NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (November 6, 2021) – The Mount St. Mary's women's bowling team captured three big victories on Sunday to remain atop the Northeast Conference standings at 6-1. The Pioneers of Sacred Heart posted an identical record to join the Mountaineers in a tie for first heading into the second conference meet in February.
 
Senior Rebecca Dodson was lights out with a 22.20 baker frame average. Junior Amanda Yeung also had a terrific day with a 21.87 baker frame average. Sophomore Alyssa Alexander (20.58), senior Tamera Stanton (18.97) and senior Danielle Milo (18.77) completed a well-rounded scoring output for the Mount. Overall, the ladies averaged 204.75 across 16 games.
 
#13 Mount: 4 (174-220-234-223) | Wagner: 0 (148-146-159-171)
 
Reminded by the Seahawks lone conference last season against the Mount, the ladies ensured Wagner would remain winless on the weekend with a dominating 4-0 sweep. The closest the Staten Islanders would come would be a 26-pin margin in game one before the Mountaineers posted three consecutive games over 220.
 
#13 Mount: 4 (189-225-201-157-199-201) | #23 Long Island: 2 (147-110-221-182-196-188)
 
With both teams tied for first at 4-1 alongside Sacred Heart, match two of the day proved to be important ones for both teams. The Mount struck first with huge margins of victory in games one and two. The Sharks made their adjustments, however, and struck back with two of their own setting up a pivotal game five. It came down to the last frame, with Dodson needing the first two strikes in the tenth to give MSM the win. The senior delivered and the Mountaineers used that momentum to take game six and put LIU behind them in standings.
 
#13 Mount: 4 (159-213-186-275-177-243) | #8 Fairleigh Dickinson (166-192-149-192-215-216)
 
A tale of two weekends and expectations collided to end Sunday. The defending NEC champion Knights against the fourth-place preseason Mountaineers were having very different weekends entering their match. The Mount ensured it would stay that way. After falling behind 0-1, the Mountaineers rattled off the next three wins, including a 275 game five that saw the first eight strikes go down. FDU rallied to take game five, but MSM got back on the right lane for game six and got right back lined up to the tune of a 243 to complete the 3-0 day and 6-1 weekend.

"This conference is so tough and especially amongst the top four or five teams you know it's always coming down to the end," said head coach Kenneth DeGraaf. "You have to respect every team here because any match can change on a dime. Momentum is everything, and our ladies did a great job keeping momentum or taking it right back the second it was taken away. We played the lanes the right way and for the most part executed when needed. There is a long way to go in conference play but heading into the second semester knowing we are atop the standings will take a lot less pressure off our shots than we felt the last two years where we required big final weekends to make the dance. With one more big weekend left this semester we are confident we can complete what has been an overall national statement made by these ladies four weekends in."
 
The Mount will have next weekend off before competing in the always competitive Hawk Classic Nov. 19-21, at Millsboro Lanes in Millsboro, Del, hosted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The field will consist of almost all nationally ranked teams and be the Mount's toughest competition to date heading into the winter break.
 
CUREENT NEC STANDINGS
T1. Mount St. Mary's (6-1)
T1. Sacred Heart (6-1)
3. Long Island (5-2)
4. Duquesne (4-3)
T5. St. Francis Brooklyn (3-4)
T5. Fairleigh Dickinson (3-4)
7. Saint Francis U (1-6)
8. Wagner (0-7)