The #22 Valparaiso University bowling team saw its 2015-16 season come to a close Friday as the Crusaders bowed out of the 2016 Southland Bowling League Championship in Kenner, La.

The seventh-seeded Crusaders opened the double-elimination tournament, contested in the best-of-seven baker format, against second-seeded #3 Vanderbilt. Despite rolling games of 197 and 202 in the first two contests, Valpo fell behind two games to none, as the Commodores edged the Crusaders in both games. Valpo rallied to even the match, however, with games of 179 in game three and 216 in game four.

Vanderbilt easily took game five to pull ahead 3-2, but a tie in game six (166-166) kept the Crusaders alive going into the final game. Valpo responded with its best effort of the day, downing the Commodores 255-196 to tie the match 3.5-3.5. With the tie, the teams entered a five-frame modified baker tiebreaker to determine which squad would advance, but Valpo unfortunately fell just short, dropping a 109-96 decision.

With the loss, the Crusaders fell into an elimination match against sixth-seeded #19 Tulane, but ran into a buzzsaw against the hosts, as the Green Wave averaged 210 over four games in sending Valpo to a 4-0 loss. The pair of defeats close out Valpo’s 2015-16 season with a 44-61 record.