Women's Bowling | 2/28/2025 10:20:00 PM

GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T bowling is hosting the Vernell Stallings Invitational at AMF All-Star Lanes in front of a fun, interactive, and capacity crowd this weekend.

The Invitational includes perennial national power in second-ranked Vanderbilt and reigning national champion and third-ranked Jacksonville State. The sixth-ranked team in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll, the A&T Aggies did not get off to the start they wanted at the Stallings Invite, going 2-3 during Baker play on Friday.

A&T totaled 4,682 pins to place fourth after the first day. Jacksonville State leads the invitational by going 5-0 with a 5,090 total pinfall.

"Today, we started off a little slow, but we had a major comeback," said graduate Melanie Katen. "We eventually were able to figure out how to play the lanes better and now have a better idea on how to attack the lanes tomorrow."

A&T lost their first two matches by a combined 42 pins. The Aggies' first close call came against Belmont Abbey, who defeated the Aggies 908-898 before 16th-ranked Mt. Saint Mary's defeated A&T 950-918. Victory No. 1 came A&T's way during their third match with a 943-857 win over Alabama A&M.

The Aggies convincingly won their second straight match with a 990-853 win over Lewis University. Fifteen-ranked Duquesne defeated the Aggies to close the day with a 942-933 victory. A&T returns to AMF All-Star Lanes on Holden Road on Saturday. Traditional play begins at 9:25 a.m.

"With great energy, positivity, and execution, the team will do great tomorrow," said Katen. "The pattern is hard, but if we can continue to keep calm and grind out our games, we will do just fine."