MILLSBORO, Del. – The 12th-ranked Kutztown University women's bowling team placed fourth at the UMES Hawk Classic with a 5-6 record for the three-day weekend. 

In the first best-of-seven baker match on Sunday, Kutztown defeated third-ranked Central Missouri 4-1, a huge win for the Golden Bears after falling to UCM during the traditional rounds the previous day. The team collectively had only four open frames during the five baker games. 

In a grinding second match against seventh-ranked Fairleigh Dickinson, Kutztown fought hard to take it to the seventh game, but ultimately lost to the Knights 4-3. The team faced Vanderbilt (ranked second) for the last match of the day and a third place finish; however, the Golden Bears struggled on dryer conditions, losing to the Commodores 4-1. 

"We need to learn to keep executing shots after tough losses," head coach Joseph Ambrose said. "Overall, we bowled better than our record indicates this weekend." 

Senior Deanna DiRado (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) led the Golden Bears for the day, with a baker frame average of 20.2 for 34 frames. Senior Brooke Bower (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff) and junior Christine Gordon (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) contributed baker frame averages of 19 and 19.3, respectively. Sophomore Lauren Stamm (Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin) also bowled during all three of the best-of-seven matches, averaging 183.3 for 33 frames.
 
Sophomore Kayla Maselkevich (Drums, PA/Hazleton Area) bowled the majority of the day, with a baker frame average of 17.2 for 29 frames. 

Bower earned All-Tournament Team honors for her performance during the traditional matches on day two of the tournament. 

The Golden Bears next compete in the second NEC meet of the season, traveling to Connecticut on Saturday, Dec. 7.