SINKING SPRING, Pa. – The eighth-ranked Fairleigh Dickinson women's bowling team started the NEC Spring Meet with two close losses and two additional defeats to conference opponents.
 
The Knights (61-37) finished with the second-highest team average in the first day of the conference meet, averaging 190.8 pins per game and totaling 3,815 pins in four matches to only trail Sacred Heart (191.0 pins per game). The match scores, however, did not favor the Knights, with two of the losses decided by less than 15 pins.
 
"You really got to tip your hat to all the teams we played today," head coach Mike LoPresti said at the end of the day. "They were relentless and capitalized on every mistake we made. In order to beat these teams during the rest of the weekend, we'll need to play quicker and freer. It's the same story over the past few weekends where we play well enough to lose close, and that's because we're trying too hard to make shots rather than simply playing the shot."
 
The Knights were led by sophomore Amanda Chrzanowski, who finished with the highest individual average among all bowlers who competed in at least four games. Chrzanowski averaged 232.8 pins per game and filled out games of 235 or higher in three of her four matches.
 
Sophomore Aimee Sherman turned in an average of 194.8 pins per game in four games, and junior Samantha Hart averaged 192.0 pins per game in four games as well. Senior Amy Caruso also competed in all four matches for the Knights, averaging 185.8 pins per game.
 
FDU started its second round of NEC play with its closest match of the day, a 958-946 loss to no. 23 Duquesne. Charzanowski (235), Sherman (215) and Hart (200) all totaled at least 200 pins for the Knights, and sophomore Deborah Epps entered the match in the ninth frame to try to spark a rally. The Knights' late push, however, came up a bit short as the Dukes held on for the victory.
 
Hart then led the Knights with a 202 from the leadoff spot in their second match, but the Knights suffered a 979-932 loss to St. Francis Brooklyn. Chrzanowski totaled a 195, her lowest score of the day, and Caruso contributed a 188.
 
The Knights then ran into a tough Saint Francis U team, ranked no. 11 in the NTCA poll, and fell by a score of 1090-961. Chrzanowski led the Knights with a score of 245.
 
Against no. 19 Mount St. Mary's, the Knights accumulated their highest team score of the day but suffered a close 988-976 loss. Chrzanowski saved her best game for last with a 256, and Caruso rebounded from her previous game with a 212. Sophomore Jenna Henderson subbed in for the seventh frame to try to ignite a run for FDU, but the team's efforts could not match Mount down the stretch.
 
FDU now sits in seventh place in the NEC standings entering the final two days of the second conference meet. Saturday consists of two more traditional team matches, against no. 20 Sacred Heart and no. 17 LIU Brooklyn, and then after a short break, the Knights will start Baker match play with three matches in the afternoon.
 
Check back here at fduknights.com after Saturday's matches for further updates.