March 18, 2018
Senior Days are designed to be festive occasions where soon-to-be graduates are spotlighted and the team basks in glorious victory.
They don’t always work out that way and Vanderbilt’s parade was rained upon by a disappointing sixth place finish that included two upset losses against a lone victory. McKendree downed Sam Houston State in the championship match to win the 32-team event and leave the Smyrna Bowling Center in a happier mood than the hosts.
Spotty spare shooting that produced modest pin counts was the order of the day for Vandy, which got off to a sour start with an upset loss to 16th-ranked Saint Francis University in best of seven Baker play. The Commodores bounced back to beat No. 24 Maryville before losing in seven to tournament Cinderella Lincoln Memorial.
Coming on the heels of two straight fifth-place finishes here in prior seasons, sixth place was considered disappointing despite a strong field that had 20 of the nation’s top 25 teams involved.
It was therapeutic to honor the two Commodore seniors, Ariana Perez, a chemical engineering major, and Katie Stark, an art major who has won several major bowling awards as a Commodore.
“It’s always a bitter sweet, emotional time for me,” Perez reflected afterwards. “It’s probably the last time I’ll be in the Smyrna Bowling Center. It’s a sad but great time. I’m looking ahead to a future past bowling. Everything I learned here will carry on in my life; I am not sure how much I’ll bowl in the future. I will remember how to work hard; I didn’t always have the easiest time here but you grow at a place like this, even little things like being five or 10 minutes early to everything… that’ll stick with me for a long time.”
Stark, nearing the end of a decorated bowling career, was one of the bright spots for the team today.
“It’s a lot to take in,” she said. “You think through your freshman, sophomore, junior and even parts of your senior year that you have all the time in the world, especially with a group of people as great as these girls. But then it hits Ariana and me that this is our last home tournament. Hopefully, we perform well in the upcoming postseason tournaments but this could be one of the last times we get to bowl with these people and that’s heart-breaking. We’ve spent so much time here that its become such a big part of us that it’s a lot to take in.”
Vanderbilt also presented the program’s only individual award, the Harry Stoddard Award in honor of the former bowling center manager. It celebrates the Commodore that best combines the personal attributes of the late Mr. Stoddard such as loyalty, enthusiasm, optimism and hard work. The recipient was sophomore Adel Wahner.
The all-tournament team consisted of Dakotah Hazelwood of Stephen F. Austin, Tyra Sanchez and Christine Hansen of Lincoln Memorial, Jordan and sister Haley Richard of Arkansas State and Most Valuable Player Sarah Littleton of Saint Francis University.
Vanderbilt travels to Dallas next weekend to defend its Southland Bowling League championship.
