ERIE, Pa. - - In its season debut, the Wilmington University bowling team finished second at the Mercyhurst Invite, dropping the championship match on Sunday afternoon at the Rolling Meadow Lanes.
The Wildcats led the tournament all weekend long, getting an All-Tournament Team performance from transfer newcomer Eleni Feggulis on Saturday during traditional play.
The Wildcats were in first place out of nine teams after Saturday, going 3-1 in Traditional matches while knocking down 4,595 pins and averaging 183.8 pins per game. On Sunday, the Wildcats won their first three Baker matches, but dropped the final match against Mercyhurst. They still went into Bracket play as the top team and in the Championship Match, but fell to Niagara, 4-1, to close out the tournament.
On Saturday, the Wildcats were led by Eleni Feggulis, as she finished third overall with a total pinfall of 970 over five matches, averaging a score of 194.00 per match. She had a day's high 221 against Mt. Aloysius while also bowling a 216 against Roberts Wesleyan, and a 202 against Daeman. She was named to the All-Tournament Team for finishing in the Top 5.
Fellow transfer newcomer Logan Brown finished just outside of All-Tournament Team consideration, finishing sixth overall with a total pinfall of 946 while averaging 189.20 per match. She had a day's best 213 against the Bye while adding a 201 against Roberts Wesleyan to close out the afternoon.
Making her collegiate debut, Miranda Dudas finished seventh overall for the Wildcats, finishing with a total pinfall of 921 while averaging 184.20 per match. In her first collegiate match, she bowled a tournament best 233 against Penn State Behrend. She also had a 205 against the bye.
Graduate student Sydney Jones was the fourth Wildcat in the standings, bowling all five matches and finishing 11th overall with an 896 total pinfall. She averaged a score of 179.20 for the day. She collected a day's best 214 against Mt. Aloysius and also finished the day with a 187 against Roberts Wesleyan.
KC Miller bowled the first three matches for the Wildcats, producing games of 167-142-140 for a 449, averaging 149.67 to finish 43rd overall. Genna Closs came off the bench and bowled games of 206 and 207 to close out the tournament, having a team high 206.50 average and finishing in 44th overall with a 413 total pinfall.
Niagara's Brianna Thurston earned medalist honors by being the only student-athlete to reach 1,000 pins, going for 1,004 overall with a 200.80 match average.
In the Championship Match against Niagara, the Wildcats kept the match alive with a 222-189 victory in game No. 4, but the Purple Eagles came out and won game five, 223-185, to win the match, 4-1.
The Wildcats are back in action next weekend at their home lanes, as they compete in the Bud Whitman Memorial, hosted by Chestnut Hill at Bowlerama. The two-day tournament is slated to start on Saturday, October 14.