(Sterling Heights, MI) - The Concordia Cardinal Women's Bowling team rounded out their season on Saturday at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship. The Cardinals need a trio of wins, including two over Spring Arbor, to claim their first-ever National Championship. The Cougars however had different plans as CUAA was able to win two of their three matches today to finish as National Runners-Up.
The Cardinals first match of the day was against Mount Mercy. The two teams traded the first pair of games before Mount Mercy took a 2-1 lead following the third game. The Cardinals though were able soar back and claim the final three games, including a pair of games where the margin of victory was five pins, and advanced to the National Championship Matchup with the Cardinals needing to beat Spring Arbor twice in a row.
Spring Arbor took the first game of the Championship series, 187-157. CUAA responded with rattling off wins in the next three games, 178-168, 233-158, and 180-170 to take a commanding 3-1 win. Following a close SAU, 183-175, win in game #5, CUAA took the first matchup with a 189-155 win in game #6 to send the series into a winner-take-all situation.
The final series of the day saw SAU once again grab a win in the first game, 190-151, before the teams traded the next two with CUAA winning 203-179 and Spring Arbor winning 213-168, which gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead. Concordia bounced back right away with a 247 game to even the match back at two games apiece before claiming game five, 181-156. SAU fought back right away with a tight 190-170 to force the game seven.
After both teams left the first frame open and sparing the second frame, the Cougars were able to run away with the game as they struck out on nine of their final 10 throws to bowl a 268 to the Cardinals 180.
This marks the highest the Cardinals have ever finished at the National Tournament and ties the highest mark by a Cardinal bowling program as the men's team finished runner-up as well back in the 2018-19 season.
