SINKING SPRINGS, PA – A solid team performance and clutch frames from sophomore Rebecca Spry helped the Roberts Wesleyan University Women's Bowling team rebound from an early loss and win three straight matches to advance to the championship day at the East Coast Conference (ECC) Tournament Saturday in Pennsylvania.
The Redhawks were seeded fifth after qualifying matches Friday and battled No. 4 Molloy to a 4-3 decision in the first round of bracket play to fall into the consolation bracket of the double-elimination tournament.
Against Molloy, Roberts opened with a 175-168 win but dropped three straight matches to fall behind 3-1 in the race to four wins format. The Redhawks won the fifth game 191-143 and evened the match score at 3-3 with a 218-212 win to force the seventh game. The Lions pulled out a 186-165 win to advance in the bracket and Roberts fell into the consolation bracket.
In the first match of consolation play, Roberts battled back and forth with Saint Anselm and held a 3-2 advantage late in the match. St. Anselm won a close 170-169 game in the sixth to push the match to the seventh game.
In the seventh, Roberts trailed entering the 10th frame before Spry stepped up and rolled three strikes to complete the comeback win, 208-193, and advance the Redhawks to the next round.
The Redhawks took a 4-1 decision over No. 2 seed D'Youville in the next match. The key game was the opener as Roberts posted a 180-178 decision to take the early lead.
The win advanced the Redhawks to face Molloy for the second time as the Lions were bumped from the championship bracket.
A game one loss did not discourage the Redhawks as the team rebounded to win three straight games. Molloy fired a 244 game in the fifth to take the game and trim the lead to 3-2. Roberts held off a late charge as Spry delivered a spare in the 10th to seal the victory.
The win advanced Roberts to the championship round of the tournament. The Redhawks will face Bryant University in an elimination match Sunday with the winner advancing to face Kutztown in the mega match of the tournament later Sunday.
