HOUSTON, Texas - The LIU Brooklyn bowling team went 2-1 in Sunday's baker format playoff at
Stephen F. Austin's LadyJack Classic to take ninth place at the annual event with a 7-6 overall record. The Blackbirds held a 190.6 team scoring average in a field of 18 teams, 16 of which are currently ranked in the NTCA Coaches top 25.
First up for the Blackbirds on the Sunday slate was No. 17 North Carolina A&T. LIU won the first two games, 205-161 and 229-204. The teams split the next four games, 192-221, 186-142, 181-206, but LIU took the last game, 196-157, to win it in six.
That win moved them against No. 20 Wisconsin-Whitewater, who was ranked just above the Blackbirds after the first two days of competition. This time LIU fell back early, losing the first two games 163-194 and 171-183, before coming back strong in the third game, 215-167. After dropping game four (179-215), the Blackbirds took game five 225-213, but lost the match in six, 206-222.
LIU finished the final match of the tournament by sweeping No. 13 Alabama-Birmingham in four games, 202-179, 185-171, 176-171, 178-175, behind a lineup of senior Lauren McKowen, junior
Kayla Johnson, sophomore
Tyler Karpinecz and a pair of freshmen
Kellie Frain and
Sarah Florence.
McKowen led the Blackbirds in 12th place in the individual rankings from Saturday's traditional play, with a 207.8 average in five matches, while Johnson carried a 202.75 average in four matches. Frain finished in 41st place with a 190.2 average.
UP NEXT
Heading into next weekend's Northeast Conference meet, LIU is currently tied for first place with No. 12 Sacred Heart and No. 14 Saint Francis U., at 4-2, after the NEC's Meet #1. The event, co-hosted by LIU and St. Francis Brooklyn, will be held at nearby Farmingdale Lanes, from February 23-25, in Farmingdale, Long Island.