Women’s Bowling Places Fourth in Unicorn Invitational
ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's bowling team started its 2022-23 schedule on Saturday, taking over hosting duties for the annual Unicorn Invitational, which was held at the Lions' home alley at the F.A. Gerhart Lanes at the Bavarian Aid Society.
Competing against fellow Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponents Penn State Behrend, Pitt-Bradford, and Saint Vincent College in five-game baker matches, Penn State Altoona finished the day in fourth place place with a total pinfall of 3,471. The Lions compiled a 2-3 head-to-head record.
St. Vincent won the event with a 4,040 pinfall, Penn State Behrend took second place with 3,793, and Pitt-Bradford came in third with 3,655.
Penn State Altoona won two out of its five head-to-head matches, defeating Pitt-Bradford 688-684 and Penn State Behrend 781-775. The Lions also suffered a pair of losses to St. Vincent by scores of 834-724 and 819-675 and a loss to Pitt-Bradford by a 787-603 decision.
In its first match of the day, Penn State Altoona fell 834-724 to St. Vincent. The Lions rolled 186 as a team during the fourth game, but a slow start to the match was the difference in the end, as the Bearcats prevailed by 110 pins.
Next, the Lions edged out Pitt-Bradford 688-684 for Penn State Altoona's first victory of the season. The home team got out to a 437-402 lead over the Panthers through the first three games of the match, including the Lions scoring 171 in the third game. Pitt-Bradford closed the gap over the final two games, but Penn State Altoona held on for the four-pin win.
Penn State Altoona had its best match score of the day and pulled out another tight win in the day's third competition, this time defeating Penn State Behrend by six, 781-775. The Lions eclipsed the 200-mark by downing 201 pins as a team in the third game, and Penn State Altoona held on again to record its second victory of the day.
In match number four, the Lions faced off with St. Vincent again. The Bearcats ran up an early lead, and Penn State Altoona was unable to overcome the deficit, losing the match 819-675.
In the day's fifth and final match, Penn State Altoona had a rematch with Pitt-Bradford. However, the Lions were unable to duplicate their success from their victory over the Panthers earlier in the day, as Pitt-Bradford prevailed 787-603.
Kennedie Lauver (New Berlin, PA/Mifflinburg) finished the day with a team-best 16.88 baker average for the Lions, while Chloe Mazza (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) posted a 16.00 baker average. Breanna Yarnall (Bedford, PA/Bedford) had a 13.60 baker average, Kaitlyn Estright (Norristown, PA/Archbishop Carroll) recorded a mark of 13.21, and Isabelle Forcey (Clearfield, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) finished with 11.18.
Next up, Penn State Altoona women's bowling will compete in its first conference event of the schedule, traveling to western New York to play in the AMCC Round Robin #1 on Saturday, November 19 and Sunday, November 20. The two-day event is hosted by Medaille College at Classic Lanes in Kenmore, N.Y.
