ARLINGTON, Texas – The Prairie View A&M bowling team took the long road, but the journey proved worth it in the end.

Thrust into the unenviable task of defeating Jackson State twice to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference Women's Bowling Tournament, the Lady Panthers did just that, defeating the Lady Tigers in a pair of 4-2 decisions for the program's fifth tournament championship.

"It's very hard to find the right words to express how proud I am of this team and how they performed and battled to win this championship," PVAMU Head Bowling Coach Glenn White said. "Their performance was outstanding through some very adverse and challenging situations but they persevered like the champions they deserve to be. My hat's off to them. We're looking forward to going to Kansas City."

How it Happened:
The top-seeded Lady Panthers went ahead 1-0 in the first match thanks to a 233-182 win. After Jackson State tied the match, Prairie View A&M surged ahead in games three (171-149) and four (194-138) to take firm control. The Tigers would take game five, but a 216-193 decision in favor of the Lady Panthers forced a winner-take-all second match.

With momentum on their side, the Lady Panthers took command in the early goings of match two with a 213-160 win in game one and an 196-192 victory in game two. The Lady Tigers refused to go quietly with its top two efforts of the day, tying the match with a 216-192 decision in game three and a 233-204 win in the fourth game. However, the Lady Panthers refused to be denied, winning the conference tournament crown with an 199-156 victory in game five and an 187-167 triumph in game six.

Patricia Rosales was named the tournament's Most Valuable Bowler.

Next Up:
PVAMU awaits its destination for the NCAA Women's Bowling Tournament, with the regional round beginning April 3. Fans can watch the Lady Panthers' triumph in the SWAC Tournament on March 29 via tape-delay on ESPNU.

Keep up with all the latest news and information for PVAMU athletics by following pvpanthers.com as well as through Twitter via the PVAMU general sports account (@PVAMUPanthers). You can also follow along on Instagram.com/pvamupanthers.