DEPTFORD, N.J. – The McKendree University women's bowling team posted a 4-1 record on Saturday's second day of the Northeast Classic co-hosted by Long Island University and Sacred Heart University to move into first place overall out of 18 heading into Sunday's bracket play round at Bowlero Deptford.
After 10 games, the No. 2 ranked Bearcats have recorded a total pinfall of 10,721 to sit in first place and earn the No. 1 seed in Sunday's best-of-seven game bracket play. The Bearcats have posted a 9-1 record through the first two days of the tournament and are averaging a tournament-best 214.4 pins per game.
Following Friday's five Baker format games, the Bearcats went 5-0 and were in third place with a total pinfall of 5,248 pins and averaged 209.9 pins per game and then on Saturday, the 18 teams in the tournament played five traditional games.
On Saturday, McKendree opened with an impressive 1,096-1,011 win over No. 1 ranked Sam Houston, before earning a win over 18th-ranked Maryland Eastern Shore (1,151-970) and then tallying a win over 14th-ranked Delaware State (1,137-1,056).
After winning its first three traditional games, the Bearcats lost its next game to 25th-ranked Monmouth (1,052-1,089) and then concluded the day with a win over fourth-ranked North Carolina A&T (1,037-978).
Two Bearcats earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Northeast Classic as fifth-year senior
Britaney Myers (Mechanicsville, N.Y./Stillwater) was third overall to earn First-Team All-Tournament honors, while senior
Hope Gramly (Prosper, Texas/Prosper) was eighth overall to earn Second-Team All-Tournament honors.
Myers recorded a total of 1,177 pins and averaged 235.40 per game and scored over 200 in four of her five games with a high of 269 against Delaware State. Her 269 is the third highest individual game this season for a Bearcat. Sam Houston's Denise Blankenzee was the top individual as she recorded a total of 1,197 pins and averaged 239.40 pins per game.
Gramly finished the five traditional games with a total pinfall of 1,118 and averaged 223.60 per game and scored over 200 in all five games, including a high of 247 in the first two games against Sam Houston and Maryland Eastern Shore.
A third Bearcat just missed earning All-Tournament honors as junior
Rebecca Hagerman (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) was 11th with a total pinfall of 1,097 and averaged 219.40 per game and had 200 or better in three games, including a high of 248 in the first game against Sam Houston.
Junior
Kayla Smith (Salem, Ill./Salem) gave the Bearcats four individuals in the Top 15 as she finished 15th overall with a total pinfall of 1,077 and she averaged 215.40 per game and had three games of 200 or better, including a high of 254 against Delaware State.
In addition to McKendree, the other top four seeds for Sunday's Bracket Play tournament are No. 2 seeded and fifth-ranked Vanderbilt, No. 3 seeded and eighth-ranked Youngstown State and No. 4 seeded and No. 1 ranked Sam Houston. The Bearcats will face Vanderbilt in Sunday's first round of the best-of-seven Baker series bracket play beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. The winner of that game will automatically advance to the championship game
Here are the standings following the second day of the Northeast Classic.
No. 2 McKendree – 9-1 (10,721)
No. 5 Vanderbilt – 5-5 (10,399)
No. 8 Youngstown State – 7-3 (10,396)
No. 1 Sam Houston – 5-5 (10,366)
No. 10 Stephen F. Austin – 6-4 (10,351)
No. 9 Mount St. Mary's – 7-3 (10,231)
No. 4 North Carolina A&T – 5-5 (10,188)
No. 12 Duquesne – 4-6 (10,183)
No. 22 Lincoln Memorial – 4-6 (10,096)
No. 10 Maryville – 5-5 (10,071)
No. 14 Delaware State – 5-5 (10,057)
No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson – 7-3 (10,023)
No. 25 Monmouth – 2-8 (9,986)
No. 19 Sacred Heart – 4-6 (9,969)
No. 17 Long Island University – 5-5 (9,916)
No. 18 Maryland Eastern Shore – 5-5 (9,685)
No. 20 Wisconsin-Whitewater – 3-7 (9,366)
Wilmington – 2-8 (9,184)
