Nov. 2, 2009

The Pioneer women's bowling team kicked-off the 2009-10 season this weekend in Elmwood Park, NJ at the Fright Knight Invite hosted by Fairleigh Dickinson.  Sacred Heart posted a 7-6 record on the weekend and was led by sophomore Savannah Zientara (Lewiston, NY) who finished 13th in the field with a 182.3 average.  The Pioneers did pick up non-conference wins over NEC rivals Kutztown, New Jersey City, and Long Island.

Sacred Heart opened the tournament with a 2-3 mark on Friday, each match on day one consisted of a four baker games.  SHU lost to Adelphi 670-666 in the first contest of the tournament, as the Pioneers lost a lead in the fourth and final game.  The Pionners rebounded in game two with a 781-702 victory over Morgan State.  But in game three tournament host FDU would squeak by Sacred Heart 695-671.  The Pioneers responded by having their best set of the game in a 728-655 defeat of Northeast Conference member Kutztown.  The final match of day one would again see SHU come out on the wrong side of a tight contest, losing to Florida A&M 635-621.

The Pioneers opened day two with back-to-back team game victories over Long Island and Bethune Cookman.  Zientara led Sacred Heart with a 201 in game three but the Pioneers lost another heartbreaker 867-860 to Wisconsin-Whitewater.  The Pioneers would have a rally of their own in the day's foruth match as they came back to defeat New Jersey City 844-828, Nicole Caggiano (Woodbridge, NJ) paced the team with a 208.  Sacred Heart would finish the day edging eventualy tournament champion Delaware State 890-883 as Zientara posted a 210 game.

SHU earned the 8th seed in the tournament bracket which played out Sunday afternoon.  The Pioneers lost a best of seven series to the fifth seed Adelphi 4-2 (133-143L, 159-152W, 183-180W, 142-164L, 148-165L, 172-177L).  Sacred Heeart would end the tournament on a high note, defeating Wisconsin-Whitewater 4-1 (161-156W, 185-156W, 188-176W, 208-223L, 183-174W).

The Pioneers return to action in two weeks, November 14-15, as they head to Reading, PA for the first Northeast Conference meet of the season.