BIRGIT NOREIKS WINS 2022 USBC QUEENS
By Emil Williams Jr.
ADDISON, Ill. – Six years ago, Germany’s Birgit Noreiks made her first United States Bowling Congress Queens televised finals appearance. Six years later, Noreiks returned to the major championship lights of television and won her first career major title.
The 35-year-old right-hander defeated Colombia’s Clara Guerrero, 187-158, in the title match at Stardust Bowl live on CBS Sports Network to become the eighth international player to win the USBC Queens.
She joins Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova (2019), Singapore’s Bernice Lim (2016), Latvia’s Diana Zavjalova (2013, 2017), Colombia’s Maria José Rodriguez (2014), Australia’s Carol Gianotti (1989), Japan’s Kazue Inahashi (1984) and Katsuko Sugimoto (1981, 1982) as international winners of the event.
Noreiks claimed the coveted tiara and the $60,000 first-place prize, the second richest top prize in women’s bowling history. Guerrero earned $30,000 for her runner-up finish.
In the title match, Noreiks began with three consecutive strikes and five of the first seven, while Guerrero opened with a 7-10 split and followed with a strike in the second. Guerrero added three consecutive nine spares as she tried to improve her carry percentage to strike, but splits in the sixth, seventh and eighth frames ended her chances at a major title.
“It’s amazing,” said Noreiks, while searching for the words to describe the win. “It just happened, so I still can’t believe it. The game went by so fast. It really is amazing.”
Noreiks used two different bowling balls in the finals, one on each lane, to help her feel comfortable on the 42-foot oil pattern. Similar to how she attacked the oil pattern during the week, she wanted to play straighter angles, and the forward thinking between her and her ball reps proved to play dividends during the stepladder finals.
“The guys said throw it fast and try to keep it in front of you, and that’s what I like to do,” said Noreiks, who now owns three Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour titles. “I was nervous if I had to move left, because I don’t feel I’m as good at doing that right now. When I saw the girls struggling while doing it, I knew I couldn’t do that because it wasn’t working. We figured out really early we were going to use two different balls to make sure I can do what I like to see, and I guess it worked.”
The 2016 finals of the Queens was the first TV appearance of any kind for Noreiks, and much has changed since that time. She’s improved as a player and an athlete. Her TV experience has improved exponentially, as tonight’s championship-round appearance was her eighth since 2016. Formally, Pöppler, she’s now married to husband, Tobias. It’s a different Noreiks all around, and she’s grateful for the growth in all aspects.
“When I bowled the Queens in 2016, that was my first TV event I ever bowled,” said Noreiks, who won the 2021 PWBA Go Bowling Classic. “I didn’t know how to handle the shot clock, and I was injured on that show. It’s just completely different now with the experience I’ve gained. I’m married now. I’m just happy with my life, and I can come out here, bowl and enjoy what I’m doing.”
Guerrero was searching for her second major title and first win at the Queens. A win would’ve solidified her hall of fame career, but this defeat won’t define her. She’ll get back to work and be prepared for the next event.
“To be in that position felt great,” Guerrero said. “How I executed and the decisions I made did not. But, you know, you work hard for yourself to be in the position where you can fight for a title, and that’s what I did this week. I just have to regroup and be stronger for next week.”
To advance to the title match, Noreiks defeated Colombia’s Laura Plazas, 233-214. Another fast start for Noreiks put her in the driver’s seat early, but Plazas kept the pace and trailed by only seven pins with two frames to go.
Needing a strike on her first shot in the 10th frame and seven pins on her next shot to secure the win, Noreiks delivered to defeat Plazas and advance.
Plazas, the No. 3 seed, advanced to the semifinal after defeating No. 4 seed Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, 181-179.
Plazas missed two single pin spares in the match and looked like she might fall short, but a 7-10 split from McEwan in the 10th frame opened the door for Plazas to steal the match. She delivered two strikes and six pins in the final stanza to advance and performed admirably to sneak through.
In the opening match, McEwan defeated Hope Gramly of Aubrey, Texas, 213-180. Gramly, an amateur, was making her first televised appearance in a professional event and appeared ready for the moment.
She tossed strikes in three of her first five frames and trailed McEwan by one pin in the fifth frame. An open frame following the return from commercial break, and a late double by McEwan, proved to be the difference in the match. Gramly recently helped McKendree capture the NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship in April.
