New Jersey City University Athletics

NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ…New Jersey City University, the No. 6 ranked team in the nation among Division I, II and III schools, posted a 5-1 record and a six-game pinfall of 5,742 to place third of 14 overall on the first day of team competition at the 2009 and fifth annual Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's Bowling Championship on Saturday at Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes. The ECAC Championship is hosted annually by NJCU.

 

NJCU improved its NCAA record to 75-28 and extended its winning streak to eight consecutive matches, claiming five victories to open team play on the second day of the tournament, before losing the final contest of the day. At 75-28, the Gothic Knights—a year after graduating two of its three All-Americans following a third place finish in the NCAA Championship—have an identical record after 103 matches as it did in 2008.

 

Each school bowled six five-person traditional team games and in the standings, #5 Delaware State University has a 15-pin lead over #2 Fairleigh Dickinson University, 5,954 to 5,939. DSU and FDU each led for three of the six rounds of play on March 7.

 

NJCU, which was among the top three in the standings all afternoon, is in third place, 212 pins behind the Hornets. The Knights posted a 957.0 per game average and twice exceeded 1,000 in a team game. In 84 total team games, NJCU, DSU and FDU combined for the only nine games with a score of 1,000 or better.

 

Defending national champion and #4 ranked University of Maryland Eastern Shore is fourth with 5,632 pins—110 behind NJCU, while Saint Peter's College is fifth at 5,516. The top four teams after the qualifying round concludes on Sunday will advance to the ECAC Semifinals.

 

NJCU opened the day with an important win, knocking off Maryland Eastern Shore, 956-907, as freshman JENNIFER DAUNNO (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) notched a 232. The Knights are 3-2 this year against the defending NCAA champions.

 

In the second match, NJCU posted its most lopsided win of the day, crushing Howard University by 319 pins—1,021-702. Three NJCU keglers exceeded 200 in the match, led by sophomore #AMANDA SMALL# (Port Reading, NJ/Woodbridge) with a 236.

 

In game three, the Knights rolled past Coppin State University, 842-726. Junior All-American CANDICE D'ANGELO (Coram, NY/Longwood (NY) led the way with a 212. D'Angelo also had a team-high of 201 in the fourth match, as NJCU downed Hampton University, 946-840.

 

In match five, NJCU posted another win over a Top 15 team, breezing past #14 Morgan State University, 1,015-900. Junior JENN MARMO (North Babylon, NY/North Babylon) fired a 255 to pace the Knights. Of the 420 total games bowled by the field of 91 bowlers, Marmo's 255 was the third highest score of the day. Daunno tossed a 214 in the win.

 

Delaware State rolled the three highest team games on Saturday, including in the final match of the day versus NJCU, snapping the Knights winning streak with a 1,032-962 decision. NJCU lost despite a 222 from Daunno and a 212 by sophomore NICOLE DREJERWSKI (Levittown, PA/Conwell-Egan Catholic).

 

Individually, Daunno, in her first ECAC Tournament, was NJCU's top performer. In six games she had a pinfall of 1,223 and a 203.83 average, logging a six series of 232-207-172-176-214-222. She was one of only eight bowlers who competed in six games and managed a 200+ average.

 

Drejerwski had a 198.17 average and 1,189 pinfall (199-209-172-195-202-212). Marmo, who in the singles tournament on Friday became the first player in ECAC Championship history to qualify for the playoff round in three consecutive years, continued to perform well with a 190.83 average and 1,145 six-game total wood (170-180-157-183-255-200).

 

D'Angelo had a six-game total of 1,115 (162-189-212-201-162-189) and a 185.33 average while Small finished with 1,070 pins (193-236-129-191-182-139) and a 178.33 average.

 

In the third and final day of the tournament on March 8, schools will conclude the qualifying round at 9:20 a.m. with three quad-Baker total pinfall matches, leading up to the semifinal round for the top four finishers, and consolation contests for the remainder of the field. NJCU will face Norfolk State University, #19 St. Francis College (NY) and #17 Adelphi University in Baker action.