Feb. 2, 2009
READING, Pa. - It is after all cold and flu season. That season has hit the Lady Hawks of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore pretty hard, in fact, one bowler missed a whole day on the lanes this past weekend due to illness while others struggled. Still the defending National Champions didn't go down without a fight. They finished sixth in the Kutztown Invitational and posted a 7-4 record, bettering their overall mark to 73-24.
While the Lady Hawks, up to no. 4 in the current NTCA poll, have had their share of ups and downs, the four losses mean they now have one more loss than they did all of last season. The year that produced the NCAA title and a 117-23 mark.
This past weekend though was about UMES overcoming their struggles and picking up some big wins. In team games they started with a pair of losses, first to #6 New jersey City (845-861) and to #15 Wisconsin-Whitewater (834-899) but quickly rebounded when it mattered, dropping #2 Fairleigh Dickinson (1011-951), #17 Adelphi (946-839) and #5 Delaware State (940-932), evening their season record with their rival. They ended the day however with a 819-832 loss to #14 Morgan State.
Individually they posted six games over 200. To no surprise, Maria Rodriguez (Ibague Tolima, Colombia) remained hot. After averaging over 240 at last week's Lady Bulldog Invitational she posted a 200.8 average on tougher lane conditions. She recorded a 209, 235 and 208 on the day and a pin fall of 1,205. She was the second highest rolling bowler at the event and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Paula Vilas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) posted a 237, a career high and two games of 198, just short of that esteemed 200 mark. Martha Perez (Bogota, Columbia) rolled a 204 and a 205 and was 23rd overall with a 181.17 average.
On day two UMES came out strong in Baker games, posting wins over North Carolina Central (748-719), #19 St. Francis College (635-611) and Hampton (770-693). They then advanced to the placing round where they topped Medaille four games to one before falling again to #14 Morgan State four games to two for sixth place.
The Hawks are back in action February 7 & 8 at the Capital Classic in Dover, Del.
