ROCKFORD, Ill. - The UIndy women's bowling team competed in the Warhawk Classic at The Cherry Bowl over the weekend, wrapping up its first-ever NCAA competition in program history. The Greyhounds finished sixth as a team, while MaKayla Hampton placed in seventh place individually. Elizabeth Estes also finished with a strong individual total, finishing 11th in the tournament.
The tournament kicked off on Friday with the Baker format, where the Hounds would roll five Baker games per match. They posted a record of 2-3, knocking down a total pin fall of 4,146. UIndy picked up wins over Carthage and Marion (WI), while suffering losses to Elmhurst, Carroll, and Maryland Eastern Shore.
Saturday's competition hosted traditional game play, where UIndy bowled in five head-to-head matchups. The Hounds fought hard in the competition, falling to Wisconsin Whitewater 988-791 in their first match. Atop the Greyhound leaderboard was Emily Heldman, who rolled a 178. Estes led the Hounds in back-to-back narrow team losses, dropping decisions to Aurora and Carthage by a combined 33 pins. The junior posted scores of 195 and 176 in the games.
The Hounds started to build momentum in their fourth match against Elmhurst, as the team totaled a score of 846, led by Hampton's 192 and Ebony Ward's 189. UIndy picked up a win against the field in their fifth match, by a score of 872-807. Hampton had her best performance of the afternoon in this match, putting up a score of 222. Ward also put forth another strong performance with a 197.
The final event on Sunday was a Baker Bracket Play, a best-of-7 format, where UIndy won its matchup against Carroll, 4-2. Marion topped the Hounds, 4-1, in the next game, with the team scoring 199 in its game three victory. The Greyhounds were able to force a sixth game against Aurora, but eventually fell, 4-2. Overall, the tournament was a good early test for the team's first NCAA competition, as the Hounds finished with a 4-9 overall record.
The team's next competition begins this Friday, Oct. 25, where the Hounds will play in the Valpo Classic in Dyer, Ind.
