PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore bowling squad now has an event in the rear view mirror for the first time in 19 months and coach Roger Petrin is feeling pretty good about what he learned about his team at the Colonial Lanes Classic.

The National Tenpin Coaches Association No. 20 Hawks (7-6) won two matches in Baker bracket play on Sunday (Oct. 24) — against Alabama State and NTCA No. 18 Lincoln Memorial — and finished the event in seventh place.

After a tough start to the weekend, the team made tactical adjustments and finished with a 6-2 record over the final two days, showing a lot of growth along the way.

"It wasn't necessarily growing with the scoring or  with shot making or anything like that," Petrin said. "It's that I saw a team that came together in a lot of different opportunities — Including a lot of tight matches.

Those included a 1054-1053 win against Alabama State on Saturday, but again on Sunday when things got tight with the Hornets in the second match of the day.

"In those moments we didn't back down," Petrin said. "Their points were big and it could have been easy to falter. The same thing happened again on Sunday where we had a 258-257 game against them. They were three frames ahead of us. They went open and then nine in a row. We saw them putting strike after strike. We were bowling slower. Fortunately, they gave us an opportunity and we put every shot on line and crushed the pocket every time. That's what elite teams do. Those are the moments where it's fun and where it really gets the adrenaline going."

In the first match of the day Sunday, the Hawks faced off with the Railsplitters for the third time in three days falling behind 2-0 and eventually dropping the match in six 4.5-1.5.

The next match was a 4-1 win against Alabama State and the third win of the weekend against Lincoln Memorial came in the finale by a 4-1 score.

The Shore was scheduled for a team meeting on Monday, to evaluate the weekend and game plan for practices over the next few weeks.

Eastern Shore hits the lanes again Nov. 5 when they travel to Houston, Texas for the Track Kat Klash hosted by Sam Houston State. With a week to recover and focus on the next step in the season, Petrin believes the team will be putting more distance between themselves and the opening day of the season.

"Friday was one of those days just getting your feet wet, getting to understand our lineup options and finding out what college bowling is all about for some of our players," Petrin said. "It was also understanding for me the style that my bowlers like to play. This pattern and this center had two different routes to go and we just didn't choose the right one on the first day.

"The fact of the matter is if I miss there on the strategy and we still have some shot making and some spares that we can improve, so I feel like the only place we can go is up at this point — and it wasn't even a bad showing."