Feb. 9, 2009

DIVER, Del. - On the positive side, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Women's Bowling Team picked up eight important wins to only two losses and improved their season record to 82-26. On a down side, they didn't bowl as well as they would have liked, finished third overall at the Capital Classic in Dover, Del. and dropped matches to no. 5 Delaware State and no. 8 Kutztown.

The nation's fourth ranked team was still solid, besting most teams at the event, even topping Kutztown in round two. They started the event with team games as the hawks opened with a 921-684 win over Coppin State before the 862-1090 loss to DSU. They rebounded quickly, topping St. Peter's 953-853, #17 Adelphi 947-863 and # 19 St. Francis College 892-792.

Maria Rodriguez (Ibague Tolima, Colombia) was once again the standout for UMES, totaling 986 pins over five game, averaging 197.2. Martha Perez (Bogota, Colombia) and Kristina Frahm (Oswego, Ill.) were also solid, posting averages of 183.6 and 182.4 respectively. Combined the Lady Hawks produced four games over 200 with Farhm rolling a 231, Perez a 214, Rodriguez a 215 and Jamie Culbreth (Hochspeyer, Germany) a team high 236.

On day two UMES topped Howard in Baker action 687-666 but fell to Kutztown 754-807. Once best of seven Bakers began UMES rolled through, topped no. 19 St. Francis 4-1, no. 8 Kutztown 4-3 and no. 6 New Jersey City 4-2. Those three wins secured the Hawks third place in the event.

For all the pins UMES knocked down, no one was as hot as Delaware State. They tallied 6932 pins, 524 more than the second place team and Jazmyne Hefflefinger was their star, averaging a 222.2 and knocking down 1,111 pins. Despite incredible pin fall, no. 2 Fairleigh Dickinson snuck in to win bracket play and capture the tournament crown while the Hornets were relegated to second place.

UMES heads to Baltimore, Md. to battle many of the nation's top teams in the Morgan State Invitational, February 14 & 15.