The 2022 event started with 204 competitors. After 15 games of qualifying over three days, the top 63 players and Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, who was guaranteed a spot in the bracket as the defending champion, advanced to match play.
The PWBA Tour season continues May 26-29 at the PWBA Twin Cities Open in Eagan, Minnesota.
For more information about the USBC Queens, visit BOWL.com/Queens.
2022 USBC Queens
At Stardust Bowl
Addison, Ill.
Tuesday’s results
FINAL STANDINGS
1, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 420 (two games), $60,000.
2, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 158 (one game), $30,000.
3, Laura Plazas, Colombia, 395 (two games), $22,500.
4, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 392, (two games), $17,500.
5, Hope Gramly, Aubrey, Texas, 180, (one game), $12,500.
STEPLADDER RESULTS
Match No. 1 – McEwan def. Gramly, 213-180.
Match No. 2 – Plazas def. McEwan, 181-179.
Semifinal – Noreiks def. Plazas, 233-214.
Championship – Noreiks def. Guerrero, 187-158.
GUERRERO CLAIMS TOP SEED FOR FINALS AT 2022 USBC QUEENS
By Emil Williams Jr.
ADDISON, Ill. – Colombia’s Clara Guerrero went undefeated through two days of match play to earn the top seed for the stepladder finals at the 2022 United States Bowling Congress Queens.
The 40-year-old right-hander defeated Germany’s Birgit Noreiks, 674-564, in the final Winners Bracket match Monday at Stardust Bowl. Noreiks will be the No. 2 seed.
The finals of the 2022 USBC Queens will be broadcast live on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. The champion will take home the $60,000 first-place prize and the coveted tiara. All qualifying and match play rounds were streamed live at BowlTV.com.
Joining Guerrero and Noreiks in the stepladder will be No. 3 Laura Plazas of Colombia, No. 4 Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, and No. 5 Hope Gramly of Aubrey, Texas.
Plazas, McEwan and Gramly advanced out of the Elimination Bracket on Monday. The final four athletes in the Elimination Bracket bowled a three-game total-pinfall contest, with the top three scores advancing to the stepladder.
Plazas earned the No. 3 seed with a 696 series. McEwan advanced with a 637 three-game set and will face Gramly (581) in Tuesday’s opening match. England’s Verity Crawley rolled a 565 series and was eliminated, finishing in sixth place. Crawley needed two strikes and six pins in the 10th frame to advance ahead of Gramly, but she left a 2 pin on her first shot in the final frame.
Guerrero is looking for her second major and second Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour title, but this will be the first time she’ll make a championship-round appearance as the top seed. Throw in the fact that she’s the top seed at the Queens simply elevates the accomplishment.
“It’s truly a dream,” Guerrero said. “When you work on your game, practice hard, commit to your plan and look into the schedule, you always hope and dream to be the No. 1 seed in a major. It just gives you that opportunity to be in the right position to win. Just making a show is amazing, but this is my first time being the No. 1 seed, and I’ve been bowling for a long, long time. I have competed for many, many years and this is the first time, so I’m very emotional. I’m very excited. I just feel, in a way, rewarded.”
This week’s 42-foot oil pattern proved to be tricky throughout qualifying and match play, and Guerrero, who prefers to play the lanes a bit straighter and toward the outside part of the lane, didn’t see many opportunities to play her “A” game this week.
She did notice a few players during match play trying to play the lanes in that area, with some success, which made Guerrero give it a try in certain situations. She found she was unable to repeat the success from that area of the lanes consistently as she moved pairs for each match.
Ultimately, she kept an open mind and made the decision to move left and play her “B” game when she was unable to play to her strengths, showing the versatility she has amassed during her outstanding career. It was a major key to earning the top seed.
Guerrero averaged more than 217 in her six wins Sunday and Monday.
“It was just tough,” Guerrero said. “I think as we re-oiled, the lanes got harder and harder and flatter and flatter, and the outside didn’t look as good. There were no easy matches. There were matches where I had to double, mark or strike to win. But, I think what saved me through the matches is I was open-minded to move left when that didn’t work. I think that was the key to my success. I always had to try outside because my ‘A’ game is what I feel comfortable doing. I know I’ll be better than many other people playing out and straight, but I was open-minded today, so I think that was an advantage.”
Guerrero was inducted into the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame in 2009, and she’s still producing hall of fame moments. She has been a member of Team Colombia for 24 years. World champion. National champion. Gold medalist. Back-to-back QubicaAMF World Cup champion. One PWBA major title, the 2016 PWBA Players Championship.
