ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's bowling team resumed its 2022-23 schedule on Friday with its first competition since November 12, as the Lions bowled five head-to-head matches in day one of the Saint Francis University Red Flash Invitational at Holiday Bowl.

Day one of the three-day invitational featured five traditional team format matches. Penn State Altoona ended the day in ninth place out of 10 teams, going 0-5 and dropping 3,038 pins for an average of 121.5 per game. Duquesne University finished atop the pack after the first round, going 5-0 and dropping 4,982 pins as a team.

The Lions started the day against a pair of familiar opponents, taking on fellow Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference schools Pitt-Bradford and Mount Aloysius College.

Penn State Altoona opened against Pitt-Bradford and suffered a 730-629 loss. Chloe Mazza (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) rolled a 150 for the Lions to lead the way, while Kennedie Lauver (New Berlin, PA/Mifflinburg) and Isabelle Forcey (Clearfield, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) scored 132 and 131, respectively.

The Lions followed that with a 732-578 loss to Mount Aloysius in their next matchup. Mazza and Maddy Sosko (Latrobe, PA/Greater Latrobe) tied for the match-high by finishing with 123 each, but Penn State Altoona was unable to get past their nearby conference rival.

In its third match, Penn State Altoona totaled its best team score of the day but still lost 776-693 to D'Youville College, a former member of the AMCC and current Division II institution. Lauver posted the Lions' high score on the day by rolling a 155, and Mazza recorded 147. Forcey dropped 142 pins, Breanna Yarnall (Bedford, PA/Bedford) totaled 131 pins, and Sosko rounded out Penn State Altoona's five with 118.

Penn State Altoona faced another Division II school in its fourth match of the day, when the Lions fell 948-568 to Walsh University. Kaitlyn Estright (Norristown, PA/Archbishop Carroll) led Penn State Altoona in the match by rolling 133, and Yarnall contributed a 121.

In its fifth and final traditional format match of the opening day of the invitational, Penn State Altoona took on Division I Duquesne, and the Lions lost 1157-570. Lauver and Mazza each rolled a 147 for Penn State Altoona in the match.

By the day's end, Mazza led Penn State Altoona in pinfall and average, totaling 567 pins for an average of 141.75 per game. Lauver had the next best marks, dropping 555 pins and averaging 138.75 per game while bowling the Lions' high score for the day with 155 against D'Youville. Forcey finished with 469 pins, putting down 117.25 per game.

Yarnall finished with a 120.67 per game average, dropping 362 pins. Estright had 340 pins for an average of 113.3 per game, and Sosko ended with 328 pins, averaging 109.3 per game. Angela Bunk (Long Beach Island, NJ/Southern Regional) totaled 212 pins and averaged 106.0 per game, and Brooke Yarnall (Bedford, PA/Bedford) rounded out the Lions' bowlers with 205 pins and a 102.5 average per game.

The SFU Invitational resumes tomorrow, Saturday, January 28, when the format changes to five-game baker play. A senior recognition will commence at 9:00 a.m., and the baker matches are set to get underway at 9:55 a.m.

Penn State Altoona is scheduled to face Pitt-Bradford in Saturday's first baker match, followed by matches against Wagner College, Valparaiso University, Pitt-Greensburg, and host St. Francis.