SMYRNA, Tenn. -- After dropping its first six matches of the Music City Classic, the 11th-ranked Kutztown University women's bowling team rattled off five straight victories including wins over the first- and second-ranked teams in the country to move up nine spots to 12th overall.

The Golden Bears (73-44) had two matches with more than 1,000 total pins on Saturday to help guide their way through the standings. They won five of their six matches on Saturday, which could not have come at a more significant time. The Music City Classic is Kutztown's most important weekend of the season as it features 19 of the top 20 teams in the NCAA, helping Kutztown's resume when it comes to selection into the NCAA National Championships in April.

Kutztown opened the day with a temporary setback to 19th-ranked Alabama State (889-901), but responded with a 974-933 win over second-ranked Nebraska. Senior Deanna DiRado (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Salem) bowled a team-high 256 in the win, her highest total of the day and one of three 200-pin games.

It knocked down 1,034 pins in a 1034-855 win over Louisiana Tech as three Golden Bears bowled 200 games, including Christine Gordon (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East)'s 238, and followed with a 829-810 win over UAB.

The highlight of the day came in the second-to-last match of the day with a 1055-1010 upset win over top-ranked Arkansas State. Senior Rebecca Velazquez (Mohegan Lake, NY/Lakeland) bowled an impressive 278 in the victory, the highest game of any Golden Bear on Saturday. KU's day ended with a 994-914 win over seventh-ranked Sam Houston State in which Velazquez finished with a 247.

The Golden Bears wrap up the Music City Classic on Sunday beginning at 8:30 a.m. with a match against Sacred Heart.