Guerrero’s career doesn’t need any validation, but if she’s able to add the Queens to her resume Tuesday, the win would add personal validation.
“Obviously as a professional bowler, I always want to win,” said Guerrero, who finished third at the 2019 Queens. “I’m here to compete and win every week. I want to be player of the year, and that’s the attitude and the mentality that I come here with. However, just winning one more major, either of those (Queens or U.S. Women’s Open) will be just spectacular for my career. It’s just more motivation to keep working hard.”
Noreiks will be looking to win her first career major and third PWBA Tour title. She is making her second stepladder appearance at the Queens after finishing fourth at the 2016 event.
Plazas is making her first career television appearance and is looking for her first win as an amateur.
McEwan is looking for her third career major title and eighth PWBA Tour title. Like Noreiks, she was part of the televised finals in 2016, where she finished third.
Gramly, a collegiate standout at McKendree, also is an amateur and making her first stepladder finals appearance. She led McKendree to the 2022 NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship, is a two-time National Tenpin Coaches Association Division II Player of the Year and two-time NTCA First-Team All-American.
The last amateur to win the Queens was Singapore’s Bernice Lim in 2016.
The 2022 event started with 204 competitors. After 15 games of qualifying over three days, the top 63 players and Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, who was guaranteed a spot in the bracket as the defending champion, advanced to match play.
Bond won three matches at Stardust Bowl on Sunday before losing two matches Monday to be eliminated. She lost to Noreiks, 721-689, and Gramly, 677-642. Bond finished tied for ninth.
For more information on the USBC Queens, visit BOWL.com/Queens.
2022 USBC Queen
Monday’s Results
MATCH PLAY
Double-elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall
ROUND 4 – WINNERS BRACKET
(24) Verity Crawley, England, def. (16) Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 661-570.
(37) Clara Guerrero, Colombia, def. (36) Shannon O’Keefe, Belleville, Ill., 671-633.
(3) Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., def. (11) Cassidy Courey, Brooklyn Center, Minn., 674-538.
(50) Birgit Noreiks, Germany, def. (42) Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 721-689.
ROUND 6 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $4,500)
(22) Hope Gramly, Aubrey, Texas, def. (45) Shannon Grimm, Fenton, Mo., 727-573.
(33) Shannon Sellens, Long Beach, N.Y., def. (31) Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 721-562.
(63) Laura Plazas, Colombia, def. (58) Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 598-588.
(39) Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., def. (14) Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., 692-667.
ROUND 5 – WINNERS BRACKET
Guerrero def. Crawley, 658-571.
Noreiks def. McEwan, 678-570.
ROUND 7 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $5,500)
Gramly def. Bond, 677-642.
Sellens def. Courey, 600-551.
Plazas def. O’Keefe, 614-578.
Zavala def. Johnson, 593-572.
ROUND 6 – WINNERS BRACKET
(Winner earns No. 1 seed for Tuesday’s BowlTV finals; loser is No. 2 seed)
Guerrero def. Noreiks, 674-564.
ROUND 8 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $6,750)
Gramly def. Sellens, 627-540.
Plazas def. Zavala, 610-594.
ROUND 9 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Three highest scores advance to CBS Sports Network finals, high score is No. 3 seed, second high is No. 4, third high is No. 5, lowest score is eliminated, earns $8,000)
Plazas 696, McEwan 637, Gramly 581, Crawley 565.
DEFENDING CHAMPION BOND AMONG UNDEFEATED PLAYERS AT 2022 USBC QUEENS
By Emil Williams Jr.
ADDISON, Ill. – Defending champion Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, is one of eight players who remain undefeated after the first day of match play at the 2022 United States Bowling Congress Queens.
Eight additional players look to stay alive at Stardust Bowl and continue their quest toward a major championship in the event’s double-elimination bracket.
Match play will continue Monday at 11 a.m. Eastern until the five competitors are determined for Tuesday’s stepladder finals, which will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. Eastern. The winner will claim the coveted tiara and $60,000 top prize.
The USBC Queens is the second event and first major championship on the 2022 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour schedule. All qualifying and match-play rounds leading up to the televised finals are streaming live at BowlTV.com.
The Queens is often referred to as one event featuring two tournaments because of how different qualifying can be from the double-elimination bracket. It couldn’t be more true for Bond. If someone would’ve told her Thursday she would win three matches on the first day of match play, she wouldn’t have believed you based on her qualifying performance.
