The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's bowling team posted a phenomenal weekend in Dallas, Texas qualifying for the United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships in thrilling fashion. The Warhawks fought their way into fourth place to 

The USBC Sectional opened with singles qualification Friday. In a field of 133 at the sectional, only the top five would qualify for the USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships. Rebecca Howard (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Buffalo Grove) tied for fourth to make the cut. Her total pinfall in the six-game series was 1174 bolstered by a top score of 227. Teammate Kelly Whipple (Sheboygan, Wis./South) finished just outside the top five, only 10 pins back of fourth place. Skye Farr (Sun Prairie, Wis.) finished among the top 20 with a total pinfall of 1138. 

Saturday marked the start of a marathon of a team competition -- two days comprised of 32 baker games each. At the end of Saturday, the Warhawks held fifth, just 19 out of the cut. 

UWW dropped into sixth early Sunday where they remained over the next 24 baker games. The Warhawks battled in the next set of four baker games, rising into fifth place, 107 pins out of the cut, with just four games left. 

UW-Whitewater posted a 237 in baker game 61 of the weekend to put the Warhawks in a good spot. A 177 was followed by a 203 that sealed the jump into fourth. Still the Warhawks needed to close -- wrapping up with another 177 to seal the deal. A set total of 794 in the final four led to a 64-game total of 11,550 to punch UWW's ticket to Las Vegas. 

The Intercollegiate Team Championships are scheduled for April 19-22 at South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas. The top four teams from each of the four sectionals advance to the team championships. Also advancing from the Dallas sectional are Lindenwood, Wichita State and Stephen F. Austin State.