Crusaders Take Top Seeds to the Wire

GASTONIA, N.C. — No. 6 seed Belmont Abbey pushed the top seeds to the limits Friday morning, but saw its season come to an end with a pair of heartbreaking 4-3 losses at the 2022 Conference Carolinas/Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Bowling Championship.

Each match at George Pappas’ Liberty Lanes was a best-of-seven Baker format, where five players alternate frames in two rotations.

The Crusaders held a 3-2 lead over top-seeded Lincoln Memorial and a 301 advantage over Tusculum before falling in both matches.

THE OPENER

• The Railsplitters came out strong, posting a 259-147 in the first game.
• The Crusaders were not deterred and rebounded for a 190-162 victory to pull even.
• After LMU took the third 1900-170, the Crusaders won the next two by slim margins. A 168-161 victory in the fourth and a 159-158 victory put The Abbey within one game of advancing.
• But Lincoln Memorial proved its seeding, taking the final two games 191-159 and 214-151 to stay in the winner’s bracket.

THE NIGHTCAP

• The Crusaders faced a No. 2 seeded Tusculum team that was upset in the opening match and dropped the first game 217-173.
• They immediately responded with three straight wins, 161-129, 189-154 and 175-169 to take a 3-1 advantage.
• Tusculum cruised to a 177-148 victory in game six, then forced a seventh and deciding game by just four pins 172-168.
• In the final game, the Pioneers edged out The Abbey 171-159.
• The action marked the final appearance for Crusader senior Sarah Kihnke.