Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University bowling team continued its 2024-25 season this weekend, finishing 10th at the prestigious Prairie View A&M Invitational in Arlington, Texas, at the International Training Center. Against a loaded field that featured matches against 10 ranked teams, including eight in the top 10 as well as each of the top five teams ranked in NCAA Division I, the Dukes finished 3-10. Overall during the 2024-25 season, Duquesne has compiled a record of 43-34 (.558).
BAKER ACTION
The Dukes opened play at the Prairie View A&M Invitational in Baker play Friday, finishing with a mark of 2-3. The first match featured a 1,021-970 setback to No. 8 Sam Houston State before Duquesne earned a 1,030-825 triumph over Texas Southern. No. 3 Nebraska followed by posting a 1,081-911 win before the Dukes closed out Baker action with a 995-921 victory over the host Panthers and a 1,024-932 loss to No. 12 Louisiana Tech. The lineup in Baker action for Duquesne opened with sophomore
Maribeth Baker, senior
Morgan Brookover, senior
Ranelle Ulanday, grad student
Samantha Timm and junior
Emma Siekierski, with sophomore
Ivanna Fraticelli being subbed in during game one against Sam Houston State.
FIREPOWER
Traditional play continued Saturday for the Dukes, with each of the six foes ranked in the top 10 of the latest
National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll in addition to each of the top five ranked squads. Duquesne took No. 1 Vanderbilt to the limit before falling by 18 pins, 1,091-1073. No. 4 Youngstown State followed, with the Penguins squeaking by Duquesne by just three pins, 1,046-1,043. No. 2 Jacksonville State earned a 1,124-946 victory before the Dukes closed with setbacks to No. 9 Maryville (1,043-987), No. 10 North Carolina A&T (1,060-976) and No. 5 Arkansas State (986-948).
SMALL WONDER
Senior
Shannon Small continued her stellar play in traditional games at the Prairie View A&M, finishing sixth with 1,364 total pins and a 227.33 average. She opened with a 209 against the Commodores before rolling a 225 vs. the Penguins. Three of the final four games in traditional play witnessed Small record a score of 230 or better, including a 234 against Jacksonville State, a 232 vs. Maryville and a 238 against Arkansas State. Small has finished in the top six in traditional play in five of Duquesne's six competitions this season, including second at the Northeast Classic last week, third at the Garden State Classic, fifth at NEC #1 and sixth at both the Penguin Classic to open the year as well as the Prairie View A&M Invitational.
CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
Moving into the best-of-seven championship bracket Sunday, the Dukes opened with a 4-1 win over Prairie View A&M Invitational before falling to Louisiana Tech, 4-2, to close out action in the tournament and finish 10th. Overall, the Dukes played in 60 games, accruing 11,824 total pins, an average score of 197.1. Vanderbilt claimed the team title at the Prairie View A&M Invitational with a 4-0 sweep of Jacksonville State, while North Carolina State A&T finished third. The highest pin total went to JSU, which closed with 13,203 in 61 games, an average of 216.4.
THE LINEUP
Elsewhere for the Dukes, Siekierski finished 31st during traditional play in a field that featured 81 bowlers, notching 1,202 total pins and an average score of 200.33. Ulanday also earned a top 50 finish with 982 pins in five matches, while Baker averaged 193.75 in three games of traditional action.
UP NEXT
The Dukes now get ready for NEC #2, which is slated for Friday, Feb. 14, through Sunday, Feb. 16, in Altoona, Pa., at Holiday Bowl. Duquesne won the championship at the first Northeast Conference competition in the fall with a 9-3 (.750) record and will look to claim their third consecutive NEC regular-season crown, including their second straight outright.
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