SINKING SPRING, Pa. -- The Kutztown University women's bowling team kept its strong weekend intact on Saturday at the Griffin Baker Classic, winning 4-of-5 matches, including a pair over top 25 nationally-ranked opponents to grab the top-seed heading into Sunday's bracket play at Berks Lanes.

Kutztown, which improved to 9-1 on the weekend after an unbeaten Friday, drilled 951 pins or more in all five matches to vault into first place with 4,880 pins (195.2 average) ahead of nationally-ranked Fairleigh Dickinson (4,814/192.6) and Delaware State (4,629/185.2).

The Golden Bears (44-34) used consecutive 214s in games two and three by the lineup of Laura Hartley (Mt Pleasant Mills, Pa./Midd-West), Dana Henry (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township), Rachel Wagner (Cheektowaga, N.Y./Depew), Madison Burkert (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) and Keanna Delp (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) to upset 18th-ranked Delaware State, 967-873, in its opening match.

The Maroon and Gold carried momentum from its win over the Hornets into a 1013-763 drubbing of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Kutztown registered three 200+ games in the match with a high of 225 in game three and a 223 in game one.

With her team firing on all cylinders, first-year head coach Angela Reynolds stuck with her original starting lineup until the fourth match of the day. The Bears won their third match, 962-827, over Norfolk State, once again eclipsing 200 three times in five games. KU put forth its second highest scoring game of the day with a 227 in game five.

Kutztown's only loss of the afternoon came at the hands of No. 20 Adelphi, 1032-951. Despite winning the opening game 206-167, the Bears could not keep pace with a Panther team that produced a 215 in game two, 214 in game four and incredible 257 in game five. Prior to the match, Lindsey Gotwalt (Hanover, Md./Meade) joined the KU lineup.

A slight adjustment was made to insert senior Renee Riffey (Glen Burnie, Md./North County) in the middle of KU's lineup prior to its final match against 17th-ranked Fairleigh Dickinson. The Golden Bears proved they wouldn't let the Adelphi loss affect their psyche, building an early lead with a 209-185 win in game one and a 195-193 victory in game two. The Knights picked up a seven-pin decision, 181-174, in game three, but KU bounced back with a 178-176 win in game four and finished strong with a 231-200 advantage in game five for a 984-935 triumph in the match.

With a pair of wins over ranked opponents, Saturday, KU has now claimed 10 such victories this season. The Golden Bears are ranked 11th in the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association Division II/III Poll.

Delp supplied a team-high 20.04 frame average, Saturday, while Henry had another strong day with a 19.96 average. Wagner was at 19.43 through four matches, while Burkert and Hartley played all five, averaging 18.94 and 18.93, respectively.

Kutztown will hold its Senior Day ceremonies Sunday morning at 7:45 before beginning best-of-7 Baker play against No. 2 FDU at 8:30. A victory over the Knights would automatically send KU to the final. The Bears are looking for their second tournament win of the year and can finish anywhere between first and fourth.