Taylor, MI - There are six teams remaining at the 2011 NCAA Bowling Championships and two are from the Northeast Conference.

Defending NCAA champion, and 2011 NEC title-holder, Fairleigh Dickinson earned the No. 1 seed in the eight-team double-elimination bracket and proceeded to win its first two matches in best-of-seven baker play. Meanwhile, first-time participant Kutztown notched its first NCAA postseason victory by outlasting Central Missouri, 4-3, in an elimination match.

Sam Houston State was also eliminated along with Central Missouri, leaving Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Arkansas State and the two NEC teams as the six schools still alive for the 2011 national title. FDU (2-0) and Nebraska (2-0) are the lone two remaining unbeatens and have earned a Round 3 bye and will resume play in Round 4 at 5:20 pm on April 15 with their opponents to be determined.

FDU will face the winner of an elimination battle between Kutztown and UMES, while Nebraska awaits the winner of a bout between Vandy and Arkansas State.

After dropping their first round match to NEC rival, and No. 1 seed, FDU in seven games, Kutztown found itself on the brink of elimination in its bout with UCM. The Golden Bears, who are contesting the NCAA Championship for the first time in the program’s four-year history, fell behind, 3-2, to Central Missouri, which was appearing in the national title meet for an eighth straight season.

Meanwhile, a few lanes over, FDU completed a thrilling win over Vanderbilt with the match coming down to a five-frame baker roll-off. The Knights overcame an open second frame to top Vanderbilt by two pins, 107-105, and move along in the winners’ bracket.

FDU's No. 3 bowler Sara Litteral started the rally with a strike. Joely Carrillo followed by making it a double and handing the match over to anchor bowler Danielle McEwan. Two weeks removed from being named NEC Bowler of the Year, McEwan threw a strike and a 9-spare to clinch the narrow victory.