KANSAS CITY, Mo. – North Carolina A&T survived a tough tussle with a fellow historically black university (HBCU) and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) before advancing in the NCAA Bowling Championship Tournament at AMF Lanes on Thursday.
The Aggies had to come from behind to beat the Delaware State Hornets, winning two out of three Mega Matches to advance.
DSU won the traditional match 979-913. Tomaszewski led the team with a 250 after starting with four consecutive strikes. Senior Ana Olaya bowled a 214 after striking four straight times, including on the 10th frame.
The Hornets only needed to win the Bakers match to eliminate the Aggies and advance, and Bakers play did not start well for the Aggies. They eventually rallied to win 951-932 to force a best-of-seven Bakers series.
"This team is special," said sophomore Lauren Tomaszewski. "We have a really special bond with each other, and we always find a way to fight back and dig deep and have that grit to figure it out and come out on top."
The Hornets won the first three games and nearly won the fourth match, missing a spare in the 10th frame that would have advanced them. The open frame allowed the Aggies to win the game and stay alive in the tournament. N.C. A&T won the final three matches by scoring over 200 in each of the three matches.
"I have to say they surprise me sometimes," said N.C. A&T coach Kim Terrell-Kearney. "We constantly are preaching; you have to stay present, you have to stay one shot at a time, and don't give up. We say it over and over, but the fact that they actually buy in it and they believe it."
DSU started Bakers outscoring the Aggies 192-175 in the first match. N.C. A&T had a 100-94 lead after the fifth frame, but back-to-back open frames in the ninth and 10th allowed the Hornets to take the early 17-pin lead.
In the first best-of-seven series, DSU started with four consecutive strikes. The Aggies countered with a nine-spare and three straight strikes as DSU led 108-98. After an eight-spare and an open frame, allowed the Aggies to take a 138-136 lead, N.C. A&T followed with an eight-spare and a strike.
Back-to-back open in the eighth and ninth frame allowed DSU to get the 13-pin win and take a 1-0 lead.
In the second baker match, DSU recorded five strikes and five spares as opposed to the Aggies leaving two frames open. The Hornets led 118-73 after the fifth frame, but N.C. A&T recorded five strikes in the eighth, ninth and 10th frames before coming up short, 217-202.
N.C. A&T trailed 2-0. They started with two open frames in the first three as DSU took a 66-37 lead after the third frame. The Hornets went on to take a 3-0 lead by winning 199-172.
DSU looked close to ending the Aggies season, taking a 186-179 lead behind five strikes in a row. The Hornets only knocked nine pins on the next bowl, leaving the door open for Tomaszewski, who picked up a nine-spare and a nine to give the Aggies the narrow, 198-195 win.
In the fifth match, the Aggies recorded nine strikes, including seven straight, to cruise to a 259-195 win. The Aggies recorded four consecutive strikes to begin the sixth match as they eased to a 222-138 victory to tie the series at 3.
N.C. A&T used seven strikes and spare to complete the comeback as they downed the Hornets 214-146 to advance to face the Arkansas State Red Wolves for the Region 3 championship.
