ROCKAWAY, New Jersey — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore didn't have its best day on the lanes, but somehow managed to still gut out a 4-0 day to remain into first place at the Cougar Classic heading into the final day.

The Hawks (18-4) picked up a Traditional match victory against Felician (925-874) to open the day and followed that with a 1,054-908 win against Malloy College.

"Lanes were tough because the event is on NCAA pattern 4 where the oil becomes depleted fast in the heads and the student athletes have nowhere to go but left fast," head coach Kayla Bandy said. "By the end of the day, the pattern was completely devoured and there was no defined area to play the lanes."

Eastern Shore grinded through the final three matches posting an 894 in the bye, escaped National Tenpins Coaches Association No.  11 Sacred Heart, 877-857, and then finished the day with a victory against Adelphi (855-804).

"By the end of the day, the pattern was completely devoured and there was no defined area to play the lanes," Bandy said. "The girls were incredible in the last 3 matches where our strike percentage fell from 50 % strike rate in the first two matches to 34 % over the last three matches. They filled frames to simply win matches!"

Senior Brigitte Jacobs (Freeport, Illinois) posted a five-game average of 202.20 and stands in 2^nd place individually with one match to go on Sunday. She had a 46 % strike percentage, filled at an 83 % rate and picked up all 20 of her single-pin spares.

Classmate Cayla Hicks (Salem, Virginia) made her way back into the lineup and put up a strong four-game average of 197.75 with a high game of 248. She filled at 83 % and picked up all 16 of her single-pin spares.

Freshman Alejandra Amezcua (Baja California, Mexico) posted a five-game average of 175.20 with a 39 % strike rate, an 82 % mark rate and picked up all 25 of her single-pin spares.

"Alejandra didn't score well, but her stats prove she battled all day," Bandy said.

Classmates Morgan Cooper (Gloucester, Virginia) and Brooke Roberts (Port Orange, Florida) also contributed with Cooper posting a 50 % strike rate (31-of-62), marked at 82 % and got nine-or-better on the first ball 71 percent of the time and averaged 175.65 over three games. Roberts, meanwhile, managed a two-game average of 174.0.

"Proud of Morgan once again as she is among the top performers for the team in many statistical categories," Bandy said. "Brooke did well, but bowled minimal frames because on the right lanes of each pair she can't move far enough left to keep following the friction yet."

Junior Paulina Torres (Ponce, Puerto Rico) posted a three-game average of 186.33 with a high of 227 helping counter a low of 132.

Play continues Saturday morning with one more Traditional qualifying match, followed by bracket play.