NEW CASTLE, Delaware – The No. 18 Hawks had a less than ideal start to Sunday's championship round in the Northeast Classic before finishing on a positive note to finish 25th.
With a dozen teams withdrawing due to an impending winter weather storm, the final bracket paired UMES with Tulane in the first round at the bottom of the bracket in the 25th and 26th spots, respectively, in the first of three best 4-of-7 baker matches to determine the tournament's final standings. While the Hawks took a 3-1 lead to begin the match, Tulane pushed UMES to the penultimate seventh game which the Green Wave won.
Due to the mass withdrawal of teams, the Hawks' loss at the bottom of the championship bracket pushed UMES to play the winner of the top overall match in the bracket. In the second match UMES faced Nebraska and lost in four straight games.
Despite the first two losses, UMES bounced back in its final match of the day with a chance for redemption against Tulane. UMES took Game 1 144-118 before conceding the next two to Tulane. However, the Hawks closed out in strong fashion with three straight wins (223-189, 187-114 and 194, 171) to take the win in the match.
"It was tough the first two days. It was a grind today. With us being a little short handed with only five players available on the team, sometimes it gets a little tough," head coach Ronald Simms said.
"But the ladies continued to fight and stayed together, continued to communicate and gave it their all. Thankful that we finally pulled off this last match and walked out with a victory. Now we can go back home, regroup and get ready for our next tournament."
Through the first two days of competition the Hawks finished with a pinfall total of 9,211 and finished 28th after Day 2 out of 38 teams.
During the Hawks' individual matches on Day 2, Aaliyah Friend posted a team-high score of 235 while finishing 89th in the individual standings out of the 247 bowlers that recorded a score. She averaged 187.4 across five games with a total pinfall of 937.
Gabriella Ochoa Hubbard finished at 103 with an average score of 182 while recording a 910 score. She also recorded her game-high in the Hawks' final matchup of the day with a 202.
Ara Pitts finished just two spots behind at 105th with an average score of 180 (900 total) while recording her game-high of 191. Brooke Driver finished at 111th with a 176.8 average (844) while hitting a game-high of 213.
Mariane Almeida finished 118th with an average of 173.4 (867) with a game-high of 191.
UMES bowling is next in action from February 14 to 16 at the James Brown Invitational in Ft. Meade.
