LAS VEGAS – The 2024-25 bowling season came to an end for the women of the University of Pikeville on Friday with a fifth-place finish in the Intercollegiate Team Championships.
 
The Bears knocked off Newman (Kan.) University Friday afternoon 4-2 before falling to Maryville (Mo.) University 4-1.
 
UPike had a solid afternoon on the lanes, combing for 56 strikes in the two matches. Graduate student Kristina Catoe had 14 strikes in her 22 frames and freshman Katarina Hagler had 13. Graduate student Vanessa Fuzie and Kelsey Cummings had 11 each.
 
Four members of the team completed their eligibility in the tournament. They were Catoe, Cummings, Fuzie and Erica Warne, who was unable to compete this week due to an illness.
 
Bears 4, Jets 2: The Bears rolled 26 strikes to eliminate Newman on Friday afternoon, and in doing so, shared the lanes with UPike Hall of Famer Kayla Bandy, an assistant coach for the Jets.
 
The Bears opened strong, striking eight times to win the first game 245-160. That run included six straight beginning in the fifth, as Catoe both started and ended the run with strikes.
 
UPike moved ahead 2-0 with a 210-201 win. Four straight strikes, coming by Hagler, Cummings and two by Catoe in the 10^th, were the keys to the win. Hagler had strikes in both of her frames.
 
Newman got on the boards with a 191-178 win in Game Three. Two early open frames hurt, but Hagler's two strikes kept the Bears close. The Jets evened the score at two with a 192-157 win in the fourth game. The Bears had three open frames in this game while the Jets rolled a turkey beginning in the seventh frame.
 
The Bears were all but finished with open frames, having only one more in the final two games. In the fifth, they took a 3-2 lead with a 236-26 win. Four straight strikes from junior Victoria Hines, Hagler, Cummings and Catoe helped them build a big lead and survive a late turkey.
 
UPike closed it out with a 215-171 win, opening with four straight strikes from Fuzie, Hines, Hagler and Cummings.
 
Saints 4, Bears 1: UPike again opened strong, rolling strikes in eight of their 10 frames in the opening game. That included six straight beginning with Catoe in the fifth for the win.
 
But from there it was all Maryville. The Saints took the second game 201-174, as three open frames again proved costly. The third game was tight, with Maryville taking it 214-205. The Bears lost despite seven strikes, including two each from Fuzie and Hagler.
 
Maryville won the fourth game 243-198, turning in two four baggers in the contest. Fuzie had strikes in both of her frames of the loss.
 
The Saints finished it out strong, striking in five straight frames and seven of eight in a 247-167 win. Cummings struck on both of her tosses in the game.