The Prairie View A&M Lady Panther bowling team went through another round of growing pains this past weekend as they particpated at the highly competitive New Jersey Jamboree hosted by Fairleigh Dickinson University.
The team finished with an overall mark of 6-7 and could've easily amassed a winning record if not for a few breakdowns towards the end of several games against ranked squads.
"We lost some close matches to No. 4 ranked Arkansas State (24 pins) and to No. 7 ranked Fairleigh Dickinson (40 pins) after leading most of the match along with a five-pin loss to Delaware State," said head coach Glenn White. "We have to learn how to close out games and that will come with more experience and time."
Freshman Lynsie Rodriguez led the Panthers with an average of 189.2 for the weekend while junior Sharita Turner followed with an average of 188.8.
The road doesn't get any easier from this point as the Lady Panthers will conclude the fall semester with a trip to Valparaiso, Ind. this weekend for the annual Crusader Classic. Despite the early setbacks, White is optimistic about his young team's development.
"I am a little bit disappointed at the outcome of the tournament but I do see light at the end of the tunnel," he said. "Finishing with a 6-7 record in a tournament of this caliber is not bad considering the youthfulness of the team. We have another tough tournament to prepare for this weekend in Indiana and we will begin preparations immediately."