Although she was guaranteed a spot in the bracket as the defending champion, Bond still wanted to have a good performance and gather as much information as she could during her 15 games earlier in the week. She didn’t see a clear picture regarding lane play and ball reaction and was simply trying to do a little too much to start the week.
But, that all changed when match play began, as Bond looked like the player who went 6-0 last year on the way to her first major championship. She defeated Russia’s Maria Bulanova (646-506), Courtney Jacques of Albany, Georgia (676-543), and Latvia’s Diana Zavjalova (672-590) on Sunday.
“You know, the lanes are playing a little bit different and there’s less people and less traffic,” Bond said. “We say it’s a different tournament, and for me, it really is. I’ve been able to play a different part of the lane that is better suited for me and where I’m more comfortable. I’m seeing the lane transition a lot easier than I did in qualifying, and I’m just excited to be able to have a picture again. I’m just a lot calmer.”
Bond may have added a little pressure on herself considering she is the defending champion this week, on top of missing last week’s cut at the season-opening PWBA Rockford Open. She wanted to get out of the gates running during qualifying and got out of character.
“I’d like to think that coming into this (week) I was calm and excited, and I was going to be present,” Bond said. “But I stepped on the gas pedal (early), and I can admit that. I wanted to just get after score, and I wanted to get it now, and that’s just not the mindset that I perform the best in. I know that, but I’m still learning and I’m still growing as a player.
“Looking back on it now, I didn’t have to try so hard. All I needed was to just stay calm, throw shots and stick with the process that I know instead of trying to do so much so fast. Now, making the bracket, I am in a better mindset, taking more time and making smarter decisions. I’m in a better headspace.”
Bond will take on Germany’s Birgit Noreiks on Monday morning. Noreiks advanced by defeating Carlene Beyer of Ogdensburg, Wisconsin (569-506), Colombia’s Juliana Franco (672-652) and Laura Plazas (655-600).
Joining Bond and Noreiks in the Winners Bracket is two-time Queens champion Liz Johnson of Niagara Falls, New York. Johnson will face England’s Verity Crawley.
Shannon O’Keefe of Belleville, Illinois, the 2018 Queens champion, will face Colombia’s Clara Guerrero. Guerrero finished third at the event in 2019.
Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, will face Cassidy Courey of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, to round out the Winners Bracket. McEwan finished third in 2016.
Past champions still remaining in the Elimination Bracket include Chicago’s Diandra Asbaty (2012) and Latvia’s Diana Zavjalova (2013, 2017). Asbaty will face Shannon Sellens of Long Beach, New York, while Zavjalova will face Plazas.
Other elimination matches include Hope Gramly of Aubrey, Texas, taking on Shannon Grimm of Fenton, Missouri, and 2021 PWBA Rookie of the Year Stephanie Zavala of Downey, California, versus Erin McCarthy of Omaha, Nebraska.
Gramly and Grimm helped McKendree win the NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship in April.
For more information on the USBC Queens, visit BOWL.com/Queens.
2022 USBC Queens
Sunday’s Results
MATCH PLAY
Double-elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall
ROUND 1
(Winners remain in Winners Bracket. Losers move to Elimination Bracket.)
(64) Ana Morales, Guatemala, def. (1) Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 667-628.
(33) Shannon Sellens, Long Beach, N.Y. def. (32) Mary Orf, St. Louis, 591-545.
(17) Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, def. (48) Brittany Pollentier, Cottage Grove, Wis., 603-557.
(16) Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y. def. (49) Maranda Pattison, Redwood Valley, Calif., 605-543.
(9) Brandi Kordelewski, Belleville, Ill., def. (56) Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 579-565.
(24) Verity Crawley, England, def. (41) Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 696-571.
(25) Kristin Quah, Singapore, def. (40) Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Florida, 642-569.
(8) Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., def. (57) Brittany Smith, Johnston, Iowa, 625-542.
(5) Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wisconsin, def. (60) Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 654-509.
(37) Clara Guerrero, Colombia, def. (28) Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 682-674.
(21) Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, def. (44) Amanda Flood, Brandon, Fla., 561-492.
(12) Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, def. (53) Sharon Powers, Lakewood, Colo., 655-539.
(13) Olivia Farwell, Elizabethtown, Pa., def. (52) Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., 655-533.
(45) Shannon Grimm, Fenton, Mo., def. (20) Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 671-637.
(36) Shannon O’Keefe, Belleville, Ill., def. (29) Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 709-595.
