Stephen F. Austin
NCAA Bowling Championships
Ladyjacks Post Perfect Friday on Day Two of 2016 NCAA Championships
4/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Bowling
2016 NCAA Bowling Championships
Carolier Lanes | North Brunswick, N.J.
Result: SFA goes 4-0 on the day, including 2-0 in pool play and 2-0 in bracket play
Final Day: Saturday, April 16 | 9:50 a.m. CT
2016 NCAA Bowling Championship Tournament Central
NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. – A perfect Friday, including a record-breaking performance, has Stephen F. Austin one victory away from competing for a national championship at the 2016 NCAA Bowling Championships in North Brunswick, New Jersey.
The Ladyjacks went 4-0 Friday, winning their final two team matches in pool play, followed by wins over Vanderbilt and McKendree to keep SFA undefeated in double elimination bracket play. SFA is now 5-4 at the championships, upping their season total to 86-45 and setting a new program record for victories in a season.
After posting a disappointing 1-4 mark on day one, SFA seemed energized from the opening frame Friday, opening up the day with a 989-878 win over top-seeded Arkansas State. Junior Kiara Grant and sophomore Morgan Reising set the tone early for the Ladyjacks as the duo each bowled a 222, followed by a 216 from sophomore Stephanie Schwartz. A 191 from sophomore Kelsi Anderson was enough to push the Ladyjacks over the top, snapping their three-game losing skid.
The final round of pool play proved to be one for the record books for SFA as the Ladyjacks roared past McKendree 1,207-913, setting a new program-best for a team game and surpassing the previous record of 1,147 against Vanderbilt in 2013. That effort was lead by a monster performance from Kiara Grant who set a Ladyjack single-game program record with a 290, besting the previous best of 289 by Whitney McCoy in 2011 against LIU-Brooklyn.
But Grant wasn’t the only one firing on all cylinders against the Bearcats as four of the five Ladyjacks eclipsed the 200-pin mark. Reising continued her strong play, bowling a 243, followed by a 239 from both Schwartz and junior Carly Larson. Anderson nearly made it a clean 200-sweep for SFA, finished four pins shy with her 196 effort.
The performance from Grant ranked among the best of the tournament as she averaged 224.4 in her five games, the second-best average among all players in the tournament. Schwartz placed 14th in total pins, knocking down 1,453 for a 207.6 average in her seven games played.
The two wins in the morning session bumped SFA back to the number five overall seed as the eight teams began the best-of-seven double elimination baker bracket play. The Ladyjacks drew a familiar foe in the opening round, facing fourth-seeded Vanderbilt and quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Commodores, winning the first two 164-158 and 178-163. After dropping the third, SFA notched wins in the fourth (213-180) and fifth (195-162), defeating Vanderbilt in five to advance in the winner’s bracket.
The final match of the day pitted SFA against eighth-seeded McKendree as the Ladyjacks continued their solid play, bowling over 200 to take the first three games (200-186, 201-167 and 200-185) against the Bearcats. But McKendree wasn’t going down without a fight, rallying to win three-straight to force the decisive game seven. With the match on the line, SFA came up with the key shots at the right times, edging out McKendree to remain in the winner’s bracket.
The Ladyjacks join reigning champion Nebraska as the only two teams still undefeated in the winners bracket and earn a bye in tomorrow’s opening round. SFA will return to action at 9:50 a.m. CT, facing the winner of Sam Houston State and North Carolina A&T needing just one win to earn a spot in the championship match Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Six teams remain in the quest for the 2016 NCAA title as both Vanderbilt and Central Missouri were eliminated Friday. Top-seeded Sam Houston State, second-seeded Arkansas State, seventh-seeded North Carolina A&T and eighth-seeded McKendree all are 1-1 following Friday’s action with SFA and third-seeded Nebraska going 2-0.
Action gets underway at 8:00 a.m. CT Saturday morning with elimination matches between Sam Houston State and North Carolina A&T and Arkansas State and McKendree. Live updates are available on Twitter both @NECsports and @SFA_Bowling with more information available at NCAA Bowling Tournament Central. Full results will be posted at SFAJacks.com as they become available.
2016 NCAA Championships Day Two Results
Team Pool Play
Match Six – SFA 989, Arkansas State 878
Grant – 222; Reising – 222; Schwartz – 216; Anderson – 191; Kraushaar – 138
Match Seven – SFA 1,207, McKendree 913
Grant – 290; Reising – 243; Larson – 239; Schwartz – 239; Anderson – 196
Best-of-Seven Bracket Play
Round One – SFA 4, Vanderbilt 1
W, 164-158; W, 178-163; L, 226-181; W, 213-180; W, 195-162
Round Two – SFA 4, McKendree 3
W, 200-186; W, 201-167; W, 200-185; L, 268-195; L, 184-137; L, 255-215; W,
