VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – North Carolina A&T has been here before, past and present.
The Aggies are on the verge of its second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference bowling championship 3-peat. The Aggies advanced to the championship match on Sunday by beating Monmouth 2-1 in Mega Match play Saturday afternoon at Pinboys at the Beach.
They are after their third straight MEAC tournament title. If the Aggies accomplish the feat, it will mark the second time the program 3-peated as MEAC champions. They won three in a row from 2002-2004.
A&T is after its eighth overall MEAC title, which would put it one behind the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) for the most tournament titles in conference history. The Aggies, the seventh-ranked team in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) top-25 poll, will not know its opponent until Sunday.
The Monmouth Hawks and the UAB Blazers will play an elimination Mega Match at 9 a.m. Sunday to determine the Aggies opponent. Sunday's championship match starts at 2 p.m. and will re-air on ESPNU at 6 p.m., Monday, April 3. Reigning three-time MEAC coach of the year Kim Terrell-Kearney hopes there will be something about this group that distinguishes it from others.
"In years past, we have gotten to this point in the season with postseason upon us, MEAC championships, NCAA championships, and there has been such joy that we've made it," said Terrell-Kearney. "But now these young ladies believe they can win this at all stages. This group is not just glad to be here. They feel like it is within their grasp. I'm not sure we've played that way in the last two months, but that is the difference between this team and some of the other great teams we've had."
The 2022-23 Aggies faced the third-seeded Monmouth Hawks to open the day. The Hawks beat A&T in traditional play, 951-857. It marked the second time in three traditional format matches the Aggies have lost over the weekend. Reigning two-time MEAC bowler of the year, Melanie Katen led the Aggies by knocking down 202 pins. Laura Garcia added 196, but the Hawks received 200 games from Jamie Phelan (208) and Siyah Sweeney (202) to earn the 1-0 lead.
On the flip side, the Aggies have been perfect in Baker. That continued on Saturday. A&T looked strong early, taking a 630-541 lead over the first three games. But the Hawks had a big Game 4, out-pinning the Aggies 193-157. Then, things got uncomfortable when the Hawks posted a 223 in Game 5. But the Aggies' 182 in Game 5 was enough to even the Mega Match at 1-1.
A&T took nothing to chance in the best-of-seven Baker match. They won 4-0, winning Game 4 with style as two-time, first-team All-MEAC standout Lauren Tomaszewski posted three strikes in the final frame to clinch the Aggies championship appearance.
"As you get better, people know they have to bring their best to beat you," said Terrell-Kearney. "We used to be that team where we knew we had to bring our best, and we were surprising people. Now, we've got to be good every game because that's what's required to win."
