ARLINGTON, Texas – The No. 14/13 Norfolk State bowling team finished eighth overall at the Prairie View A&M Invitational over the weekend at the International Training and Research Center. All seven teams that finished ahead of the Spartans at the invitational are ranked above NSU in the National Tenpin Coaches Association top-20 poll.

The Spartans went 5-8 overall during the three-day, 12-team tournament, going 2-3 on each of the first two days and then 1-2 on Sunday. NSU picked up three wins against nationally ranked programs, including a victory over the top ranked team in the nation. The Spartans ran their record on the season to 61-28 overall.

Sophomore Thea Aspiras led the way for NSU in traditional team play on Saturday, averaging 209.0 pins in all five games. As a sign of the high level of competition at the tournament, Aspiras only ranked 15th on the weekend in average despite having one of the best tournaments of her career.

She was joined by junior Jessica Overton, who posted a 197.8 average in all five games, while freshman Carrie Hickey rolled a 181.4 average in all five games as well. Senior Chelsea Krall tallied a 172.6 average in five games, while freshman Kelsea Yarbrough carded a 174.3 in four games. Freshman Delilah Bethel bowled the other game on Saturday in place of Yarbrough.

The Spartans opened the tournament on Friday in Baker play, dropping their first two matches of the day to host Prairie View A&M, 723-640, and Jackson State by the narrowest of margins, 676-675. NSU rebounded with a win over No. 1 Valparaiso, 828-812, as well as a triumph over Louisiana Tech, 804-676. NSU ended the day with a 819-757 setback to No. 4 UMES.

Then on Saturday in team play, NSU faced an early gauntlet of No. 6 Vanderbilt, No. 6 Central Missouri and No. 8 Nebraska, and dropped all three matches. The Spartans fell to Vanderbilt, 1,071-915, Central Missouri, 1,023-985, and Nebraska, 1,209-885, but did manage a pair of wins to close out the day.

NSU downed No. 8 Arkansas State, 927-921, and then finished play on Saturday with a 912-886 win over Texas Southern.

In Baker play on Sunday, NSU earned another win over a ranked opponent in a four-game sweep of No. 11 Stephen F. Austin. The Spartans faced Central Missouri again in bracket play, and after facing a three games to one deficit, NSU won games five and six before the Jennies earned a victory in the seventh and deciding game.

Valparaiso then got a measure of revenge and swept NSU in four games to close out the tournament.

Vanderbilt defeated UMES to earn the tournament title, with Arkansas State, Nebraska and Central Missouri rounding out the top 5 finishers. Stephen F. Austin finished ahead of Valparaiso and NSU at sixth.

The Spartans will next head to Dover, Del., for the three-day Capital Classic beginning this Friday.