Saint Francis U Wins All-Franciscan Final to Capture Its First NEC Tournament Title 3/23/2014 Click Here For SFU-SFBK Highlights Click Here For SFU-KU Highlights Click Here For SFBK-KU Highlights Click Here For Day One Release Altoona, PA -- Marissa Matassa and Heidi Baumert started it all, and head coach Tom Falbo let his two seniors finish it as well. The outcome of the 2014 NEC Tournament championship match was decided when Lauren Johnson filled the ninth frame of Game 4 with a spare. The Red Flash were on their way to a 4-0 sweep and their first-ever conference crown, but there was still one more frame to bowl. At that moment, Falbo turned to his bench and called on his lone two seniors. Matassa and Baumert have been a part of the program from Day 1, the lone two members of the current roster who were around for the inaugural season of SFU bowling in 2010. With the entire team cheering them on, the “original two” made for a storybook ending. Matassa struck first, and Baumert followed with a strike of her own to put the exclamation point on the 4-0 best-of-seven baker match victory over the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers. “I’ve never experienced a better moment in my coaching career [than when Matassa and Baumert threw the 10th frame strikes]. Not even one close.” said a visibly elated Falbo following the championship match. "That moment was a culmination of these four years and they started it and it came full circle on those last two balls." Falbo went on to explain he will honor Matassa and Baumert for their contributions to the program over the past four years. “I’m retiring both of their numbers for that. I may never retire another number, but No. 2 and No. 5 will never be worn again," the 2014 NEC Coach of the Year said. Saint Francis U, which was the runner-up at last year’s NEC Tournament, dropped their first match of the tournament on Saturday, but did not lose again. The Red Flash went on to string together four consecutive match wins, including a 4-to-2 victory over previously-unbeaten Kutztown in the opening match of Championship Sunday. "It starts with who’s behind me. These ladies will have this memory for the rest of their lives and no one can take that away from them. It’s theirs, and they deserve all of the credit," said Falbo. One of the driving forces behind SFU’s ascension from the losers’ bracket to the tournament title was sophomore Shelby Derr. The Pennsylvania product was the lone bowler to fill all of her frames during Sunday’s Championship Match. Derr, a sophomore, started the title tilt by striking three times in four attempts. Despite coming up one win shy of NEC supremacy, St. Francis Brooklyn enjoyed its best-ever performance in the six-year history of the conference’s championship event. The Terriers reached the tournament title tilt for the first time ever, but may have not advanced that far if not for the play of freshman Meghan Wing. The member of the 2014 NEC All-Rookie Team looked everything like a seasoned veteran throughout the entire two-day tournament. Wing filled 51 of 56 frames bowled this weekend and threw strikes on 40 of 67 chances. Round 4 #6 St. Francis Brooklyn 4, #3 Kutztown 2 (183-215, 163-222, 217-174, 210-206, 183-143, 235-226) #1 Saint Francis U, BYE Round 5 #1 Saint Francis U 4, #3 Kutztown 2 (159-169, 236-234, 178-194, 221-175, 214-211, 213-170) #6 St. Francis Brooklyn, BYE Round 6 #1 Saint Francis U 4, #6 St. Francis Brooklyn 0 (197-192, 223-187, 206-158, 204-163) ** #3 Kutztown had a bye in Round 3.