CHESAPEAKE, Va. – The No. 23 ranked Norfolk State bowling team began its 2017-18 season at home with a 7-2 record at the Hampton Roads Invitational over the weekend at the AMF Lanes.
The Spartans went 5-1 on Saturday and posted a 2-1 mark on Sunday, as they were joined by Morgan State, Bowie State and Belmont Abbey. The teams competed against each other twice on Saturday, once in Baker play and once in traditional play, and against each other once on Sunday.
The two losses for NSU both came against Morgan State, which topped NSU by a combined seven pins to those two games. MSU also totaled 7,592 pins in the nine games at the tournament to finish just ahead of the Spartans (7,524) and claim the tournament title. Both teams went 7-2 on the weekend.
Saturday saw NSU fall 898-895 to Morgan State in the very first game of the day. The Spartans rebounded to top Bowie State 779-709 and Belmont Abbey 756-750 in Baker play. The second half of the day featured traditional play, and this time the Spartans prevailed over MSU by a 923-796 score.
NSU closed out Saturday's action with wins again over Bowie State (907-785) and Belmont Abbey (852-788).
Junior
Alexa Rodriguez finished second at the tournament with a 188.7 average in those three traditional games. Senior
Meagan Marciano finished fifth with a 181.7 average. Senior
Briana Gardner rolled a 216 in the final of the three games to bump her average up to 180.7.
Sophomore
Aubrey Conrad posted a 174.7 average in all three games as well. Freshman
McKayla Lang also bowled in all three traditional games in her collegiate debut.
Then on Sunday, the Spartans defeated Belmont Abbey, 859-768, and Bowie State, 784-684, in the first two Baker games. Morgan State then topped NSU again, this time by just three pins at 873-869, in the last game of the tournament.
Norfolk State will next compete in the Virginia Union Invitational from Nov. 3-5.
