EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- The sixth-ranked Fairleigh Dickinson women's bowling team defeated No. 12 Monmouth, No. 9 Delaware State and No. 4 Sam Houston State to win the 2017 Monmouth Hawk Flight Invitational on Sunday. 

The win by Fairleigh Dickinson over Sam Houston, which was in the finals on Sunday, was the third time this season that the Knights have topped the Bearkats in Baker play. 

"To win three straight playoff matches took a total team effort," said head coach Mike LoPresti afterward. "Everybody chipped in with clutch shots. The team picked each other up after an error and came together; which could not have come at a better time." 

The tournament win is the first of the season for Fairleigh Dickinson and first since the 2016 Bowie State Invitational. 

The Knights and Hawks need the full seven games to determine a winner in the first round match up. Fairleigh Dickinson won game three, 180-137, before Monmouth won games two and three. The Knights bounced back in game four with a 213-177 win. Game six was a must win to keep the match going and won they did, 184-159. The Knights recorded its best score of the match in game seven, 223, to win by 32 pins. 

Fairleigh Dickinson then squared off with Delaware State in the semis to see who would play Sam Houston State in the finals. The Knights won four games to two over the Hornets. After Delaware State had won game one, the Knights rattled off wins in games two -- 257-195 and 158-143 -- to take a 2-1 lead. The Knights were close to taking a 3-1 lead by Delaware State won the game by one pin, 200-199. Fairleigh Dickinson then closed out the match with a 220-171 win and a 234-176 win to move and face Sam Houston State.

The two sides split the first two games of the match. Fairleigh Dickinson won game three, 223-222, but the Bearkats tied it at two games all with a win in game four. Fairleigh Dickinson tallied its third game over 200 in game five and won 235-224. The Knights cruised in game six, 189-156. 

Fairleigh Dickinson is off for a week before concluding the regular season down in Tennessee for the Vanderbilt Music City Classic from March 17-19.