(61) Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., def. (4) Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, 585-524.
(3) Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., def. (62) Megan Allensworth, Plainfield, Ill., 638-602.
(35) Rebecca Hagerman, Loves Park, Ill., def. (30) Katelyn Zwiefelhofer, Racine, Wis., 586-542.
(19) Marissa Allison, Sylvania, Ohio, def. (46) Emily Peterson, West Fargo, N.D., 653-629.
(14) Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., def. (51) Jessica Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 718-581.
(11) Cassidy Courey, Brooklyn Center, Ohio, def. (54) Sandra Maresca, Mamaroneck, N.Y., 564-558.
(22) Hope Gramly, Aubrey, Texas, def. (43) Caroline Thesier, Mooresville, N.C., 531-528.
(27) Robin Orlikowski, Grand Rapids, Mich., def. (38) Kayla Crawford, Silvis, Ill., 613-591.
(6) Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., def. (59) Sarah Gill, Fitchburg, Mass., 595-587.
(58) Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, def. (7) Cassandra Leuthold, Lincoln, Neb., 642-626.
(26) Taylor Bailey, Joliet, Ill., def. (39) Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 705-676.
(42) Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., def. (23) Maria Bulanova, Russia, 646-506.
(55) Courtney Jacques, Albany, Ga., def. (10) Daria Pajak, Poland, 542-519.
(50) Birgit Noreiks, Germany, def. (15) Carlene Beyer, Ogdensburg, Wis., 569-506.
(18) Juliana Franco, Colombia, def. (47) Lauren Pate, Ballwin, Mo., 655-611.
(31) Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, def. (34) Ashley Rucker, Bartlesville, Okla., 684-572.
(63) Laura Plazas, Colombia def. (2) Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 582-575.
ROUND 2 – WINNERS BRACKET
Sellens def. Morales, 619-524.
Johnson def. Pluhowsky, 618-586.
Crawley def. Kordelewski, 618-585.
Coté def. Quah, 660-586.
Guerrero def. Schwartz, 638-633.
Boomershine def. J. Richard, 683-682.
Grimm def. Farwell, 632-588.
O’Keefe def. Barnes, 653-579.
McEwan def. Hagerman, 755-577.
McCarthy def. Allison, 562-525.
Courey def. Gramly, 614-594.
Orlikowski def. Mason, 666-508.
Zavjalova def. Bailey, 673-625.
Bond def. Jacques, 676-543.
Noreiks def. Franco, 672-652.
Plazas def. Asbaty, 637-620.
ROUND 2 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $2,500)
Orf def. Kovalova, 660-621.
Galante def. Smith, 639-569.
Pattison def. Pollentier, 601-562.
Rodriguez def. Poss, 656-523.
Zulkifli def. Brummett, 648-569.
Higgins def. Kulick, 648-589.
Powers def. Flood, 668-659.
Current def. H. Richard, 637-582.
Allensworth def. Zwiefelhofer, 603-532.
Crawford def. Gill, 528-521.
Earnest def. Peterson, 627-564.
Maresca def. Thesier, 615-594.
Zavala def. Leuthold, 685-646.
Kuhlkin def. Rucker, 624-618.
Pajak def. Bulanova, 658-530.
Pate def. Beyer, 641-631.
ROUND 3 – WINNERS BRACKET
Johnson def. Sellens, 710-621.
Crawley def. Coté, 653-643.
Guerrero def. Boomershine, 586-566.
O’Keefe def. Grimm, 623-537.
McEwan def. McCarthy, 627-578.
Courey def. Orlikowski, 615-584.
Bond def. Zavjalova, 672-590.
Noreiks def. Plazas, 655-600.
ROUND 3 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $3,000)
Orf def. Allison, 589-553.
Gramly def. Galante, 686-603.
Pattison def. Hagerman, 604-571.
Mason def. Rodriguez, 601-565.
Zulkifli def. Jacques, 630-588.
Higgins def. Franco, 650-611.
Bailey def. Powers, 635-588.
Asbaty def. Current, 607-592.
Pluhowsky def. Allensworth, 690-569.
Kordelewski def. Crawford, 673-542.
Morales def. Earnest, 699-571.
Quah def. Maresca, 673-558.
Zavala def. J. Richard, 665-581.
Kuhlkin def. Farwell, 640-577.
Schwartz def. Pajak, 649-488.
Barnes def. Pate, 674-575.
ROUND 4 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $3,500)
Gramly def. Orf, 644-634.
