TAYLOR, Mich. (April 15, 2011) – The Kutztown University women's bowling team showed plenty of heart and displayed character in rallying from a two-game deficit to defeat Central Missouri State, 4-3, in another close match at the NCAA Women's Bowling Championships Friday afternoon at Skore Lanes.
Also, the victory was Kutztown's 100th of this memorable season. The Golden Bears are the second team to win 100 matches this season. In the do-or-die match, the Golden Bears refused to lose. Thanks to a performance for the ages in the final game, Kutztown is still alive in its quest for a national title. Kutztown will meet the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore this afternoon beginning at 3:20 p.m.
“We dug ourselves a little hole against Central Missouri State,” junior Kayla Jones (Johnstown, PA/Westmont Hilltop ) said. “When you lose, you have a lot of fire and Central Missouri came after us in the beginning, but we were able to dig deep and then things started to fall our way. I wasn't nervous because there wasn't enough time for that.”
After dropping the first two games, 241-204 and 245-195, the Golden Bears stormed back to win the next two games, 213-211 and 173-164. Kutztown backed itself into a corner again by dropping the fifth game, 195-189, before winning the sixth and seventh games by counts of 194-157 and 235-202, respectively. In the final game, Kutztown finished with a flourish by rolling six straight strikes.
Kayla Stamm (Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) started the strike party. Deanna DiRado (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) kept it going and Samantha Santoro (Reinholds, PA/Cocalico ) continued the Golden Bear hot streak. With the Kutztown fans buzzing and excited, Jones iced the victory by throwing three consecutive strikes. It was the second straight day that the Golden Bears rallied from a deficit to beat Central Missouri State. The Golden Bears trailed by 95 pins after the fourth frame in Thursday's opening round.
“Central Missouri State is a very good team and with the way they were bowling at the start against us, we knew we had our work cut out for us,” Kutztown head coach Joe Ambrose said. “Fortunately for us, the lanes changed, we made some adjustments and got some breaks.”
Everybody that rolled for the Golden Bears came through with a strong performance during the match. The teams remaining for a national title are Arkansas State, FDU, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, UMES, and Kutztown. FDU and Nebraska have yet to lose. If the Golden Bears can get past UMES this afternoon, they will get another shot at FDU.
“I thought both teams bowled amazing,” Brooke Bower (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff) said. “It was definitely a good feeling to get a win and not go home after two games. I was nervous while I was watching the match, but when I got to my approach, I just focused on having a good frame. Even when we were down two games, we knew had to keep fighting.”
--KU--
