Elizabeth City State Rallies To Win First CIAA Bowling
Title
March 23, 2009
DURHAM, N.C. – On the brink of elimination, Elizabeth City State University battled back to capture its first ever CIAA Women’s Bowling Championship Monday (March 23) at AMF Durham Lanes.
Led by most valuable bowler Tiffany Johnson, the top seed Lady Vikings knocked off No. 2 seed Bowie State University 4-1 and 4-0 in the finals after being nearly ousted from the tournament. The Lady Vikings advanced to the finals only after edging third seed Virginia State University 4-3-1 in the semifinals.
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| MVB-Tiffany Johnson |
“They wanted to win,” said Lady Vikings’ head
coach Jody Williams about his team. “The girls stayed
together and stayed focused.”
The Lady Vikings entered the morning unbeaten in the winner’s
bracket of the double-elimination baker championship format after
two victories Sunday, but they were stunned 4-2 by Bowie State
Monday.
The loss sent the Lady Vikings to the elimination bracket where
they barely held off Virginia State. The seven-game match went to a
tiebreaker game.
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| 2009 CIAA Bowling Champions Elizabeth City State University |
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| 2009 All-Tournament Bowling Team |
By CIAA rules, the tiebreaker in the elimination round is a
modified baker game in which both teams play the last five frames
instead of 10 frames in a normal baker game.
Getting four straight strikes including three in a row from
Johnson, the Lady Vikings slipped past Virginia State in the
tiebreaker game to reach the finals for another shot at Bowie
State, which was unbeaten in the championship bracket.
In the finals, the Lady Vikings dispatched Bowie State twice with
ease.
Coach Williams was worried during the elimination match, but the
Lady Vikings battled through adversity to win three straight
matches for the 2008-09 championship.
“They had the will to win,” Williams said about the
Lady Vikings.
Joining Johnson on the 2008-09 All-CIAA Tournament Team was Tycora
Brown of Bowie State, Keia Marshall of Shaw University, Tiffany
Ball of Saint Paul’s College and Danielle Gammon of Virginia
State University.
During the awards ceremony, the Lady Vikings received their 2008-09
championship plaque while Bowie State was awarded the runner-up
plaque and Virginia State accepted its third-place plaque.
The championships were held from March 21-23, 2009.
Monday’s Results
Quarterfinals
No. 2 seed Bowie State d. No. 1 seed Elizabeth City State 4-2
No. 3 seed Virginia State d. No. 8 seed Saint Augustine’s
4-2
No. 5 seed Saint Paul’s d. No. 4 seed Fayetteville State
4-1
Semifinals
No. 3 seed Virginia State d. No. 5 seed Saint Paul’s 4-0
No. 1 seed Elizabeth City State d. No. 3 seed Virginia State
4-3-1
Finals
No. 1 seed Elizabeth City State d. No. 2 seed Bowie State 4-1
No. 1 seed Elizabeth City State d. No. 2 seed Bowie State 4-0
