NEWPORT, Ky. -- Defending champion Belmont Abbey rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the final segment of the Mega-Match, then stormed to a 4-0 win in the deciding series to capture its third straight Conference Carolinas/Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women's Bowling Championship Sunday, defeating No. 2 seed Emmanuel twice. The win avenged a loss to the Lions in the winners' bracket final yesterday.

The Crusaders came out strong with an 899-867win in the traditional portion to open a 1-0 lead. They dropped the five-game Baker Total Pinfall portion by 13 pins and trailed in the deciding Best-of-Seven Baker series 2-1. In the final match to force another Best-of-Seven Baker series, Belmont Abbey finished with seven straight strikes, clinching the victory in the ninth frame.

In the "if-necessary" series of the double-elimination tournament, the Crusaders set the tone with a 180-114 victory, cruising to a four-game sweep.

With Sunday's victory, The Abbey earned an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Women's Collegiate Bowling Championship, which is scheduled to begin at four pre-determined regional sites (Arlington, Texas; Lansing, Mich.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Rochester, N.Y.) on April 2-4, with the National Championship slated for April 10-11 at Yorktown Lanes in Parma Heights, Ohio. The NCAA will unveil the 19 teams selected for the NCAA Tournament online at NCAA.com at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The Crusaders will be making their third-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Following the championship, Kiersten Michel was named tournament Most Valuable Player, while Canan Bademci and Aubrey Lloyd joined her on the All-Tournament Team.


MEGA-MATCH (Belmont Abbey wins 2-1)

TEAM TRADITIONAL GAME (Belmont Abbey wins 899-867 and leads 1-0)

• Aubrey Lloyd -- 204
• Kiersten Michel -- 193
• Laney Sasso -- 180
• Tara Kuster -- 170
• Canan Bademci -- 152

FIVE-GAME BAKER TOTAL PINFALL (Emmanuel wins 910-897, match tied at 1-1)
 

Team	1	2	3	4	5	TOTAL
No. 2 Emmanuel	198	144	227	163	178	910
No. 1 Belmont Abbey	199	166	168	190	174	897

BEST-of-SEVEN BAKER MATCH PLAY (Belmont Abbey wins 4-2, Belmont Abbey wins match 2-1)
 

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6
No. 2 Emmanuel	201	191	196	174	180	221
No. 1 Belmont Abbey	178	242	172	195	191	224

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH (Belmont Abbey wins 4-0)

BEST-of-SEVEN BAKER MATCH PLAY (Belmont Abbey wins 4-0)
 

Team	1	2	3	4
No. 2 Emmanuel	114	157	169	192
No. 1 Belmont Abbey	180	191	209	202