Port Jefferson, N.Y. - The Adelphi University women's bowling team fell just one match short of a third straight appearance in the East Coast Conference Championship title match on Sunday afternoon, seeing its tournament ended by Franklin Pierce University in what was ostensibly the league semifinals.

The Panthers suffered both losses in the double-elimination bracket to the Ravens, putting them behind the eight-ball as they entered Sunday's third day of play in the consolation bracket. After a stirring comeback against the Daemen College Wildcats, where Adelphi rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win in seven Baker games, the 11th-ranked team in the nation was swept by Franklin Pierce with a spot in the final on the line to end their season.

Battling back was the theme of the weekend for the two-time defending champions on home lanes at Port Jeff Bowl, Adelphi began day one in ninth place following a loss to Felician University in its opening Baker match on Friday.

However, wins over LIU Post, Roberts Wesleyan and Daemen, plus a 1,061-979 defeat to eventual champions and 23rd-ranked Lincoln Memorial for a high pinfall helped Adelphi finish second in group and third overall in total pins with 4,577, clinching a top-four seed to earn a bye into Saturday's action. 

Opening day two as the No.3 seed, the Brown and Gold defeated Roberts Wesleyan by a 4.5-1.5 decision, which included a tie in the second game, before falling to Franklin Pierce for the first time this season, 4-2, to drop into the consolation bracket.

However, the Panthers ensured they'd play on Sunday - keeping their title defense alive - with a Baker sweep of Molloy in which they logged a 200-plus game collectively in three of the four that were played.

Adelphi needed to win four straight matches to claim a third straight league title, but fell short in the second match of that quest as the Ravens scored four straight victories to advance to the ECC Championship match for the first time.

Adelphi's season ends at 74-36 overall under head coach Dennis Kearney, having received four All-Conference honors for seniors Rebecca Gotterbarn, Lena Sorrentino and Katelyn LaRocca, and freshman Skylar McGarrity. Gotterbarn was named the league's Bowler of the Year for a second time while Kearney was selected ECC Coach of the Year by his peers.

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About Adelphi Athletics
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009, and in the past eight seasons, has collected 25 regular season conference titles, 26 tournament championships, 33 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup four times (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), while winning six NCAA Division II National Championships.

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