Stephen F. Austin
Vanderbilt Music City Classic
Ladyjacks Finish Fourth at Vanderbilt Music City Classic
3/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Bowling
2016 Vanderbilt Music City Classic
Smyrna Bowling Center | Smyrna, Tenn.
Result: SFA finishes fourth with an 11-4 overall record (2-1 on Sunday)
Up Next: Southland Bowling Championships | March 26-27 | Kenner, La.
SMYRNA, Tenn. – Making a final push for the 2016 NCAA Championships, Stephen F. Austin closed out the Vanderbilt Music City Classic with a fourth-place showing in middle Tennessee. The Ladyjacks went 2-1 over the final day of competition, closing out the weekend with an 11-4 overall record.
With the performance, the fifth-ranked Ladyjacks upped their overall season record to 79-39. The 79 victories in a season is the second-most for SFA, just three back of the 82 wins tallied last season as SFA made its run in the NCAA Tournament.
Beginning the day as the number five overall seed, SFA drew budding rival Wisconsin-Whitewater in the first of the best-of-seven baker bracket play. The two teams split the first four games with the Ladyjacks getting game two 185-165 and game four 235-228. SFA closed out the run with two more victories, taking down the Warhawks 229-222 and 202-143.
Match two featured the Ladyjacks against host Vanderbilt as the Commodores raced out to a quick 2-0 lead. SFA outlasted Vandy 211-192 in game three, sparking four-straight wins for the Ladyjacks who went over the 200-pin mark in all four games, capped with a 215-171 victory in game six to seal it.
Playing for third place, SFA met another very familiar face in Nebraska, winning the first 190-182. After dropping games two and three, the Ladyjacks earned a convincing 246-158 win in game four, tying the match at 2-2. But Nebraska outlasted SFA in two close matches, taking the fifth 212-199 and the sixth 213-211 to give SFA the fourth-place showing.
The showing extended SFA’s streak of top-10 team finishes to 30-straight matches, a streak dating back to the 2012 season.
SFA now turns its attention to the 2016 Southland Bowling League Championships, being held in Kenner, Louisiana on March 26-27. The format will once again be a double elimination baker style tournament, featuring all eight teams that comprise one of the toughest conferences in the nation.
Match One: SFA 4, Wisconsin-Whitewater 2
L, 191-155; W, 185-165; L, 168-165; W, 235-228; W, 229-222; W, 202-143
Match Two: SFA 4, Vanderbilt 2
L, 265-197; L, 225-174; W, 211-192; W, 236-212; W, 221-216; W, 215-171
Match Three: Nebraska 4, SFA 2
W, 190-182; L, 188-170; L, 247-212; W, 246-158; W, 212-199; L, 213-211
-SFA-
