MILSBORO, Del. – The 12th-ranked Kutztown University women's bowling team sits in third place after day one at the UMES Hawk Classic, with a pinfall total of 3,912. The Golden Bears went 3-1 during the five quad-baker matches, averaging 195.6 for 20 baker games. 

During the first match, the team defeated Howard University, 783-583. In the second match against 18th-ranked New Jersey City University, Kutztown won 776-470. Due to an odd number of teams, the team shot 717 during a bye round the third match. The Golden Bears lost in a tough match against Delaware State the fourth round, shooting 798-834. In the last match of the day, the team bounced back to shoot a day-high score of 838 against Norfolk State's 825.

"We need to take our end-of-the-day energy and apply it tomorrow morning," said head coach Joseph Ambrose. "We have some tough matches ahead of us. Spares will be key."

Sophomore Lauren Stamm (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) led the Golden Bears for the day, averaging 21.53 for 39 frames. In the match against Delaware State, Stamm struck all eight of her frames. Close behind her, senior Brooke Bower (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff) averaged 21.43, and senior Rebecca Velazquez (Mohegan Lake, NY/Lakeland) averaged 18.86 for the day. Senior Deanna DiRado (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) and junior Christine Gordon (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) also contributed to the team's success, averaging 18.33 and 17.7, respectively.

"We did well today," Bower commented. "We just need to do a better job of filling more frames as we move forward."

"Our team just needs to keep our confidence up and know that we can compete against the best," Stamm said. 

Competition resumes tomorrow, Nov. 16, with five traditional games, starting with a match against third-ranked Central Missouri.