NEW CASTLE, Del. – Morgan Brunner led the way for the Maryville bowling team as the Saints opened their first competition of 2026 at the Northeast Classic, hosted by Sacred Heart University. Maryville finished the weekend in sixth place.
 
INS & OUTS
Maryville went a perfect 10-0 across both baker and traditional play to open the tournament. During baker matches, the Saints bowled under 1,000 pins twice, posting a high set of 1,068 against Duquesne University in Friday's third match.
 
That dominance carried into Saturday's traditional action, beginning with a shootout win over fellow Division II program Kutztown, 1109-1014. The Saints followed with four more convincing victories, winning each match by more than 100 pins.
 
Despite the momentum, bracket play proved to be the thorn in the Saints' paw. Maryville dropped two straight 4-3 matches to open bracket play, sending the Saints to the fifth-place match. Against Louisiana Tech, Maryville and the Bulldogs went blow for blow. After Tech jumped out to a 3-1 lead, the Saints battled back with wins of 175-169 and 237-203 to force a decisive game seven, where Maryville fell 230-201.
 
Brunner, a sophomore lefty, finished fifth individually among all bowlers, averaging 230.80 over three days of competition. Alexis Ingersoll also cracked the top 15 with a 13th-place finish, while Elizabeth Teuber placed 25th.
 
UP NEXT
The Saints head to the Lone Star State for their next competition at the PVA&M Invite in Arlington, Texas, hosted by Prairie View A&M. The tournament begins Friday, Jan. 23.