New Jersey City University Athletics

TEAM STANDINGS (thru day 2)
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

DOVER, DE (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University women's bowling team maintained a top three place in the standings and secured three victories as the Gothic Knights went 3-2 in NCAA matches on day two of the three-day Capital Classic on February 9, hosted by Delaware State University at Brunswick Doverama Lanes.
 
The Knights (39-29), ranked #13 nationally in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Media Poll and 17^th in the NTCA Coaches Poll, posted wins over Hampton University (1,078-989), #18 St. Francis College (Brooklyn), 1,049-980, and Cheyney University, 934-883, in the first, second and fifth matches of the day. All five matches were five-person traditional team games.
 
NJCU dropped a tough 1,010-996 decision to North Jersey rival #3/7 Fairleigh Dickinson University, before suffering its first-ever loss to North Carolina Central University, 916-878.
 
NJCU, which entered the day in second place among 12 teams in the standings, slipped one spot. After 10 total matches—five quad Baker matches and five traditional games—#1/2 ranked and two-time defending NCAA champion University of Maryland Eastern Shore leads the field with 9,753 pins, bowling five games of 1,000+ scores. FDU also bowled five 1,000-pin games and twice exceeded 1,100, to move into second place.
 
NJCU amassed 9,135 pins for third place—109 pins in front of #9/15 Adelphi University (9,026). Host #20/20 Delaware State was fifth (8,952). In all, there were 17 games of 1,000+ of the 60 bowled on February 9.
 
In the 69-woman field, senior anchor KELLY DAUNNO (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) narrowly missed an All-Tournament Team appearance by a mere six pins, but did take home the tournament's High Game Award, bowling a 279 in the win over St. Francis. Daunno placed sixth overall with a five-game pinfall of 1,111 and a 222.2 average as she fired scores of 256, 279, 205, 202 and 169.
 
Junior NICOLE BAGINSKY (South River, NJ/Cardinal McCarrick) finished 16^th overall with 1,007 pinfall and a 201.4 average, as she tossed marks of 215-231-160-173-228. Sophomore SONJA SHIRAK (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) listed 20^th with 983 pins (196.6), chalking up a 179-182-237-177-208 line. Daunno, Baginsky and Shirak were the only three bowlers to play in all five games in standings determined by total pinfall.
 
Senior KAITLYN SCHROEDER (Bayville, NJ/Central Regional) and sophomore AMANDA MASTROPOLO (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) each bowled four games and finished 51^st and 54^th, respectively. Schroeder was credited with a 766 total pinfall (191.5) and scores of 226-176-205-159. Mastropolo rolled total wood of 739 (184.75) with tallies of 202-181-189-167. Junior ASHLEY LANE (Brick, NJ/Brick Township) threw a 174 in her single game of action. Freshman JESMARIE REYES (Garfield, NJ/Bergen Tech) collected a 155 in her third collegiate individual game bowled. Schroeder subbed for Shirak in the fourth frame of match five.
  NJCU threw its highest traditional team score of the season, defeating the Pirates for the second time in as many meetings as five Gothic Knights tossed a plus-200 game, led by Daunno's 256. Schroeder fired a 226, Baginsky added a 215 and Mastropolo totaled a 202, en route to the 180-pin victory. Cierra Stancil and Rebecca Glazier collected a 216 and 212, respectively, to lead Hampton.
  NJCU won its third straight meeting with the Terriers and improved to 3-1 this year against its Northeast Conference foe, as Daunno threw a career-best 279 and Baginsky tacked on a 231. Daunno's only spare came midway through the match. SFNY received a 216 from Marissa Gargiulo, a 203 from Kristina Terpo and a 200 by Kaitlynn Nardiello.
  In just the third meeting of the season between the long-time North Jersey archrivals, FDU and NJCU were locked in a battle before the Knights edged the Gothic Knights by 14 pins. Shirak had her high score of the day with a 237 while Daunno and Schroeder each rolled a 205 in defeat. Michelle Hunzaker rolled a 227 and reigning NCAA Division I National Player of the Year Danielle McEwan added a 226.
  NJCU's lowest score of the day cemented its first-ever loss to NCCU as Daunno was the lone Gothic Knight to exceed 200 (202). Laverne Jones paced the Eagles with a match-best 235 and Kourtney Rodez added a 210. The teams have split the two matches played this year.
  NJCU rebounded from back-to-back losses with a 51-pin victory over the Wolves. Baginsky threw her second plus-225 score of the afternoon with a 228 while Shirak fired a 208. Taylor Billington had a match-best 246 and Danielle Mines rolled a 226 but Cheyney's other scores were 168 and lower.