Stephen F. Austin
Central Missouri Invitational
SFA Places Third at Shortened UCM Invitational
3/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Bowling
March 1, 2014
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Stephen F. Austin notched its sixth top-five finish of the 2013-14 season and its second-highest showing of the year, placing third at the Central Missouri Invitational. The Ladyjacks went 3-2 on the day, closing out the tournament at 6-4 with 9,877 total points.
The UCM Invitational, originally scheduled to conclude tomorrow with the three best-of-seven baker bracket play, was cut short due to the winter weather expected to hit much of the nation and allow participating teams to travel home.
SFA started out the day meeting up with rival Sam Houston State and ended up falling to the Bearkats 1,072-919. Three Ladyjacks finished in the 200s, led by a team-best 212 from Whitney McCoy. Nicole Parkhurst logged a 207 for SFA with Melanie Crawford adding a 203.
The Ladyjacks responded in the second match of the day, defeating Elmhurst 999-838, led by a score of 233 from Parkhurst. Crawford scored a 211 while Chelsea King just missed joining her teammates in the 200-pin club, finishing the match with a score of 199.
SFA met up with McKendree in match three and despite a 248 from Crawford, the highest round of the day for the Ladyjacks, SFA dropped the match 967-899. McCoy bowled a 218 for the Ladyjacks but the duo were the only ones to bowl higher than a 175 for the match.
Sitting at 1-2 on the day, the Ladyjacks came back strong in the final two matches of the day, beginning with a 939-892 victory over ninth-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater. Danielle Lynn registered the high score of the match for SFA with a 236 as the remaining four bowlers each had scored between 160 and 190 to help preserve the victory.
SFA's final match of the day was with eighth-ranked Vanderbilt and once again a solid showing across the board helped the Ladyjacks prevail over the Commodores 975-918. McCoy bowled the high game for SFA with a 231, giving her three 200-plus games on the day. Crawford added a 199 while Paige Kraushaar registered a 192 to help the Ladyjacks to their sixth win of the tournament.
The Ladyjacks' 9,877 total pins among the two-day competition was good enough for a third-place finish, defeating top-ranked Arkansas State (9,839) by 38 pins. Nebraska won the team title with 10,065 total pins with Vanderbilt (9,898) placing second as host Central Missouri (9,783) placed fifth to round out the top-five.
SFA now prepares for its final tune-up of the regular season, heading to Smyrna, Tenn., next weekend for the Music City Classic March 7-9. It will be the final event for the Ladyjacks before the USBC Sectionals, which will be held March 14-16 at a site to be determined.
Match One: Sam Houston State 972, SFA 919
McCoy - 212; Parkhurst - 207; Crawford - 203; Grant - 150; Kraushaar - 147
Match Two: SFA 999, Elmhurst 838
Parkhurst - 233; Crawford - 211; King - 199; Lynn - 178; McCoy - 178
Match Three: McKendree 967, SFA 899
Crawford - 248; McCoy - 218; Lynn - 174; Parkhurst - 145; King - 114
Match Four: SFA 939, Wisconsin-Whitewater 892
Lynn - 236; Parkhurst - 187; Crawford - 179; Kraushaar - 177; McCoy - 160
Match Five: SFA 975, Vanderbilt 918
McCoy - 231; Crawford - 199; Kraushaar - 192; Lynn - 184; Parkhurst - 169
-SFA-
