KUTZTOWN, PA (March 18, 2010) – The Kutztown University women's bowling team will travel to their last tournament of the regular season, starting with a clean slate for the Northeast Conference Championships, hosted by Fairleigh Dickinson at Parkwood Lanes in Elmwood, N.J.
Last year, Kutztown won the regular season crown. However, Fairleigh Dickinson beat Kutztown in the NEC title match.
The tournament will be slightly different from last year, shrinking from three days to two. The tournament will consist of Best of 7 Baker Matches. The NEC Championship will follow the NCAA eight-team double elimination format; if a team loses two matches, they are automatically removed from the tournament.
“We're entering this weekend with a clean slate,” head coach Joe Ambrose said “All the teams starts with a 0-0 record, so I've been telling the team that all week.”
A team's win-loss record from the 14-match league schedule determined its seeding with head-to-head competition and pinfall serving as the first two tiebreakers if needed. Kutztown is seeded second after posting a 9-5 NEC record.
Ranked first is New Jersey City (12-2), the only team to reach double digits in wins. St. Francis (8-6) is seeded third and Adelphi (8-6) is fourth. If Fairleigh Dickinson wishes to defend their championship title, they will have to do so starting in fifth place. Sacred Heart (7-7) is seeded sixth. St. Peter's (5-9) is seeded seventh followed by Long Island (0-14) in eighth.
Kutztown will open its first championship match against St. Peter's on Saturday. The Golden Bears and Peahens have met seven times throughout the season. Kutztown boasts a 5-2 record overall. Kutztown has also won each conference match in both meets earlier this season. St. Peter's two wins both came from the New Years Knockdown Tournament in January, when they beat Kutztown 997-902 in traditional play and 4-3 in baker play.
Leading the Golden Bears in baker play is sophomore Kayla Jones (Johnstown, PA/Westmont-Hilltop). Jones baker strike percentage is over 60%. Teammate Kayla Stamm (Mohnton, PA/Governor Mifflin) leads the team in the filled frame percentage.
The tournament begins on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Parkwood Lanes in Elmwood, N.J. If any team loses both matches on Saturday, they will not be competing in Sunday's play. Sunday's play resumes at 10 a.m. Friday night the awards for NEC Rookie of the Year, NEC Bowler of the Year, and NEC First Team.
--KU--
Ticket Prices:
All NEC students with proper institutional I.D. will be admitted free.
General admission prices are $10 per day for adults or $15 for a two-day pass
Individuals 65+ or children 11-18 are $5 per day.
Children 10 years of age and under will be admitted free.
For more information, directions, or access to the championship bracket, please visit http://www.northeastconference.org/sidebar.asp?id=987&path=wbowl
