MECHANICSBURG, PA. -- The LIU Brooklyn bowling team began the Northeast Conference regular season this weekend with four best-of-seven baker matches. Facing three nationally ranked NEC members, the Blackbirds went 1-3 in Mechanicsburg, Pa., on Saturday with a 176.3 (4,246 pins) scoring average  On Sunday, LIU will play No. 9 Fairleigh Dickinson and Mount St. Mary's as LIU wraps up the opening round robin event.

The No. 19 Blackbirds (23-21) started the day with No. 20 Duquesne, falling in a seventh and deciding game to drop the match 4-3. The individual game scores were 150-158, 180-177, 157-178, 159-197, 198-163, 199-194 and an extremely tight 168-171 score in the final game.

Next up, the Blackbirds matched up with No. 13 Saint Francis U., for the very first time this season, falling four games to one to the Red Flash, 159-175, 145-181, 212-181, 166-210 and 164-201.

In the following match against No. 12 Sacred Heart, the Blackbirds put up three 200+ games to win the match, 4.5-1.5 (196-172, 140-181, 207-167, 210-185, 198-198 and 235-185), for the team's first conference victory of the season

LIU ended the day with a 4-2 loss to their closest rival, St. Francis Brooklyn, with game scores of 136-190, 166-232, 163-182, 182-156, 180-165 and 176-188 in the final game of the day,

The action at ABC Lanes begins at 9:00 a.m., but the Blackbirds have their bye in that round, and wil start with FDU around 10:30 a.m.