Stephen F. Austin
Southland Bowling League Championships
SFA Reaches Semifinals, Finishes Third at Southland Bowling Championships
3/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Bowling
2017 Southland Bowling League Championship
Hijinx Lanes | Jonesboro, Ark.
Result: SFA goes 2-1 Saturday, reaching the semifinals and finishing third
Up Next: NCAA Championships | April 13-15 | Baton Rouge, La.
JONESBORO, Ark. – Sitting in the bottom half of the bracket, seventh-ranked Stephen F. Austin posted a 2-1 mark over the second day of the Southland Conference Championships in Jonesboro. The Ladyjacks eliminated rival Sam Houston State and Tulane before bowing out in the semifinals, falling to third-seeded Vanderbilt.
After dropping the opening match of the tournament against Monmouth Friday morning, fourth-seeded SFA found itself one loss from elimination, a position which seemed to energize the Ladyjacks. After eliminating Louisiana Tech Friday afternoon, SFA returned to the lanes Saturday morning facing second-seeded rival Sam Houston State.
SFA struck first, taking the traditional team match 986-952 to build an early 1-0 lead over the Bearkats. Junior Stephanie Schwartz led the way with a 238, complemented by a 202 from freshman Megan Eaglehouse and a 192 from sophomore Dakotah Hazlewood to pace SFA to the victory.
The Ladyjacks won three of the five games in the baker style showdown with the Bearkats, but significant margins by Sam Houston State in games two and three proved to be the difference as SFA fell 1,003-987, tying the match at 1-1 and setting up the best-of-seven baker tiebreaker.
But the tiebreaker between the two rivals proved to have very little drama as SFA took all four games against Sam Houston State, eliminating the Bearkats. The Ladyjacks set the tone in game one with a 197-141 victory, then outlasted Sam Houston 180-166, 215-213 and 186-176 to remain alive in the conference championship.
SFA would meet up with sixth-seeded Tulane in the second round of the day after the Green Wave knocked out Monmouth. Picking up where it left off, SFA raced out to an early 1-0 lead on Tulane behind a 903-831 victory in the traditional team match, led by a season-high 215 from senior Carly Larson and a 189 from Schwartz.
Wanting to avoid another best-of-seven tiebreaker, the Ladyjacks remained strong in the baker style match against the Green Wave, taking four of the five matches and prevailing 897-882. SFA took the opener 166-162, followed by a 184-166 win in game two and a 230-191 decision in game three, giving them a comfortable enough cushion to preserve the win and a spot in the semifinals.
Waiting for the Ladyjacks in the tournament semifinals was third-seeded Vanderbilt, coming off a loss to top-seeded Arkansas State. Playing in its third match of the day, the long day began to catch up to SFA as the Ladyjacks dropped the traditional team match to the Commodores 915-834, led by Larson’s 188.
Bowling to try and force the best-of-seven baker tiebreaker, the Ladyjacks raced out to a good start in the baker match, defeating the Commodores 245-216. But Vanderbilt would respond to win the remaining four matches, defeating SFA 995-960 to end the Ladyjacks’ run at the conference championship.
The effort marked SFA’s best performance in the three-year history of the Southland Bowling Championship, an event in which the Ladyjacks have improved each season. SFA went 1-2, finishing fifth in the inaugural event in 2015, followed by a 2-2 effort and a fourth-place showing in 2016.
SFA will now play the waiting game, leading into the 2017 NCAA Bowling Championship Selection Show being held at 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday, March 29, where the Ladyjacks wait to see if they are one of the eight teams selected to compete in this year’s national tournament. Should SFA earn a bit, the Ladyjacks will seek to defend their national title April 13-15 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Match Three vs. #2 Sam Houston State
Traditional Team Match: W, 986-952
Schwartz – 238; Eaglehouse – 202; Hazlewood – 192; Beeney – 185; Larson – 169
Baker Style Match: L, 1,003-987
W, 190-184; L, 212-172; L, 254-213; W, 203-160; W, 209-194
Best-of-Seven Baker Bracket: W, 4-0
W, 197-141; W, 180-166; W, 215-213; W, 186-176
Match Four vs. #6 Tulane
Traditional Team Match: W, 903-831
Larson – 215; Schwartz – 189; Hazlewood – 185; Eaglehouse – 181; Beeney – 133
Baker Style Match: W, 897-882
W, 166-162; W, 184-166; W, 230-191; L, 180-133; W, 184-183
Semifinals vs. #3 Vanderbilt
Traditional Team Match: L, 915-834
Larson – 188; Beeney – 164; Hazlewood – 164; Eaglehouse – 160; Schwartz – 158
Baker Style Match: L, 995-960
W, 245-216; L, 187-183; L, 194-179; L, 204-162; L, 194-191
-SFA-
