STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - - Another early season successful tournament was in store for the Wilmington University women's bowling team as it finished second overall at the Seahawk Invite hosted by Wagner College on Saturday and Sunday at Rab's Country Lanes.
Despite going 4-5 overall on the weekend, the Wildcats claimed second to Saint Francis (Pa.) with a total pinfall of 8,812 for a 50-game average of 176.2. They were more than 200 pins better than Molloy who finished in third place. St. France (Pa.) ran away with the tournament with a 9-0 record and a total pinfall of 9.157 (183.1 per game).
Sunday had a pair of firsts for the Wildcats as well, as Sydney Jones and Desiree Dent earned All-Tournament Team with Top 5 finishes. Sydney Jones was second overall with the 5th best individual performance in program history with a 5-match total pinfall of 1,038 (207.60 average). Desiree Dent finished fifth overall with a total pinfall of 977 for a 195.40 average. It is the first time both Wildcats earned All-Tournament Team status in their careers.
On Saturday, the Wildcats went 2-2 in Baker matches, falling to St. Francis (Pa), 864-829, before defeating Molloy, 876-728. The team bowled an 801 on its bye round, and then came back and beat St. Francis (N.Y.), 898-793, but ended the day with a loss to Felician, 832-827. The Wildcats were in third place after the five Baker matches on Saturday.
On Sunday, the team came out with back-to-back wins in Traditional matches, first against Caldwell, 910-812, and then to host Wagner, 1,067-910. But the Wildcats dropped their final three matches of the tournament, first to St. Francis (Pa.), 905-837, then to Molloy, 977-889, and to St. Francis (N.Y.), 885-878.
Sydney Jones bowled games of 237-237-207-179-178 for her 1,038, finishing second overall. St. Francis (N.Y.)'s Heather Waters bowled a five-match total of 1,094 (218.80 average) to earn MVP honors.
Desiree Dent finished strong with a 223 against St. Francis (N.Y.). She had games of 161-225-190-178-223 for her All-Tournament performance of 977.
KC Miller finished 12th overall with a five-match total of 907, bowling a 181.40 average. She had her day's best against Wagner, bowling a 235. She had games of 191-235-151-173-157 for her 907.
Carolece Henry was the final Wildcat that bowled all five matches, finishing in 23rd overall with an 812 (162.40 average). She bowled games of 174-144-166-159-169.
Genna Closshad a 165.33 average through three matches, bowling a 226 against Wagner. She had games of 147-226-123 for a 496 in three matches.
Nicole Mitchell bowled the final two matches on Sunday, bowling a 200 against Molloy and adding a 151 against St. Francis (N.Y.) for a 351 two-match score (175.50 average).
The Wildcats have this weekend off but return on Friday, November 18 to start their first three-day tournament of the season. They head down state to Millsboro, Delaware to compete in the highly touted UMES Hawk Classic, hosted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore at Millsboro Lanes.