PhotosRENO, Nev. – The University of Pikeville women's bowling team entered the 2014 xBowling Intercollegiate Team Championship finals as the only team in the field without a loss, but on Friday it was No. 2-seed Robert Morris (Ill.) ending the run with a 3-0 win at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center.
While the rounds leading up to the final were double-elimination, it was just one best-of-five series between the Bears and Eagles. Robert Morris captured its first national championship using game scores of 196-184, 192-167 and 213-163.
Pikeville, which has won the ITC two times (2008, 2004), had a memorable journey advancing to the final round.
Before playing in front of the CBS Sports cameras on Friday, the eighth-seeded Bears beat No. 9-seed Maryland Eastern Short, No. 1-seed Wichita State (Kan.) and No. 5-seed Grand View (Iowa) twice.
Robert Morris lost in the semifinals to Lindenwood (Mo.) 4-2 on Thursday, but bounced back in an if-necessary match to beat the Lions 4-1 and ultimately be able to capture the national title.
It's the second straight season that UPIKE has lost in the finals after falling to UMES in 2013. The Bears' last national championship came in 2012 when it won the NAIA Invitational, but they have not won at the ITC since 2008.
Out of 15 total tournaments bowled this season, UPIKE came away with seven wins. It also put a bowler on the All-American list as sophomore KT Simpson was named an honorable-mention choice by the coaches' association.
The xBowling ITC All-Tournament Team will be announced at the awards ceremony on Friday night where the Bears will also be presented their runner-up trophy and individual medals.
