Stephen F. Austin
Tulane Invitational
Ladyjacks Notch Runner-Up Finish at Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate
12/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Bowling
2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl
All Star Lanes | Kenner, La.
Result: Stephen F. Austin finishes second overall with a 9-3 record
Up Next: at Arkansas State Mid-Winter Invitational | Jan. 13-15, 2017 | Jonesboro, Ark.
KENNER, La. – Stephen F. Austin closed out its 2016 calendar year with a runner-up finish at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate, posting a 9-3 mark through the three-day event. The Ladyjacks went 1-1 on the final day of competition, falling to host Tulane in the championship match.
Entering Sunday as the number two overall seed, the Ladyjacks met up with top-seeded Vanderbilt in the opening round with the winner guaranteeing itself a spot in the championship match. SFA found itself in an 0-2 hole early, but rallied back to win games three (213-151) and four (232-214) to even the match at two games apiece. Vanderbilt won game five 213-200, followed by a Ladyjack 211-183 decision in game six, setting up a winner-take-all game seven.
Or maybe not.
When the final pins had fallen after the tenth frame, both the Ladyjacks and Commodores had finished with a 205 in game seven, setting up a five-frame bowl-off with each player getting one frame. SFA came up big in the extra stanza, knocking down 118 pins to Vanderbilt’s 89, securing its spot in the title bout.
As SFA watched during its bye round, it saw Tulane race past Vanderbilt 4-0, meaning the Ladyjacks would face the host Green Wave in the tournament championship. The Ladyjacks struck first, taking the opening game 245-212, but Tulane then caught fire and SFA had no answer. The Green Wave won the next four games, defeating the Ladyjacks 4-1 to hand SFA the runner-up trophy.
With the weekend’s performance, SFA improves to 46-19 on the year, leaving the Ladyjacks four victories shy of their seventh-straight season of at least 50 victories. SFA has now finished in the top-five in the last five Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate events and extends its streak of consecutive top-10 team finishes to 37-straight tournaments, dating back to the 2011-12 season.
SFA will now take over a month-long hiatus to finish up finals and enjoy their winter break before returning to action for another busy spring schedule. The Ladyjacks return to the lanes January 13-15, 2017, competing at the Arkansas State Mid-Winter Invitational in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate SFA Final Day Results Best-of-seven baker style bracket matches
Match One: SFA 4.5, Vanderbilt 3.5 L, 212-172; L, 202-150; W, 213-151; W, 232-214; L, 213-203; W, 211-183; T, 205-205; W, 118-89
Championship Match: Tulane 4, SFA 1 W, 245-212; L, 216-199; L, 200-181; L, 212-197; L, 246-227
-SFA-
