READING, Pa. – Freshman Thea Aspiras of the Norfolk State bowling team was named the tournament MVP in a packed field at the Kutztown Invitational this weekend at the Hiester Lanes.

The Spartans posted a 6-9 overall record at the three-day tournament that began on Friday and consisted of 28 teams. Included in that Spartan record was a big win over the top-ranked team in the nation and MEAC foe UMES on Saturday.

Aspiras competed in all six games on Saturday and bowled a collective 1,332, averaging 222 on the day, including games of 277, 255 and 244. She was named to the All-Tournament Team along with Samantha Santoro of Kutztown, Natalie Cortese of Valparaiso, Tracy Ganjoin of Fairleigh Dickinson and Vanderbilt's Jessica Earnest and Brittni Hamilton.

Cortese and Earnest each bowled a collective 1,312 for a 218.7 average to finish behind Aspiras in terms of individual high averages.

NSU went 4-2 on Saturday in the team format after limping to a 1-5 record Friday in Baker play. The Spartans had a 1-2 mark during the last day of competition Sunday in the Baker match play round.

Senior Antoinette Drakeford had the best weekend of bowling in her collegiate career, rolling a six-game total of 1,141 for a 190.2 average. She bowled a collegiate high of 259 in the win over No. 1 UMES.

Junior Chelsea Krall carded a 235 against the Hawks and averaged 177.2 in five games. Junior Sheila-Marie Smith posted a 176.2 average, while sophomores Jessica Overton and Lauren Graupmann carried averages of 185.3 and 183.5, respectively, in four games each.

NSU began the tournament on Friday in the total pinfall Baker round with a 780-730 loss to St. Peter's before rebounding to take down Delaware State, 828-811. The Spartans lost all momentum, though, dropping four straight matches to Florida A&M (686-611), Vanderbilt (904-820), Valparaiso (731-692) and Fairleigh Dickinson (878-849).

The Spartans turned things around on Saturday, defeating SUNY IT, 1066-888, in NSU's opening match of the day. NSU hit another speed bump after getting dropped by Sacred Heart, 958-925, and New Jersey City, 974-876.

However, NSU's win over UMES, 1055-1016, gave the Spartans plenty of momentum, which they used to take down Medaille, 937-908, and Long Island, 856-843.

NSU finished the tournament Sunday with a 4-3 loss to St. Peter's in best out of 7 Baker play, followed by a 4-0 win over Adelphi and a 4-0 loss to St. Francis (NY).

NSU will be back in action Feb. 5-6 at the South Carolina Invitational.