MARIETTA, Ga. -- Cumberland Women's Bowling reached match play in third place out of 15 teams with 7,675 pins and was able to get a win in match play to finish runner ups in the Bowlero Southern Collegiate Classic. 

To open the second day in Marietta, the Phoenix started in the second spot, only behind Pikeville, and 174 pins above fifth place Tennessee Wesleyan.

In the first block of baker games, CU started slow, only scoring 669 pins to improve their total to 5,363. The Phoenix averaged 167.25 in the first four baker games. After a sluggish first two games, Cumberland hit a 186 and a 190 to get back on track before block two.

In the second block, the Phoenix hit 812 pins, which included two games over 210, to get back on track and reach the score of 6,175 after the midway point in the baker games. CU averaged 203 pins to bounce back on day two. 

In block three, Cumberland maintained their consistency, scoring 790 pins, for an average of 197.5, to improve their standing within the top four. The Phoenix only had one game over 200 in this block, but the 10th baker game of the day was the best, scoring 246 pins to propel the Phoenix through this third block with a score of 6,965.  

In the final block, CU held strong with a four game score of 710, for an average score of 177.5, to complete their 16 baker games with a score of 2,981, and had a baker average of 186.31. The Phoenix finished the qualifications with a score of 7,675 pins and finished in third place for match play. SCAD-Savannah would be the top team entering match play, with Pikeville finishing in second, and just behind Cumberland is Milligan. 

In match play, Cumberland gets paired up with No. 2 seed, and conference rival, Pikeville. In match play, it was a best of five series, and this matchup had to go to six games. Cumberland won game one with a score of 232-227, the Bears took games two and three with 224-175 and 191-179 scores, but then Cumberland evened the series with a 237-160 game four win. Game five would be the deciding game, but it ended in a 181-181 tie, so it had to go to game six, where the Phoenix would take it with a 230-215 win and move onto the finals!

In the finals, they would face off against the No. 4 seed Milligan, and the Buffaloes would sweep CU. With games of 158-150, 224-153, and 198-179 to win the Bowlero Southern Collegiate Classic Championship.

The Phoenix will have a break before their next tournament, where CU will travel to Las Vegas for two, two day tournaments, with the Glenn Carlson Las Vegas Invitational on December 18th and 19th, and the Collegiate Shootout on the 20th and 21st.