HOWELL, N.J. – For the second time in three seasons and fourth time ever, Fairleigh Dickinson is the Northeast Conference Champions of women's bowling. The number two seed Knights beat top seed Sacred Heart in seven games.
Fairleigh Dickinson won game seven 199-169 to claim the title. The got strikes from
Morgan Brown and
Morgan Walsh to lead off the game for Fairleigh Dickinson.
Karsyn Lukosius, who also struck in the fourth, struck in the ninth to put the pressure on Sacred Heart in the tenth. The Pioneers needed to strike out to have a chance.
Melanie Hannon then recorded a strike and eight-spare in the tenth to put the finishing touches on the Knights' championship win.
The Knights started strong by winning the first game over the Pioneers. The Knights benefitted from an open by Sacred Heart in the 10th and won game one, 202-190. The Pioneers then responded got three strikes in the tenth this time to clip the Knights 181-178 in game three.
Fairleigh Dickinson then got going in game three. The Knights got strikes in frames three, four, five, six, seven and eight. That run led to the Knights to a 255-172 win and a 2-1 lead. The Knights made it back-to-back wins with a triumph of 202-191 after three strikes from Hannon in the tenth.
Sacred Heart was down 3-1 before winning games five and six to force the decisive game seven. In game five the Pioneers started with six straight strikes and held on late for a 248-224 win. In game six the Pioneers survived a four-strike close by the Knights to win 236-225.
Fairleigh Dickinson forced the if necessary game by beating the Sacred Heart in five games after the Knights eliminated St. Francis Brooklyn to start the day in six games.
Versus Sacred Heart the first time, the Knights won games one (221-169), two (192-182), four (247-200) and five (217-214). The teams tied in game three at 224.
The Knights won game one 236-187 over the Terrier to start the day. Game two was a one-pin affair that went Fairleigh Dickinson's way, 223-222. The Terriers even the match at two games apiece by winning games three and four. Fairleigh Dickinson then answered with a pair of wins to eliminate the Terriers in games five (212-170) and game six (223-172)
Up next for Fairleigh Dickinson is the NCAA Selection show on Wednesday at 4 p.m. to see if they will be selected into the eight-team field to compete for a national championship. The national championship will be contested in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
