DOVER, Del. – The Norfolk State bowling team posted a 6-6 record over the weekend at the Capital Classic hosted by Delaware State, including three wins over a pair of ranked teams. All six of the losses by the Spartans came against teams ranked No. 11 or better in the national poll.
NSU went 3-2 in Baker play on the first day of competition Friday, followed by a 1-3 record on Saturday in the team format. The Spartans wrapped up play with a 2-1 record Sunday as the No. 7 seed in the bracket Baker format to run their overall record this season to 54-34.
Freshman Thea Aspiras had her third straight tournament averaging above a 200, as she rolled all five games on Saturday and averaged 212.2 with a high o 235. Junior Chelsea Krall and sophomore Lauren Graupmann also bowled all five games, with Krall posting an average of 183.8 and Graupmann averaging 183.0.
Senior Tiffany Hunt and junior Sheila-Marie Smith carried averages of 179.8 and 179.5, respectively, in four games each, while sophomore Jessica Overton averaged 168.5 in a pair of games.
The Spartans opened up the tournament with back-to-back wins over ranked teams Friday in Baker play, downing No. 12 Vanderbilt, 779-756, and No. 15 Stephen F. Austin, 780-691. NSU came up short against eventual tournament champion No. 2 Fairleigh Dickinson, 760-737, and No. 11 St. Francis (NY), 810-701, before ending the day with a 770-745 win against Saint Peter's.
On Saturday, NSU began the day with a 958-897 loss to No. 10 Adelphi in the team format, and after a bye, the Spartans lost their next two games, 1042-837, to No. 9 New Jersey City, and to No. 1 UMES, 1122-898. NSU rebounded and finished the day with a 997-877 win over Hampton.
Seeded seventh heading into the final day of action, the Spartans defeated Stephen F. Austin, 4 games to 2, and had a 3-1 lead on Adelphi before the Panthers won the last three games for a 4-3 victory. NSU then defeated Saint Peter's, 4-2, to earn a seventh-place finish at the tournament.
The Spartans will take part in another three-day tournament this weekend at the MSU Invitational in Baltimore and hosted by Morgan State.
