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QUALIFYING RESULTS
WOMEN'S BRACKET

(DAYTON, Ohio, April 18)—The McKendree University women's bowling team got off to a rousing start Thursday during day one of action at the 2019 Intercollegiate Team Championship, which is being held at Poelking Lanes South in Dayton, Ohio.
 
The Bearcats rolled their way to the top seed after 24 games of Baker format qualifying on Thursday, then notched two victories to begin bracket play Thursday afternoon. With its two wins, McKendree has reached the semifinal of the winner's bracket, where it will face Stephen F. Austin State University on Friday at 1 p.m. ET (noon CT).
 
In the 24 games of qualifying, McKendree surged to the lead early and sat in the top spot at each four-game interval on its way to a grand total of 2,478 pins. The Bearcats were consistent in the qualifying round, posting 2,459 pins over the first 12 games before adding 2,519 pins over the last 12 contests.
 
First up in bracket play for McKendree was the No. 16 seed from Delaware State University. The Hornets jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Baker match before the Bearcats bounced back to tie the match with a 195-151 triumph in game two. Delaware State won game three to take a 2-1 lead in the match when the Bearcats battled back to take game four in convincing fashion, 258-179. An 18-pin victory in game five gave McKendree a 3-2 lead in the match, but the Hornets forced a decisive game seven by outlasting the Bearcats in the sixth contest, 191-173. McKendree then grabbed the lead in the seventh game and eventually registered a 183-158 to advance into second-round action.
 
Next up for the Bearcats was a meeting with the No. 8 seed from the University of Pikeville, which won its own seven-game thriller in the opening round. After the Bears won the first game 168-151, McKendree took control by winning the last four games for a 4-1 victory in the match. The Bearcats posted winning margins of at least 26 pins in the four wins, which was capped with a 226-200 triumph in the fifth game.