ARLINGTON, Texas – Alabama State overcame the odds to win its first Southwestern Athletic Conference Women’s Bowling Championship title Sunday at the International Training and Research Center.

The championship match was taped for broadcast on ESPNU and will air April 2 at 10:30 p.m. Eastern and April 3 at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Alabama State, which earned the top seed during the opening day of competition, entered the championship match needing to defeat second-seeded and undefeated Texas Southern twice to win the title.

In the opening match, the Lady Hornets took Game 1, 237-147, before Texas Southern countered with a 179-109 victory in Game 2. Alabama State won three of the next four games to win the match, 4-2.   

In the winner-take-all match that followed, Alabama State again opened with a victory (201-166), while Texas Southern won Game 2, 201-188. The Lady Hornets won Game 3 and Game 4, and had a chance to win the title in Game 5, but an open in the 10th frame gave Texas Southern a two-pin victory, 192-190.

Alabama State didn’t allow the miscue to carry over to Game 6, taking the game 209-161 to claim the first SWAC Championship in program history.

The Alabama State team members are Gabrielle Hosein, Rebecca Hresko, Miranda Remmel, Jessica Sawmiller, Allison Sledge, Ashley Walker, Tiarra Wilkins and Haley Young, who was named the event’s Most Valuable Bowler.

Visit SWAC.org for complete tournament information, including photos and more.