Friday, October 27
Fairview Heights, Ill.
Stephen F. Austin
vs
Brunswick Bearcat Open
Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography
Ladyjacks Finish Fourth at Brunswick Bearcat Open
10/29/2017 5:49:00 PM | Women's Bowling
SFA nearly makes Brunswick Bearcat Open title match but falls in final two bracket play matches Sunday, taking home a fourth-place finish
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Despite coming up just shy of the Brunswick Bearcat Open title match, the Stephen F. Austin bowling team finished play at the St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights, Illinois, Sunday with a fourth-place finish out 23 total teams. The Ladyjacks went 1-2 on the day in three best 4-of-7 Baker matches, but picked up a first-round victory in bracket play over fifth-ranked and Southland Bowling League foe Sam Houston State.
SFA nearly advanced to the title match but was edged by second-ranked and eventual tournament champion Nebraska in the second round. Top-ranked, defending NCAA national champion and tournament host McKendree University came away with runner-up honors after falling 4-3 to Nebraska in the championship match. Fourth-ranked and No. 6 seed Vanderbilt defeated the Ladyjacks 4-2 in the third-place match to finish third.
Opening up the day with a bowling edition of the Battle of the Piney Woods, SFA defeated the fourth-seeded Bearkats by a match score of 4-1. With a starting lineup of senior Kelsi Anderson (San Antonio, Texas), senior Morgan Reising (Lewisville, Texas), sophomore Megan Eaglehouse (Cibolo, Texas), freshman Sarah Gill (Attleboro, Mass.) and senior Stephanie Schwartz (Racine, Wis.), and getting help from freshman Dakota Faichnie (Innisfil, Ontario, Canada), the Ladyjacks took the first two games 172-151 and 178-169. After dropping the third game 193-191, SFA picked up 221-172 and 213-172 game four and game five wins to secure the 4-1 match win.
Advancing to the semifinal-equivalent second-round match, SFA faced No. 2 seed Nebraska. The starting five of Anderson, Faichnie, Eaglehouse, Gill and Schwartz split the first two games before the Huskers took a 3-1 lead in the match after claiming the third and fourth games, 201-181 and 214-169. With freshman Sarah Voiers (Chesterton, Ind.) entering the lineup, the Ladyjacks claimed game five 207-195 and tied Nebraska at 193 in the sixth before taking the seventh 211-201. Due to the game six tie the match was knotted up at 3.5, forcing a five-frame roll-off. SFA was unable to match the Huskers in the roll-off and were outpaced 108-74, giving Nebraska the 4.5-3.5 match win.
The Ladyjacks moved on to the third-place match where they faced their second Southland Bowling League opponent of the day, fourth-ranked Vanderbilt. The Commodores got off to a strong start and bowled a 243 in the opening game of the match, compared to a tournament-low 129 by SFA. Vanderbilt recorded a 204-137 win in the second game before the Ladyjacks responded with a 202-193 game three victory. SFA found itself trailing 3-1 when the Commodores picked up a 171-130 win in the fourth game. After registering a 10-pin, 184-174 game five victory, the Ladyjacks were handed a 197-148 loss in game six as Vanderbilt won the match 4-2.
SFA finished the Brunswick Bearcat Open with a 10-3 overall record after placing third at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Invitational with a 9-4 record last weekend to open up the 2017-18 season.
Schwartz finished the tournament as SFA's top bowler, placing 14th among 177 total bowlers with a 203.20 game average. Voiers averaged a 194.80 to place 22nd, while Reising was 27th with a 191.60 average in five traditional team matches Saturday.
Up next…
The Ladyjacks will compete in their third of four consecutive tournaments next weekend at Sam Houston State's Track Kat Klash in Houston, Texas. The event will get underway Friday, Nov. 3 and wrap up Sunday, Nov. 5. After competing in Louisiana and Illinois to open up its fall season, SFA will enjoy an event within the Lone Star State and not too far from Nacogdoches.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack bowling throughout the 2017-18 season.
Brunswick Bearcat Open – Day Three Results
Baker Matches (bracket play)
Match One | No. 6 SFA 4 – No. 5 Sam Houston State 1
W, 172-151; W, 178-169; L, 193-191; W, 221-172; W, 213-172
Match Two | No. 2 Nebraska 4.5 – No. 6 SFA 3.5
W, 211-182; L, 201-172; L, 201-181; L, 214-169; W, 207-195; T, 193-193; W, 211-201; L, 108-74
Match Three | No. 4 Vanderbilt 4 – No. 6 SFA 2
L, 243-129; L, 204-137; W, 202-193; L, 171-130; W, 184-174; L, 197-148
-SFA-
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
/ Women's Bowling
9.29.23 | Axe 'Em Insider Ep. 16 x Bowling
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