HAMILTON, N.J. (Feb. 26, 2023)--The Morgan State Lady Bears won their first two matches on Sunday, putting them in the championship match against Fairleigh Dickinson. The Knights bowled well in the match to beat the Lady Bears, with the Lady Bears taking home 2^nd place and placing Cheyenne Washington on the All-Tournament Team.
 
Coming into today's championship bracket round, Morgan State was in 2^nd place among the 11 teams in the field. They had play one more traditional match to start the day on Sunday.
 
Sunday's Traditional Match
#24 Morgan State 956, Long Island 842
In the final traditional match of the tournament, the Lady Bears grabbed an early lead from Long Island University and held strong to the end. Cheyenne Washington finished her fine six-game set of bowling with a 224. Johnna Hill also shot a 224 for the Lady Bears.
 
Traditional Averages: Cheyenne Washington 216.0 (6 games), Johnna Hill 200 (3 games), Natalia Miranda Vega 197.50 (6 games), La'Monique Berrios 196.17 (6 games), Aliya Adams 931 (5 games), Naomi Smith 181.67 (3 games), Carrington Beaman 180 (1 game).
 
Bracket Best 4-of-7 Baker Matches
#24 Morgan State 4, Wilmington 3
Heading into the bracket finals consisting of two Best 4-of-7 Baker Matches, the Lady Bears were the 3^rd seed facing 2^nd seed Wilmington University. The winner would advance to the championship match. After four games the match was tied 2-2. That is when the Lady Bears took control in Game 5 (215-132) and Game 6 (215-202), to win the match 4-2 and advance to the championship match against Fairleigh Dickinson.
 
Championship Match
#24 Morgan State 0, Fairleigh Dickinson 4
In the match for the championship, it was the Knights defeating the Lady Bears 4-0. FDU averaged 221 for the four games and rolled a 700 series in the first three games of the set and claimed the championship. It was a great showing all weekend by the Lady Bears, who had a convincing win of their own against FDU in Friday's Baker total pinfall match.
 
Baker Frame Averages: Cheyenne Washington 21.24, Aliya Adams 20.62, Natalia Miranda Vega 20.18, La'Monique Berrios 19.94, Carrington Beaman 17.97, Naomi Smith 17.93, Johnna Hill 16.78.
 
"The ladies took charge early on Friday and like all spring semester continue to make a statement at the national level with their high scoring and wins against ranked teams," said Morgan State head coach Tom Falbo. "I was proud of their performance all weekend."
 
Morgan State junior, Cheyenne Washington earned All-Tournament Team honors with her strong 216.0 traditional game average for her six games bowled. She finished 5^th overall in the field. For the last four games in her set, Washington averaged a blistering 232.25 (265-206-234-224).
 
Coach Falbo regarding Washington's All-Tournament Team honors, "Cheyenne is emerging before our eyes, and in my opinion is just getting started. Her game has no limits. The key for her this season has been the growth in her ability to make quick and correct changes throughout the day. I congratulate her on honors well deserved!"

Morgan State will next be in action at the USBC ISC Singles Sectional in Centerville, Ohio on March 10^th at Poleking Lanes.
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.