Photo by: Southland Bowling League
SFA Catapults into 2018 Southland Bowling League Championship Semifinals
3/23/2018 10:30:00 PM | Women's Bowling
Ladyjacks defeat fifth-seeded Tulane and knock off top-seeded Arkansas State in the first two rounds, make first semifinal appearance at league championship in program history
DALLAS – For the first time in school history the Stephen F. Austin bowling team will be bowling in the semifinals of the Southland Bowling League Championship after earning first and second-round victories on the first day of play Friday at USA Bowl in Dallas. The Ladyjacks upended fifth-seeded Tulane in the opening round before upsetting top-seeded Arkansas State in the winner's bracket second round.
Prior to Friday, SFA had never posted more than one win in the main draw of the league's championship tournament.
The Ladyjacks, ranked sixth nationally and seeded fourth, began play in the three-day, eight-team double elimination tournament by falling to ninth-ranked and No. 5 seed Tulane in the traditional team match. The Green Wave defeated SFA 1,007-862 as no Ladyjack collected more than 196 pins in the match. However, the Ladyjacks turned the tables during the Baker match, coming away with a 1,011-895 win to even up the contest at 1-1. After dropping the opening game 183-173, SFA claimed game two by a sizable margin (234-190) and did not look back. The Ladyjacks owned pinfall advantages in the final three games of the Baker match, including a 213-175 game three and a 205-170 game five.
Forcing the deciding best 4-of-7 Baker match, SFA faltered 215-198 in the first game but rattled off four consecutive 200-pin games. With Tulane unable to claim more than 194 pins in any of the final four games, the Ladyjacks sealed the best 4-of-7 Baker match and opening-round triumph with a convincing 222-152 game five win.
Riding its momentum high, SFA needed just the traditional team match and the Baker match to disrupt third-ranked and top-seeded Arkansas State. The Ladyjacks edged the Red Wolves by a mere five pins (975-970) in the traditional team match after games of 211 from both freshman Dakota Faichnie (Innisfil, Ontario, Canada) and senior Stephanie Schwartz (Racine, Wis.). Junior Paige Beeney (Salado, Texas) also bowled her second-straight near 200-pin game with a 195 and senior Kelsi Anderson (San Antonio, Texas) chipped in a 192.
SFA jumped out to a comfortable lead early in the Baker match, winning games one and two 172-150 and 204-190, respectively. After escaping Arkansas State by four pins (220-216) in the third game of the match, the Ladyjacks were outdone by the Red Wolves 231-186 in game four. However, it was not nearly enough to slow down SFA as the Ladyjacks took game five by 40 pins (192-152) to earn the 974-939 Baker match victory and complete the 2-0 upset.
The Commodores of Vanderbilt, seeded second and ranked No. 4 in the nation, await SFA in Saturday's semifinal showdown slated for 1:30 p.m. on lanes 29-30. Vanderbilt earned two 2-0 wins Friday in the first two rounds of the tournament, defeating sixth-seeded and 22nd-ranked Valparaiso before taking down fifth-ranked and No. 3 seed Sam Houston State.
A win over the Commodores would propel the Ladyjacks into the Southland Bowling League Championship title match, scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday, March 25. Should SFA fall to Vanderbilt, the Ladyjacks would then play in the consolation bracket final Saturday at 5:30 p.m. with a shot at Sunday's title match still in line.
Featured matches of the Southland Bowling League Championship will be streamed live by InsideBowling, while SFA Bowling's Facebook page will stream the Ladyjacks' remaining matches at the tournament.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack bowling throughout this winter and spring.
Match One vs. #5 Tulane | W 2-1
Traditional Team Match | L, 1,007-862
Kelsi Anderson 180, Paige Beeney 196, Sarah Voiers 161, Dakotah Hazlewood 150, Stephanie Schwartz 175
Baker Match | W, 1,011-895
L, 183-173; W, 234-190; W, 213-175; W, 186-177; W, 205-170
Best 4-of-7 Baker Match | W, 4-1
L, 215-198; W, 214-175; W, 205-194; W, 201-193; W, 222-152
Match Two vs. #1 Arkansas State | W 2-0
Traditional Team Match | W, 975-970
Kelsi Anderson 192, Dakota Faichnie 211, Dakotah Hazlewood 166, Paige Beeney 195, Stephanie Schwartz 211
Baker Match | W, 974-939
W, 172-150; W, 204-190; W, 220-216; L, 231-186; W, 192-152
-SFA-
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
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