RALEIGH, N.C. -- The start of the 2024 MEAC Bowling Championship could not have gone better for the the University of Maryland Eastern Shore bowling team.

Seeded third, the Hawks opened against sixth-seeded Morgan State and swept the Bears 2-0, staring with a 961-914 win in the traditional match. The Hawks were led by Brooke Driver with a 243 score. UMES then won the Baker total pinfall segment 1019-949 after opening with games of 215-138 and 222-215. Morgan took the third and fourth games 196-175 and 200-180, but UMES closed out the fifth game with a 227-200 score. 

Facing seventh-seeded Norfolk State, who upset second seeded Delaware State, in the quarterfinals was just slightly closer. The Spartans opened with a 961-837 traditional win over the Hawks before UMES bounced back to take the Baker total pinfall 1011-872 (231-168, 193-180, 149-171, 235-160, 212-193). 
  
UMES then took the Baker best-of-seven format, winning four straight games (225-201. 191-178, 217-192, 212-174). 

The win puts the Hawks in the semifinal matchup against top-seeded and No. 4 nationally-ranked North Carolina A&T on Saturday afternoon. The winner earns a spot in the final on Sunday.