MILLSBORO, Del. – The Norfolk State bowling team finished up play in the three-day UMES Hawk Classic on Sunday, tallying a 7-8 record while ending the tournament in 16^th place. Three of those victories came against ranked opponents.
 
The Spartans posted 3-3 records on Friday in baker play and then again on Saturday in traditional play. NSU won one of its three matches on Sunday in the bracket round to conclude the tournament.
 
Norfolk State picked up a big win over host and No. 5 UMES on Friday in the second game of the tournament, defeating the Hawks 950-911. The Spartans also defeated Howard 897-833 and New Jersey City 947-543.
 
NSU fell by scores of 1,026-774 to No. 3 Sam Houston State, 953-865 to No. 19 Delaware State and 946-875 to No. 12 Kutztown during Friday's action, which consisted of five baker games against each opponent.
 
No player averaged better than 174 on Saturday in traditional play, but the Spartans were still able to come away with a split of their six games on the day. NSU alternated between wins and losses, picking up victories over No. 9 Stephen F. Austin, 802-772, New Jersey City, 820-612 and No. 20 Monmouth 946-926.
 
The win over Monmouth was aided by junior Carrie Hickey's 242, the best game by an NSU player this year.
 
The Spartans also suffered losses on Saturday to No. 17 St. Francis Brooklyn, 833-718, No. 4 Vanderbilt, 951-870, and Franklin Pierce, 894-817.
 
Then on Sunday, NSU faced Franklin Pierce two more times. The Spartans were swept in four games in the best-of-seven format the first time, and then Franklin Pierce won 4-2 in the last match to claim 15^th place ahead of the Spartans. In between, Norfolk State swept Howard by a 4-0 score.
 
Hickey and sophomore Nicole Rivera Santiago bowled in all six games on Saturday and averaged 169.0. Senior Ashley Buck competed in all six games as well and averaged 173.8, tops among NSU players on the weekend.
 
Senior Courtney Brown also averaged 169.0, albeit in just three games. Senior Kelsea Yarbrough competed in all six games, and senior Delilah Bethel took part in three games as well on Saturday.
 
A total of 18 games competed in the tournament.
 
NSU will next host the MEAC Southern Divisional on Dec. 6-7.