LAUREL, Md. – The No. 16 Norfolk State bowling team continued its hot play by going 7-1 and finishing second overall at the Lady Bulldog Classic this weekend at the AMF Laurel Lanes and hosted by Bowie State.
In addition, freshman Thea Aspiras earned MVP honors as the top bowler after averaging 214 in six games of play. NSU improved its overall record to 42-19 on the season.
The Spartans totaled 5,495 pins in six matches to place second behind Morgan State, which knocked down 5,675 pins in Saturday's team format. St. Peter's (5,412), Hampton (5,398) and St. Francis (5,312) rounded out the top 5.
Along with St. Peter's, NSU was one of two teams to post a perfect 6-0 record Saturday. In Baker play on Sunday, the Spartans defeated Morgan State in the first round, but after receiving a bye in the second round, NSU fell to the Bears in the third and final round to finish the weekend.
Aspiras earned the Tournament MVP award after averaging nine more pins per game than the second-place finisher, Bowie State's Verra Diggs, who had a 205 average. Aspiras had five games above 200, including a high of 249.
Sophomores Lauren Graupmann and Jessica Overton averaged 179 and 178, respectively, in five games, while junior Sheila-Marie Smith posted a 177 average over all six games on Saturday. Smith carded a 230 in the second match, her highest game of the season.
Junior Chelsea Krall posted a 172 average in five games, with senior Antoinette Drakeford rolling a 167 average in two games. After missing the first half of the season due in injury, senior Tiffany Hunt bowled a 169 in her first game back.
NSU picked up an easy win over St. Paul's to begin play Saturday, defeating the Tigers 911-724. Smith and Aspiras helped NSU take down North Carolina A&T, 993-920, in the second match before a pair of easy wins over Salem International, 898-552, and Coppin State, 882-663.
The Spartans rounded out play on Saturday with an 886-821 win over North Carolina Central and a 925-676 victory over Elizabeth City State.
Then, on Sunday, NSU defeated Morgan State, 4.5-2.5, in the first round of bracket play – including a 170 tie in the fourth game – but the Bears got the better of the Spartans in the third round, winning 4 games to 1 in Baker play.
NSU will be back on the road next weekend at the Kutztown Invitational Jan. 28-30 in Reading, Pa.
