Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University bowling team opened its 2024-25 season Friday with the first of three days of action at the Penguin Classic in Struthers, Ohio, at Holiday Bowl. Opening with five Baker matches, the Dukes finished 4-1 (.800).
Duquesne, which entered the season ranked
No. 10 in NCAA Division I according to the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) as well as the preseason
favorite in the Northeast Conference (NEC), christened the new year with back-to-back wins over ranked teams, earning a 1,053-870 victory over No. 21 McKendree before defeating No. 19 Valparaiso, 953-841. The Dukes suffered their first loss against No. 5 Nebraska, 1,103-1,052, before rebounding to earn a 1,003-942 triumph over Bryant and closing with a 946-854 win over Lewis.
In the first match of the year against the Bearcats, Duquesne earned a 192-191 win in game one before cruising, including a 237 in game four. A total of 12 of the 25 games the Dukes rolled Friday featured a score of 200 or better, including a 258 in game two against the Cornhuskers. Duquesne also won game three against Nebraska, 233-196, and game five, 204-198, in falling by just 51 pins. The key game against Cornhuskers was the fourth, as Nebraska earned a 257-187 win.
The Dukes fell behind Bryant in their fourth Baker match of the day before roaring back in games four and five, earning a 203-167 win in the former before a 255-203 triumph in the latter sealed a 61-pin victory. The same held true against the Flyers in Duquesne's final match of the day, as a 216-174 win in game four and a 227-178 triumph in game clinched a 92-pin advantage.
Host Youngstown State was the only team to go 5-0 in the first day of action Friday at Holiday Bowl but sits second in total pins (5,203) behind Nebraska, which accumulated 5,388 in finishing with a 4-1 record. Wichita State, which also finished 4-1, sits third with 5,043 total pins, while the Dukes are fourth at 5,007. The lineup for Duquesne in the season opener Friday featured sophomore
Maribeth Baker, junior
Emma Siekierski and seniors
Morgan Brookover and
Ranelle Ulanday and fifth year
Shannon Small.
Traditional play is on tap Saturday in the second day of the Penguin Classic, with the Dukes opening at 9:25 a.m. against No. 3 YSU. The Saturday slate also features Central Missouri, Roberts Wesleyan, Niagara and Wichita State.
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