ERIE, Pa. – The No. 1 seeded and top-ranked McKendree University women's bowling team began its quest for a national championship here Friday morning as the Bearcats posted a 2-0 mega-match win over Bowie State in the opening game of the 2022 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Erie Regional at Rolling Meadow Lanes.
 
With the victory, the Bearcats, who are the overall No. 1 seed in this year's NCAA Women's Bowling Championships, advance to face 11th-ranked Mount St. Mary's in a winner's bracket match of the double elimination regional tournament on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. Mount St. Mary's opened the regional tournament with a 2-1 mega-match win over Medaille.
 
In Friday's opening match against Bowie State, the Bearcats got off to a slow start, but eventually was able to get on-track as they posted a 989-862 win over the Bowie State, who were the champions from the CIAA. In the traditional game of the mega-match, junior Kayla Smith (Salem, Ill./Salem) tossed a 252 to pace the Bearcats, including ending her game with three straight strikes in the 10th frame. In addition to Smith, sophomore Isabel Allen (Tamworth, England/Polesworth High) tossed a 214 and junior Rebecca Hagerman (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) recorded a 204 in the win over the Bulldogs.
 
After winning the traditional game of the mega-match, the two teams played a five-game Baker total pinfall format as the Bearcats posted a 1,121-825 win to earn the match win and advance to Friday's winner's bracket match. McKendree opened the Baker games with a 191-152 win in the first game, before posting a 244-172 win in the second game, including senior Hope Gramly (Prosper, Texas/Prosper) rolling three straight strikes in the 10th frame.
 
Leading by 112 pins after the second game, the Bearcats extended its lead to 209 pins following a 267-169 win in the third game. In the fourth game, the Bearcats began substituting bowlers as they won the fourth game, 196-189 to push its lead to 216 pins heading into the fifth and final game. McKendree would win the fifth game, 223-143, to prevail by 296 pins.
 
The winner of Friday's second match will advance to Saturday's championship final, which is scheduled for a 3 p.m. ET start.

2022 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship - Erie Regional
McKendree vs. Bowie State
Traditional Game
McKendree 989, Bowie State 862
Kayla Smith - 252
Britaney Myers - 156
Isabel Allen - 214
Rebecca Hagerman - 204
Hope Gramly - 163

Baker 5-Game Total Pinfall
Game 1: McKendree 191, Bowie State 152
Game 2: McKendree 244, Bowie State 172
Game 3: McKendree 267, Bowie State 169
Game 4: McKendree 196, Bowie State 189
Game 5: McKendree 223, Bowie State 143
Totals: McKendree 1,121, Bowie State 825 (+296)
 
Here is the schedule for the Erie, Pa., Regional:
Friday, April 8
Match 1 - #1 McKendree 2 def. Bowie State 0 (Lanes 5-6)
Match 2 – Mount St. Mary's 2 def. Medaille 1 (Lanes 21-22)
Match 3 – #1 McKendree vs. Mount St. Mary's, 3:00 p.m. ET (Lanes 19-20)
Match 4 – Bowie State vs. Medaille, 3 p.m. ET (Lanes 7-8)
Saturday, April 9
Match 5 – Winner Match 4 vs. Loser Match 2, 9 a.m. ET (Lanes 9-10)
Match 6 (Regional Final) – Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 5, 3 p.m. ET (Lanes 7-8)
Match 7 (If Necessary) – Winner Match 6 vs. Loser Match 6, TBA