Copyright 2016; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. Photo of Rakia Jenkins at the CHC Duals. 

DEVON, Pa. - - The Wilmington University women's bowling team is off and running, competing in its first event as a program on Saturday, taking part in the Chestnut Hill College Duals with the host Griffins and Kutztown University at Devon Lanes.

In its initial season as a program, the Wildcats opened the year with four dual matches against the Griffins and Golden Bears. The Wildcats produces a day's high 618 team score in the first dual match, but fell in all four of their matches on Saturday.

The program's first strike came off the hand of junior Monique Rojas while graduate student Rakia Jenkins completed the first turkey (three consecutive strikes).

The Wildcats opened with a 793-619 loss to National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Division II/III preseason ranked No. 4 Kutztown. The team's second match was a 900-614 loss to host Chestnut Hill before the Golden Bears got the better of the Wildcats, 874-597, in the third dual. The day concluded with a 961-602 loss to the Griffins.

Jenkins led the Wildcats with a single-match high 191 (twice), and averaged 176.40 pins per match. She finished with the seventh best average among the three teams on Saturday.

Rojas collected a day's high of 163 while adding additional games of 137 and 133. She finished with an average of 131.40 in her first collegiate competition. Kaley Smith produced a day's high of 139 against Kutztown, finishing with a 117.00 pin average in her first collegiate competition.

Sophomore Alyssa Kalafut collected two games of 107 for her day's best, finishing the afternoon with a 96.60 pin average in her first collegiate competition. Auryonah Nash rounded out the Wildcats at the Chestnut Hill Duals with an 88.00 average, putting down a days high 104 against Chestnut Hill in game two.

The Wildcats averaged a 609.40 as a team on the day. Chestnut Hill went 3-2 on the afternoon while the Golden Bears finished 4-1 overall.

The Wildcats aren't back in action until the New Year, competing at the Red Flash Invitational at the end of January. The Red Flash Invitational will be hosted by St. Francis (Pa.) at the Holiday Bowl in Altoona, Pa., from January 27-29.

Chestnut Hill Duals:

Kutztown defeated Wilmington, 793-618
Chestnut Hill defeated Wilmington, 900-614
Kutztown defeated Wilmington, 874-597
Chestnut Hill defeated Wilmington, 961-602