GREENSBORO, N.C. – Norfolk State finished with a 4-2 record this weekend at the MEAC Southern Divisional, and the No. 20 Spartan bowling team now sits a game behind North Carolina A&T for first place after the second of three divisionals on the season.
NSU and host A&T came into the divisional tied for first in the South. After falling behind NSU in the standings after Saturday's play at the AMF All-Star Lanes, the Aggies came back to take a one-game lead thanks to an overall 5-1 weekend. They now stand 9-3 in league play, with Norfolk State sitting at 8-4.
The teams will have to wait to ultimately decide first place, as the third and final divisional will not take place until Feb. 25-26.
NSU won all three of its matches on Saturday in traditional play, including a win over the No. 22 Aggies. But an A&T win on Sunday in Baker competition, coupled with Florida A&M's upset of the Spartans on the same day, pushed the Aggies into first place.
On Saturday, sophomore
Alexa Rodriguez averaged 202.7, the second-highest average in the tournament, to carry NSU to three straight wins. The Spartans first defeated A&T, 960-910, thanks in part to a 200 game from Rodriguez as well as games of 203 and 199 by sophomore
Yarelis Burgos and junior
Meagan Marciano, respectively.
Rodriguez followed with a 222 as NSU earned an 869-804 triumph over FAMU. Norfolk State's narrowest win came against Bethune-Cookman by a score of 875-865.
Junior
Briana Gardner was second on the team on Saturday with a 181.0 average in all three games. Marciano also averaged exactly 181.0, albeit in two games, while freshman
Aubrey Conrad posted a 174.0 average in all three games as well.
Burgos competed in two games and freshman
Jasmin Whitaker bowled in one game. In addition, freshman
Heizel Quinones made her collegiate debut and rolled a 172 in the third and final match of the day for NSU.
Bethune-Cookman, which went 0-6 on the weekend, fell victim to NSU again to start Sunday's Baker rounds, 913-864. A tally of 230 in the second of five Baker games helped the Spartans earn the victory over the Wildcats. Florida A&M, though, then came away with a 909-884 win over the Spartans in the second match of the day, part of a 3-3 record for the Rattlers.
Despite starting off with a 221 and bowling its best match of the weekend, NSU was unable to top the Aggies in the last contest on Sunday, 994-981. NSU averaged 196.2 in those five Baker games against the Aggies, and for the entire divisional, the Spartans averaged 182.7.
The competition marked the last one for NSU this calendar year. After returning from the semester break, the Spartans will next compete at the Lady Bulldog Classic hosted by Bowie State on Jan. 13-15.
