SUMTER, S.C. – Needing a big tournament to keep its Southern Division title hopes alive, the No. 15 ranked Norfolk State bowling team did just that, posting a perfect 10-0 record over the weekend at the MEAC Southern Divisional hosted by South Carolina State.
In the second of three Southern Divisionals on the year, the Spartans went 5-0 on both Saturday and Sunday, outpacing Florida A&M, which finished 7-3 on the weekend, and Bethune-Cookman, which posted a 6-4 mark. NSU improved to 16-4 in conference play to take over first place from the Wildcats. The Spartans also ran their overall record to 32-14.
Bethune-Cookman currently sits in second place in the MEAC South with a 13-7 record, while Florida A&M stands third at 11-9. NSU will roll for its third Southern Division title in four years March 3-4 in the last MEAC Southern Divisional of the year hosted by Bethune-Cookman.
NSU's victory by 66 pins over Bethune-Cookman was the closest any team got to the Spartans on Saturday in traditional play. South Carolina State lost by just 24 pins on Sunday in Baker play for NSU's closest margin of victory over the two-day tournament.
Sophomore Thea Aspiras led NSU on Saturday in traditional play, posting a tournament-high 192.4 average in all five games. Senior Chelsea Krall and freshman Kelsea Yarbrough also finished in the top 10 for the day, with Krall averaging a 180.0 and Yarbrough finishing at 176.8.
Junior Jessica Overton averaged 172.0 in all five games, while freshman Delilah Bethel posted a 176.8 average in four games. Freshman Courtney Brown rolled a 171 in the other game.
NSU started things off on Saturday with a rather easy 882-665 win over North Carolina A&T, followed by an 876-807 victory against North Carolina Central. The Spartans won by more than 130 pins over FAMU (934-797) and South Carolina State (867-735), before finishing up the first day of action with a 925-859 triumph over Bethune-Cookman.
In Baker play on Sunday, NSU opened with two more victories by at least 100 pins, the first one a 716-593 defeat of A&T followed by a 669-553 win over NC Central. The Spartans then downed FAMU, 701-617, before its closest win of the weekend, 641-617 over S.C. State. Bethune-Cookman was unable to become the first team on the weekend to knock off NSU in a 714-658 Spartan victory to close the tournament.
North Carolina Central and South Carolina State each finished 3-7 on the weekend, while North Carolina A&T carded a 1-9 record.
NSU's next tournament will not be for more than a month, Jan. 20-22 at the Lady Bulldog Classic hosted by Bowie State in Laurel, Md.
