Dec. 3, 2010

NORFOLK, Va. -- Bethune-Cookman's bowling team heads into the second weekend of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southern Division play knowing they're the hunted instead of being the hunters.

The Wildcats were picked to finish second in the conference, and that overconfidence along with the opposition bringing their best effort combined to B-CU posting a disappointing 2-6 record when the Southern Division met for competition two weeks ago in Greensboro, N.C.

 Action resumes this weekend in Norfolk, Va.

“That first weekend was an eye opener,” said B-CU coach Tony O'Neal. “Everyone's giving us their best shot. We're in a big hole and now we have to respond.”

The 2-6 finish left the Wildcats in a fourth-place tie with North Carolina A&T in the Southern Division, four matches behind Norfolk State. Four teams from each division advance to the conference tournament.

“We've set a goal of finishing the weekend undefeated,” O'Neal said. “No longer should we have to hide from a challenge and play mind games. We have to go in there and get in the first punch … and the last punch.”

Jazmin Sutherland was B-CU's top performer in Greensboro, ranking 15th with a total pinfall of of 845. Just a few steps behind, Melonie Mitchell was 19th with an 820 that included consecutive games of 196 and 195.

“I'm happy with the effort we've shown in practice since Thanksgiving break. We've worked on a lot of things,” O'Neal said. “We have to translate that into competition mode.”