NEW CASTLE, Del. - - The Wilmington University bowling team left Bowlerama unsatisfied on Sunday afternoon, going 0-3 in Baker Bracket play to close out its own Wildcat DII/DIII Invitational in fourth place.
Going into the final day of play in first place, the Wildcats started with a best-of-seven match against Daemen. The Daemen Wildcats took the match of 'Cats, 4-0, winning a close game one, 228-217, a close game three, 215-206, and capped the win with a 179-174 win in game four.
The Wildcats then faced off against Caldwell for the right to go to the Championship and the Wildcats and Cougars needed all seven games to decide the winner. The Wildcats won game one, 219-182, and game three, 224-177, to lead 2-1, but then dropped game four, 187-138. The two teams tied the fifth game, 211, to knot the match at 2.5-2.5, but then the Cougars won game six, 231-225, and game seven, 190-170, to win the match, 4.5-2.5.
Now playing for third place, the Wildcats faced Molloy in their final match of the weekend. Molloy was able to win all four games against the Wildcats, the closest coming in game three, 194-167. The Wildcats finished fourth overall.
Malia Stout was named to the All-Tournament Team after finishing second overall on Saturday in the Traditional matches. She bowled a 1,109 for a 221.80 five-match average. She bowled the second best individual match in program history with a 276 in the opener against New Jersey City.
The Wildcats are right back to action this weekend, as they head to Monmouth University to compete in the Hawk Flight Invite starting on Friday.
All-Tournament Team:
1 – Haley Youker – Mercyhurst – 1,130 (226.00 average)
2 – Malia Stout – Wilmington – 1,109 (221.80 average)
3 – Natalie Swindell – Felician – 1,097 (219.40 average)
4 – Rhianna Smith – Caldwell – 1,068 (213.60 average)
T5 – Jenna Rapach – Caldwell – 1,051 (210.20 average)
T5 – Paige Bartosz – Daemen – 1,051 (210.20 average)