STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich.--Cumberland Bowling fought through a hard-fought match against Kansas Wesleyan in the third round of the NAIA National Championship but came up just short in a 4-3 series loss.

The Phoenix entered the match after Kansas Wesleyan fell to top-seeded SCAD Savannah in the second round. In a tightly contested battle, Cumberland started strong with a 213-185 win in game two but found themselves in a back-and-forth fight throughout the series. They secured victories in three games, including a 207-pin performance in game six to force a decisive seventh game.

However, Kansas Wesleyan responded in the final game, edging out the Phoenix with a 189-146 score to take the series and move forward in the tournament.

With the loss, Cumberland's run at the national championship comes to an end after a competitive showing.

This was Cumberland's first-ever trip to the NAIA National Tournament making history for the program.