Undefeateds lose, play again

Three local women still competing in today's matches

BY MATT FIORITO
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

There's nobody left. Nobody undefeated that is.

Nonetheless, there are four schools in the fight today for the NCAA Women's Bowling Championship at Super Bowl in Canton.

Fairleigh Dickinson (112-28) and Delaware State (119-37) were undefeated going into Friday's fourth round, but rather than facing each other in a true winners-losers bracket format, each faced a one-loss team. And each lost.

Central Missouri (87-37) defeated FDU (with Sara Litteral, L'Anse Creuse North), 4-2, in the Baker-game format, and Nebraska (69-20) defeated Delaware State, 4-2.

The same teams will meet today at 5 p.m., with the winners advanced to the ESPN2-televised final at 8 p.m.

CM's Jennies (the men's team is the Mules), with Allison Gerding Scully (Davison) bowling third and Theresa Christopher (Trenton) at anchor, kicked the Knights, 188-165, 169-212, 205-202, 214-192, 159-197 and 212-187.

In the Baker format, each bowler rolls two frames, so Christopher was responsible for the fifth frame and the frequently all-important 10th frame in a format where it's hard to get in a groove.

"It's tougher," Christopher said. "You have to make sure you get a clean frame and make your spare if you don't strike. I'm fortunate I filled my frame in the 205-202 game."

NOTEBOOK: New Jersey City University tried to be the little school that could, but despite a valiant effort against powerhouse Nebraska, the Gothic Knights ended up being the little team that put up a heck of a battle. The Knights, with only a five-player roster and no athletic scholarship players, extended the Cornhuskers to the limit, before losing, 4-3, Friday in an elimination losers' bracket match.

"We're a Division III school, so we can't give athletic scholarships," said Jersey City coach Frank Parisi, the division coach of the year. "I pretty much have to find kids who live nearby."

The Knights roster consists of freshman Jennifer Daunno, sophomores Amanda Small (DIII player of the year) and Nicole Drejerwski, and juniors Candace D'Angelo and Jenn Marmo.

Contact MATT FIORITO: 313-222-6721 or mfiorito@freepress.com.

Additional Facts

NCAA championship

What: Sixth annual NCAA women's bowling championship.



Where: Super Bowl, 45100 Ford Road, Canton.



When: Today -- 5 p.m. fifth match-play block; 8 p.m. championship final.



Tickets: $8 and $13. Call 734-459-6070 for information.



TV: ESPN2, 8 p.m.