ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. – The Kutztown University women's bowling team ended the first day of the Fairleigh Dickinson University Jamboree with a 2-2 record and a total pinfall of 3,744.
 
The Golden Bears (19-6) bowled five quad-baker matches on NCAA pattern four (42 feet of oil).

In the first match of the tournament, Kutztown defeated New Jersey City University 736-446. Because of an odd number of teams, Kutztown had a bye in the second round, shooting 747 towards overall total pins. After the first baker game of the third match, the Golden Bears were down 30 pins to Wisconsin-Whitewater, but came back to win by five pins, 750-745. 

During the fourth match, Kutztown struggled against Adelphi, losing 707-743. With a lineup change the last match, the team regrouped and shot 804, a day-high score for the Golden Bears, but fell to Stephen F. Austin's 869. 

"Even though we didn't have the best day, the girls still fought hard and are more determined than ever to do well," comments head coach Joseph Ambrose. "We definitely need to focus on better first-ball counts tomorrow." 

Sophomore Lauren Stamm (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) led the team for the day, averaging 19.5 for 40 frames. Junior Christine Gordon (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) averaged 18.3 for 40 frames, and senior Brooke Bower (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff) had a 18.4 baker frame average. Seniors Rebecca Velazquez (Mohegan Lake, NY/Lakeland) and Deanna DiRado (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) also bowled all 20 games of competition, averaging 17.5 and 17.7, respectively. 

"We bowled well as a team, and did a great job of picking each other up," Stamm said. "Hopefully we can carry the energy from the last match into tomorrow." 

The FDU Jamboree resumes tomorrow morning, Saturday Nov. 2, with six traditional matches.