SINKING SPRING, PA. -- The LIU Brooklyn bowling team went 4-1 on Saturday at Kutztown's Golden Bear Classic to hold on to first place in the event, going into Sunday's bracketed playoff as they push for the team's first tournament title of the season. The Blackbirds (38-30) followed a 4-0 day on Friday at Berks Lanes, with a 191.5 pinfall average on Saturday, which an improvement by an average of 11 pins from the day before. LIU will face No. 24 Adelphi beginning at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, in the first of three playoff matches.

LIU began the day with their most lopsided match of the weekend, a 1041-724 win over Norfolk State, behind a lineup of Kellie Frain, Sarah Florence, Jennifer Roback, Tyler Karpinecz and Kayla Johnson. The Blackbirds had three 200+ games (200-145, 199-130, 243-162, 221-159 and 178-128), as they continued their hot streak.

Next up was a win over Northeast Conference rival No. 11 Saint Francis U. With the same lineup for the Blackbirds, they won 939-916 with game scores of 169-172, 170-200, 201-175, 172-168 and 227-201, to extend the team's winning streak to six straight.

Then LIU faced the host school, Kutztown, coming away with a 913-879 win (158-169, 146-164, 204-188, 204-174, 201-184). That match was followed by a win over LIU Post, 940-877 (190-178, 176-168, 178-173, 248-193, 148-165) to keep the streak going to eight consecutive wins.

The Blackbirds, riding the high with the same five bowlers, dropped their first match of the weekend in the final match of the day to No. 24 Adelphi, 954-1040 (215-196, 180-183, 187-236, 181-189, 191-236). The two New York schools finished 1-2 in the standings, setting up a rematch on Sunday.