PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore bowling squad has spent the first part of the season getting back into competition mode. Having now played in two events to this point, the Hawks (14-12) will now face their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Competition of the season beginning Saturday (Nov. 13).

Eastern Shore will face off with the other eight MEAC teams in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The format is five Team Baker games per day.

"The only MEAC team that we have actually bowled is Delaware State, so we are excited to see where we stand with the rest of the conference at the moment," senior Brooke Roberts (Port Orange, Florida) said. "But we are going to treat it like any other tournament and we are just going to go one shot at a time and see where we go."

The squad has spent much of the last week of practice working on spare conversion so that they avoid leaving the pins — and opportunity — on the lanes.
"It's been very heavy on spares," Roberts said. "Our spares were good last week, but there is definitely  a lot more improvement to be made especially for me. I missed a lot of spares last week. We are hoping things look better this week."

While the National Tenpin Coaches Association No. 20 Hawks did pick up two victories at the Track Kat Klash against Delaware State, the Hornets (No. 14) are one of four ranked conference teams along with North Carolina A&T State (No. 5) and Monmouth (No. 19).

"We have seen a little sneak peak of some schools and they have gotten better themselves," Roberts said. "I'm interested to see how we stand with them. A&T has been at our last two events, but every time we are at the same tournament, they have been all the way on the other side of the alley. They are a strong team, but we haven't gotten a good look yet."

That will change quickly as The Shore actually opens Saturday morning against the Aggies in the very first match.