STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The No. 19 ranked Norfolk State women's bowling team finished with a 4-6 record this past week at the Terriers New Year Knockdown hosted by St. Francis College.

On Saturday, the Spartans (37-24) showed no rust from their six-week layoff for the semester break. NSU finished the day with perhaps its best team-game showing of the season, notching a 4-1 record with three victories over top-10 teams in last month's NTCA top 20 poll.

NSU started Saturday with a 909-835 loss to No. 11 St. Francis, but the Spartans quickly heated up. The Spartans rolled a season-best team game of 1,004 pins to topple No. 5 Fairleigh Dickinson, 1,004-979 in their next game. NSU followed with wins over No. 9 Kutztown (936-913), No. 8 New Jersey City (942-896) and MEAC rival Hampton (856-813).

Freshman Lauren Graupmann (Chesapeake, Va.) had her best individual effort of the season. She averaged 192.5 pins in her four games to rank with the seventh-highest average among all bowlers. She rolled a college-high 212 in the victory over Fairleigh Dickinson.

Sophomore Sheila-Marie Smith (Virginia Beach, Va.) had the 10th-best average, with a 190.4 in her five games. She rolled three games of at least 200, including a 231 game against FDU. Junior Cathryn Myrick (Virginia Beach, Va.) and freshman Jessica Overton (Mechanicsville, Va.) were also solid, averaging a 183 and 180.3, respectively, in the team games.

By virtue of their strong Saturday showing, the Spartans reached the championship bracket for Sunday's baker games, but found the sledding much tougher. NSU went 0-5 in the baker games with losses to Adelphia (twice), St. Peter's, FDU and NJCU.

The Spartans return to the alley next weekend at the Bowie State Lady Bulldog Classic in Maryland.