Barton women's bowling claims second straight national runner-up; Cessna claims individual crown at NJCAA Championships #GoBarton

Making its' second consecutive trip to the NJCAA Championships the Barton Community College women's bowling team did not disappoint. The Cougars rolled to their second straight runner-up finish in Lansing, Michigan. Taylor Cessna also clinched the programs second individual national champion, second All-American and for the first time in history the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Cessna made it back-to-back years for Barton etching her name as the program's second individual champion, compiling a 629 in Thursday's singles competition edging the 63-participant field. Totaling 342 pins through the opening two rounds, Cessna soared atop the leaderboard in the final game rolling to a school record single game score of 287, edging out Kelsey Kipp of Kellogg Community College by seven pins. The sophomores combined mark of 1,203 destroyed pins throughout singles and doubles competition crowned Cessna as the tournament Most Valuable Player. Alexis Leon joined Cessna inside the top ten, riding scores of 187, 200 and 177 falling just 40 pins shy of All-American honors.

Defending individual champion Alexandria Newell paired with freshman Angelina Leeper led the Cougars in the three game doubles portion boasting a fourth best finish of 1,054 three-game score. Newell led the pair blasting 544 pins (206, 205, 133), Leeper tipped over (180, 139, 191).

Wrapping up opening day action, the Cougars led the 12-team field following the first of the two 5-man three-team games as the Barton 5 pack carded in a 2,513.

In final day action, the Cougars slipped back to second place by 44 pins following the final three 5-man games. Heading into the final portion of nine baker games split into three separate sessions, Barton remained in contention rolling an opening round score of 546 just four pins back of leader Iowa Central's 550. The Cougars hopes of a national championship took a turn in the second baker games as the deficit grew to 117 following a 506 score to the Triton's 565 round. Looking for one final surge in the final baker games, Barton out rolled the Tritons 524-508. The final leaderboard showed the Cougars on the wrong side by 101 pins as Iowa Central claimed the national title for the second consecutive year.

Women's Individual Single Scores and Placings
1st Taylor Cessna: 158, 184, 287 – Series: 629
9th Alexis Leon: 187, 200, 177 – Series: 564
11th Alexandria Newell: 182, 188, 170 – Series: 540
14th Angelina Leeper: 170, 215, 148 – Series: 533
24th Martinique Merz: 138, 188, 178 – Series: 504
37th Faith Whited: 174, 153, 142 – Series: 469
58th Erin Mayfield: 150, 126, 139 – Series: 415