CHESAPEAKE, Virginia - Maryland Eastern Shore wasn't as sharp as it wanted to be, but the Hawks rallied to post a 4-1 record on the opening day of the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championships and with it earned the second overall seed in the eight-team field.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore will face Morgan State University, the seventh seed, tomorrow morning (March 26) at 9 a.m. in the double elimination bracket's first round. A win means a second round match-up with third-seed North Carolina A&T or sixth-seed Norfolk State.

The Hawks got off to a great start. After the conference started the day by presenting head coach Kayla Bandy her MEAC Coach of the Year award and Thashaina Seraus (Oranjestad, Aruba) her MEAC Player of the Year award, Florida A&M fell to Maryland Eastern Shore's momentum 911-892.

The Hawks continued the run through the Florida schools, topping Bethune-Cookman 948-934. Then trouble set in. Norfolk State shot just an 868 in the third match, but no Hawk seemed to find the pocket, and Eastern Shore shot only 854 and was saddled with its only loss.

North Carolina A&T State, the highest ranked team in the event, posed no threat to a determined Hawk squad as the Aggies fell 1009-865 in Bandy's squad's best match of the day.

Maryland Eastern Shore wrapped up the day with an 881-855 win over eventual fourth seed, Howard. The event seeds on win/loss record and Delaware State (DSU) went a perfect 5-0, giving the Hornets the top seed and Eastern Shore the second seed.

Sophomore Jalesa Johnson (Delmar, Delaware) led the Hawk charge today, finishing second overall with a 202.2 average on a 1,011 pinfall. Seraus was 10th overall with a pinfall of 949, averaging a 189.8. Melanie Copey (Ontario, N.Y.) was also big for Eastern Shore today, finishing 12th with a 187.6 average.

Seraus shot the high game for UMES with a 244 while Johnson wasn't far behind with a 234, the highest of her three 200 plus games.

DSU recorded the highest pinfall of the day with a 4,702, edging out the Hawk's 4,633. Today was a team game format with Saturday and Sunday a best-of-seven Baker game format. Matches begin Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at the AMF Lanes in Chesapeake, Va. and admission is free and open to the public.

The MEAC bowling championship wraps up on Sunday with the championship final at noon. The championship match will be televised in a tape-delayed format and will air on ESPNU on Sunday, April 3 at 11 p.m.