LOUISVILLE – The defending NAIA national champion UPIKE women’s bowling team opened its season over the weekend with two second-place finishes at the conference’s opening meets of the year.
Louisville Collegiate Classic
The title defense run started with an absolute heartbreaker on Saturday when UPIKE finished second to Martin Methodist by just four total pins (7,068-7,064).
UPIKE was led by a trio of top-10 performances from Lauren Piotrowski, Jessica Wolfe, and Mikayla Cummings.
Piotrowski earned her first of two all-tournament honors on the weekend with a third-place individual finish with 1,018 pins across her five games. Wolfe joined Piotrowski on the all-tournament team with a fifth-place finish at 985 total pins, edging out Candace Gibson of Campbellsville by five pins to stay in the top five.
Cummings rebounded from her worst game of the day to bowl her final two games in the 200s and break into the top-10.
UPIKE’s two JV teams finished first and second in their bracket to sweep the junior varsity honors.
Burris Memorial Classic
UPIKE came up just short again on Sunday, taking home second place to Martin Methodist again, this time by 178 pins (7,150-6,972).
Piotrowski once again led the way for the Bears’ varsity team, coming in fifth among varsity competitors at 971 pins to earn her second-straight all-tournament honor. Just behind her was Angel West in seventh with 962 pins, who shook off a low-game of 138 with two 200-plus pin fall games.
Once again, the JV teams swept the JV bracket, this time with an incredible outing by Courtny Jolly who finished tied for fourth among all competitors on the JV2 team at 981 pins. Emily Tull and Erin Cosner finished neck and neck in 13th and 15th, respectively, to lead the JV1 team.
UP NEXT
UPIKE will try to take home some trophies this coming weekend when it hosts the Orange and Black Classic on Oct. 13 in Beavercreek, Ohio.
(Source: UPIKE Sports Information Office)