded to win game six 194-181 to tie it up and a final game seven would mean a trip to the finals for the winner. The Hawks then edged it out 201-194 to set-up the rematch with Vandy.

"It was a close match" said Frahm. "Norfolk bowled well, and I think we all panicked a little after the first loss, but we got it together enough to advance and that is what mattered."


On Video Day 3: UMES vs. Norfolk State (move to 3:15:54)
                  UMES vs. Vanderbilt (move to 4:14:55)
                  Norfolk State vs. Sacred Heart (4:14:55) 


In the final rematch Munoz, Buja, Alvarado, Ramirez and Falbo kept up the momentum, taking a 217-190 win in the first game before allowing Vandy to tie it up with a 231-177 win in game two. Then it was all Hawks. UMES cruised to three straight wins, 238-204, 223-203, 200-183 and taking the 4-1 win and the tournament title.

"It is a great feeling to come to the nation's largest tournament and lead the entire way," said Frahm.
"It is a good confidence booster heading to Texas where we will see some teams that we don't normally bowl."

With the wins, UMES finishes the tournament 14-1 and improved their overall record to 52-8. They have now led the field 11 of the 12 days they have bowled so far this season.

Sacred Heart (12-3) and Vanderbilt (11-4) were the only two other teams to earn more than 10 wins in the event. They finished third and second respectively. Norfolk State was fourth with a solid tournament, while St. Francis (Pa.) rounded out the top five.

Wisconsin-Whitewater, Kutztown, Stephen F. Austin, Fairleigh Dickinson and Monmouth rounded out the top ten. Fellow MEAC schools Delaware State, Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina Central, Florida A&M, Coppin State, Howard and Morgan State were 13th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 25th respectively.

UMES now heads to Arlington, Texas for the Prairie View Invitational Feb 2-4.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE SPORTS INFORMATION; VIDEO COURTESY OF BOWLTV