Stephen F. Austin
Southland Bowling League Championships
SFA Finishes Fourth at Southland Bowling League Championships
3/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Bowling
2016 Southland Bowling League Championships
All Star Lanes | Kenner, La.
Result: SFA finishes fourth out of eight teams with a 2-2 record
Up Next: NCAA Selection Show | Wednesday, March 30 | 3 p.m.
KENNER, La. – Stephen F. Austin’s bid for a Southland Bowling League title came up a few games short as the Ladyjacks post a 2-2 record on the day, finishing fourth among the eight-team field. The Ladyjacks finished one spot better than last year’s fifth-place showing, upping their season record to 81-41.
Drawing the number four seed based off the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), SFA faced fifth-seeded Monmouth in the first match of the double elimination best-of-seven baker bracket. The Ladyjacks and Hawks traded games as the team on the right lane won all seven matches – which favored SFA that bowled on the right side on the odd numbered games. SFA eclipsed 200 pins in three of its four victories, including a 202-178 win in game seven to close the match.
The win put SFA against top-seeded Arkansas State as the Red Wolves won the first two games, only to see the Ladyjacks win games three (193-181) and four (226-193), tying the match at two. After dropping the fifth game, SFA rallied to win the sixth 225-173, but couldn’t complete the comeback, falling to ASU 213-182 in game seven and falling into the losers bracket.
Facing elimination, SFA drew sixth-seeded Tulane but the Ladyjacks had no intention of bowing out yet, racing past the Green Wave 4-0 to eliminate Tulane. SFA won the opener 195-181 to gain the early lead, then surpassed 200 in games three (200-191) and four (211-207), knocking the Green Wave out of the tournament on their home lanes.
SFA then faced Vanderbilt in another elimination match with the winner advancing to Saturday’s championship round. After dropping the first game, SFA raced paced the Commodores 198-136, tying the match at one game apiece. But third-seeded Vanderbilt continued to pull away, taking the final three games to defeat the Ladyjacks 4-1 and eliminate SFA from the tournament.
With the pair of wins, SFA reached 81 wins this season, one win shy of matching last season’s program-record showing of 82 victories. It also solidified the 31st-straight tournament in which SFA finished in the top-10 of the team standings and was the eighth event this year in which the Ladyjacks posted a top-five finish.
With the 2015-16 regular season in the books, SFA now awaits its fate to see if it will be one of the eight teams selected to compete in the 2016 NCAA Bowling Championships April 14-16 in North Brunswick, New Jersey. The NCAA Selection Show will be held Wednesday, March 30 at 3 p.m., being streamed live at NCAA.com.
Match One – SFA 4, Monmouth 3
W 203-198; L, 203-131; W, 205-194; L, 183-161; W, 190-156; L, 195-162; W, 202-178
Match Two – Arkansas State 4, SFA 3
L, 194-180; L, 179-156; W, 193-181; W, 226-193; L, 237-183; W, 225-173; L, 213-182
Match Three – SFA 4, Tulane 0
W, 195-181; W, 188-173; W, 200-191; W, 211-207
Match Four – Vanderbilt 4, SFA 1
L, 204-178; W, 198-136; L, 219-198; L, 167-162; L, 188-175
-SFA-
