SINKING SPRING, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's bowling team was perfect in baker competition at the Golden Bear Invite on Sunday, rolling its highest pinfall of the season in game two and defeating Dominican, 4-1, in the best-of-seven baker placement round for the top spot at the team's home tournament at Berks Lanes.
After a close, five-pin win over Dominican (857-852) in the opening match, the Golden Bears (13-2 overall) settled in with the same lineup and dominated each of its next three opponents. KU's 1,036 pinfall in its match two victory over Alvernia (1036-925) was its highest of the season and the highest single match of the tournament. The Maroon and Gold followed that with victories over Adelphi (878-836) and Coppin State (842-804) to secure its spot in the championship round.
Kutztown adjusted its lineup for its best-of-seven baker matchup against Dominican, hoping to steer clear of the close contest it had earlier in the day. It did exactly that, as while the Chargers toppled one extra pin in the opening game, the Kutztown keglers regrouped and won four straight to win the tournament.
Reigning East Coast Conference Coach of the Year Angela Reynolds stuck with a five-bowler group of Kamryn Brenneman (York, Pa./Central York), Madison Brenneman (York, Pa./Central York), Isabella Hopper (Mifflinville, Pa./Berwick), Sydney Snyder (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell-Egan Catholic), and Shelby Wunch (Easton, Md./Easton) for the duration of the second day. The final three baker matches featured Kamryn Brenneman (York, Pa./Central York) leading off, followed by Wunch, Madison Brenneman (York, Pa./Central York), Hopper, and Snyder.
Senior Madison Brenneman (York, Pa./Central York) earned All-Tournament honors after rolling a 193-pin average across five traditional games on Saturday, fourth best among the field of 63 bowlers. She had a day-high of 237 that came in handy in Kutztown's win over Delaware State, lifting the team to a 3-0 mark against nationally ranked teams on the year. Her performances in games two (218) and five (193) were both team highs, the latter securing KU's winning record on Saturday.
Kutztown wraps up the weekend with an 8-2 record, featuring highlight wins over No. 23 Delaware State on Saturday and conference foe Adelphi on Sunday. The team's 176.7 pinfall per game was second among the 11-team field, as was its 3,613 total baker pinfall across the first four matches.
The Golden Bears will return to the lanes in two weeks, as they travel to the Lady Eagles Invitational, hosted by Coppin State University, a two-day tournament set to take place Saturday, Nov. 15, and Sunday, Nov. 16, at AMF Woodlawn in Gwynn Oak, Md. KU finished fourth at the tournament a season ago, competing against ranked Felician, Delaware State and Mount St. Mary's, a similar group of teams they will likely face this time around.
