RICHMOND, Va. – The No. 18 Norfolk State bowling team posted a 6-1 record over the weekend during the two-day Trojan Classic hosted by Virginia State.
Senior
Carrie Hickey rolled a 277 during the first match of Saturday's traditional play, tied for the third-highest score ever by an NSU bowler. It marked the start of a 4-0 day for the Spartans, who also won the first two matches on Sunday before falling in the tournament championship round.
Freshman
Alexa Rodriguez rolled games of 244 and 236 and averaged 209.0 in four official games. Hickey tallied a 207.8 average in those four games and also bowled a 221 during the bye. Sophomore
Briana Gardner posted a 214 during the bye and had a 180.5 average in the other four official matches of the day.
Hickey was named the MVP of the tournament after posting a total pinfall of 1,052, which included her score in the bye. Rodriguez finished second with a pinfall of 1,006, while Gardner was third at 936 in five games. Individual scores in a team's bye do not count toward official records.
Saturday began with a 1,050-871 win over Virginia State, the Spartans' highest score in traditional play this season. Part of that tally was a 199 from junior
Kayla McNair, who competed in her first career traditional games.
The Spartans came down to earth in the other three matches but still came away with victories. An 862-810 triumph over Saint Peter's was followed by wins over Virginia Union, 867-590, and Livingstone, 846-546. NSU had a pinfall total of 902 during the bye.
Sunday's early Baker action, used to determine the seedings for the final placement matches, started with an 839-745 win over Saint Peter's and concluded with a more narrow 964-929 victory against host Virginia State. The host Trojans, though, got a measure of revenge later in the day when they handed the Spartans a 923-760 setback in the championship match for the tournament title.
McNair finished Saturday with a 165.8 average in four games, while sophomore
Meagan Marciano tallied a 181 while competing in all four official games as well.
Hickey's 277 game has only been topped in NSU history by a 280 by Sheila-Marie Smith on Jan. 24, 2009 and the all-time program record of 289 set by Gardner earlier this season at the Lady Bulldog Classic on Jan. 16.
Norfolk State will attempt to wrap up the MEAC Southern Division title next weekend in Tallahassee, Fla. The Spartans carry a 13-3 record into the third and final divisional, two games ahead of second place North Carolina A&T (11-5).
