Sophomore Tara Trcka rolled games of 210 and 204 for a high series of 414, but it wasn’t enough to rally Xavier past Dubuque Hempstead in a girls’ Mississippi Valley Conference girls’ bowling match Dec. 3 at May City Bowl.

Hempstead won the match, 2512-2331.

“Our girls are still a work in progress,” Xavier Coach Russ Camacho said. “They improved a lot and that’s what we’ve been looking for.”

The Saints trailed by 77 pins after the first round, when bowlers roll two games apiece, but were outscored by 104 in the Baker round, an alternate frame format featuring the top five bowlers from each team.

“Hempstead’s varsity girls are improving quite a bit,” Camacho said.

Hempstead (2-0)  was led by Liz Gonner’s 212 game and 367 series.

Xavier’s next match is Friday against Linn-Mar at Cedar Rapids Bowling Center.

HEMPSTEAD (2512): Sam Davis 178-327, Miranda Bernhard 179-334, Liz Gonner 212-367, Katie Gruber 165-316, Katie Klein 184-335.

XAVIER (2331): Tyler Weger 178-333, Aileen Conway 187-350, Tara Trcka 210-414, Erica Fry 142-267, Abbey Konzen 134-238.

First round — Hempstead 1679, Xavier 1602. Baker round — Hempstead 833, Xavier 729.