April 12, 2007

APOPKA, FL - After eight games of qualifying at the NCAA Women's Bowling Championship, Sacred Heart University stands in sixth place in the eight-team field and will face #3 seed Vanderbilt University Friday morning in a best of seven baker match in the first round of the double elimination bracket.

In the first game of qualifying freshman Marissa Gagliardi led the team with a 236 and Amanda Lulu added 224 for 969 to place the team sixth. Lulu threw a 241 in game two, along with Chrissy Onderdonk's 236 for 1065 which was the second high game that round. Gagliardi shot 259 followed a 204 by Lulu for a team game of 1025.

Even though Lulu was in the top ten in individual averages, she sat out the last game of the block to give a pre-existing back injury a rest. Onderdonk picked up her teammate by shooting 227, while Jamie Manzo came off the bench with 213 for a 992 total.

"With two starters sitting out with injuries the young players did a great job to keep the team in sixth place after the morning block," said head coach Becky Kregling.

The second qualifying block consisted of four 5-game baker matches. Four of the five usual starters Jamie Manzo, Alice Kessler, Marissa Gagliardi and Chrissy Onderdonk, competed for the entire round while two first year players, Jessica Blok and Audrey Sachs, filled the fifth spot. After a rough start of 931 and 922 the SHU bowlers shot 1019 and 985 to easily hold onto sixth place by 236 over New Jersey City University.

Lulu finished the day by leading the team in average with 223 followed by Onderdonk at 217 (10th overall) and 214 by Marissa Gagliardi (14th overall).

Competition resumes Friday morning at 9:20 AM. The lady pioneers will play Vanderbilt University