HAMILTON, N.J. – After winning the regular season title, the Sacred Heart University women's bowling team held on to its crown and won its fifth Northeast Conference Championship on Saturday morning. The top-seeded Pioneers topped fifth-seeded Long Island, 2-0, in the best of three Mega Match to cap off an undefeated NEC Tournament and punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. 
 
Sacred Heart's last tournament title was in 2019. The Pioneers also hoisted the trophy in 2016, 2012 and 2010. 
 
In the traditional round, SHU bested LIU, 1,075-1,048. Three Pioneers broke 200 led by first-year Nancy Kohut with 241. Sophomore Paige Donovan trailed with 230, followed by graduate student Colby Jones with 226.
 
The Pioneers rolled past the Sharks, 1,126-933, in the best of five baker match series to win the tournament. Both Kohut and Donovan went 5-for-7 in strikes. Junior Hannah Manetta anchored the Pioneers and was clutch down the stretch. She hit the pocket in every shot and struck 11 out of 15 shots.
 
Over the course of the tournament, five Pioneers averaged over 20 pins per frame. Donovan led the charge at 22.87 followed by Kohut (22.61) and Manetta (22.43). Amanda Shelters added 21.00 while Jones averaged 20.67. 
 
Donovan also led in strikes as she went 41-for-61 (67%). Not too far behind, Kohut and Manetta both posted a 66-strike percentage (44-67). The trio continued their impressive outings by filling 90% of their frames. Kohut posted a 91-fill percentage and Donovan and Manetta both filled 90%. 
 
SHU will hear their path during the NCAA Selection Show on Wednesday. The NCAA Tournament appearance will be the Pioneers' eighth in school history. The championship begins April 8-9th at regional sites, with the Final Four taking place on April 15-16th in Columbus, Ohio.