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April 12, 2007 APOPEKA, Fla. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) wrapped up day one of the NCAA Women's Bowling Tournament with the fifth seed. The will bowl the fourth seeded Central Missouri Jennies tomorrow at 9:30 am in the double elimination bracket. They will face the top seeded Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) or eighth seeded Minnesota State-Mankato in the second round. The Lady Hawks bowling team entered the day on fire in a qualifying round that saw many high scorers from all teams. The action was so competitive that after eight different competition segments there were seven different leaders. UMES led after the third team game but fell to fourth after the fourth and final team game. In the team games UMES had several strong outings, led by sophomore sensation Laura Zanrucha who averaged a 213.25. Teammate and MEAC MVP Marion Singleton was right behind her, averaging a 212.50. With averages like that you may expect UMES to be near the top but the quality of bowling was incredible and after the four team games Zanrucha was the Hawks top performer in 14th place. Singleton was 15th. Jessica Worsley was also right there in 17th place averaging a 209.75 while senior Megan Raymond was 21st with a 207. The Hawks' fifth bowler Michelle Wallace was 24th with a 201.75. Central Missouri's Tina Peak was first with a 231.25 while Kristy Kerr of FDU was second with a 231. The field featured 51 bowlers seeing individual action. Since the qualifying round was for seeding purposes only, no wins or losses were accumulated for the teams. After the four team games the field had to bowl 20 Baker games in blocks of five. Each Baker game was five separate games. The Hawks were the first team to ever bowl a perfect Baker game in NCAA competition. That occurred four seasons ago at the inaugural NCAA Championship. They entered this event as the only ones to do it until Vanderbilt matched the Hawks in their third game of the third block. Now only two have ever done it. UMES tallied 3995 pins in the 20 Baker games, averaging 998.75 per block. They rolled a high game of 242. The Hawks were fourth last season and were knocked to the losers' bracket by fifth seeded Alabama A & M. That same team went on to face FDU in the finals of the NCAA Championship. UMES hopes a similar fate awaits the fifth seed this year, just with a little different ending, one concluding in a National Championship. Fans can find out tomorrow beginning at 9:30 am. Follow the action on www.umeshawks.com or on New Jersey City University's site, where the official statistician posts updated results at www.njcugothicknights.com.
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