PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore battled its way to a fifth-place finish at the Stormin' Blue & White Vegas Classic as part of a tough 14-team field Jan. 8-10. This weekend, the National Tenpin Coaches Association No. 10 Hawks head to New Jersey where they'll look to build on that performance against a field of 33 teams — including 14 of the Top 15 and 20 of the Top 25.
"We were tired after Vegas because we performed at an elite level in my opinion," Hawks coach Roger Petrin said. "Yes we finished fifth over the entire weekend, but we did things in Las Vegas differently than we have done. Honestly, from my perspective — from a performance standpoint — it's the event I'm most proud of since being at UMES."
That could be surprising to those outside the program because the Hawks (39-19, 6-2 MEAC) won the Colonial Lanes Classic in Harahan, Louisiana to start the season in October. But both Petrin and the team know the level they are reaching now is quite different than a few months ago.
"We won at Colonial Lanes, but everything came easy for us that weekend," Petrin said. "Everybody gave us wins at that event. This event, nobody gave us anything and we didn't give any wins away. So we earned every bit of what we got and so did our opponents."
The Hawks went 8-5 last time out, but posted five of those wins against teams in the Top 17. They also saw four individuals finish in the Top 26 in Traditional play with averages of more than 200.
"I'm really pleased with how we bowled, but our communication and team chemistry was at an all-time level on top of it," Petrin said. "There was a different level of trust with one another and it's hard to explain if you have never really been a part of a team-bowling environment, but that level of trust is a different feeling that is hard to obtain and you can't create it.
"It just happens, and it felt like it just happened in Las Vegas."
Now the team is just hoping that what "happened" in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas.
"So far our practices this week have gone really well and I'm happy to see everything transitioning from what we just did at competition to our practices, so I am feeling pretty good headed into the weekend."
The Hawks open play on Friday morning at 10:30 with five-game Baker competition against No. 6 Arkansas State, No. 11 Maryville, New Jersey City University, Mount Aloysius College and Wilmington University.