Mason def. Pattison, 604-525.
Higgins def. Zulkifli, 635-626.
Asbaty def. Bailey, 615-615 (10-9)*.
*Asbaty advanced after a roll-off.
Kordelewski def. Pluhowsky, 649-640.
Quah def. Morales, 698-545.
Zavala def. Kuhlkin, 616-548.
Schwartz def. Barnes, 652-650.
ROUND 5 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $4,000)
Gramly def. Boomershine, 602-582.
Grimm def. Mason, 536-524.
Sellens def. Higgins, 725-646.
Asbaty def. Coté, 620-599.
Plazas def. Kordelewski, 616-589.
Zavjalova def. Quah, 698-611.
Zavala def. Orlikowski, 718-651.
McCarthy def. Schwartz, 580-483.
KOVALOVA LEADS QUALIFYING AT 2022 USBC QUEENS
By Emil Williams Jr.
ADDISON, Ill. – Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova maintained her lead and averaged more than 223 during qualifying to lead the field into the double-elimination match-play bracket at the 2022 United States Bowling Congress Queens.
The 2019 USBC Queens champion posted a 1,064 five-game block Saturday at Stardust Bowl to complete qualifying with a 3,350 total for 15 games, a 223.33 average.
Kovalova is followed in the standings by Liz Kuhlkin of Schenectady, New York (3,345), Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York (3,318), Jen Higgins of Lewis Center, Ohio (3,259), and Stephanie Schwartz of Racine, Wisconsin (3,249).
The Queens is the second event and first major championship on the 2022 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour schedule. The finals will be broadcast live Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. All qualifying and match-play rounds leading up to the televised finals are streaming live at BowlTV.com.
With qualifying complete, the top 63 players and Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, who was guaranteed a spot in the double-elimination bracket as the defending champion, will return Sunday for match play.
Bond finished qualifying tied for 40th place with a 3,050 total and will face Russia’s Maria Bulanova in the opening round.
The final spot in the bracket went to Guatemala’s Ana Morales, who finished with a 15-game total of 2,981, a 198.73 average. Kovalova will face Morales in the first round of match play.
The four-time PWBA Tour champion has finished no lower than second during qualifying this week and handled the varying challenges the 42-foot oil pattern has presented. But, each day presents a new challenge, and Saturday was no different.
“I just tried to stay in my bubble and focus on figuring out what the lanes wanted me to do,” Kovalova said. “Today was a little tricky because my body did not feel really well, so it took me a little longer than it should’ve to get into the right ball. But once I got there, you can definitely see when I got into the right ball, because my scores definitely reflect that. Overall, I just tried to stay positive and even if I had my angry, outburst meltdown, I tried to shrink it to the point where I didn’t lose a lot of pins.”
Last year, Kovalova was the defending champion, qualified 28th and went 2-2 in match play. She’s looking to improve on her performance both on the lanes and within her mental space.
“Well, I’m looking forward to just testing my skills,” Kovalova said. “I feel I’ve been doing better mentally, so I just want to see how it is compared to last year’s match play. I know last year’s match play was kind of stressful for me. I mean, it’s obviously always stressful, but I just want to see if I improve.”
Kuhlkin continues to impress through the first two events in 2022. After earning the top seed at last week’s PWBA Rockford Open, where she finished second, she was the only player in this week’s field to have three blocks of 1,100 or better.
Her early success can be attributed to her offseason training, which has her feeling as sharp as she did when she first came out on tour in 2015 following her standout collegiate career at Nebraska.
“One thing I worked a lot on was my leverage and my speed,” Kuhlkin said. “I’ve noticed just being on tour as long as I have that speed is very good on this tour. I’m not talking about rifling it, but just being able to stay right longer. By doing that, I started moving my feet a little bit faster and my swing is a little bit higher. Now, my leverage is so much better at the line than it has been in years. I honestly feel the best I have since I left Nebraska’s campus, and that’s saying a lot, because I was very good when I left Nebraska.”
Sunday’s match-play round will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern. All matches prior to the stepladder finals will feature a three-game total-pinfall format.
Bracket play resumes Monday, with the top five athletes advancing to Tuesday’s stepladder finals.
The 2022 Queens champion will take home the $60,000 first-place prize and tiara awarded to the winner.
For more information on the USBC Queens, visit BOWL.com/Queens.
2022 USBC Queens
Saturday’s Results
QUALIFYING – ROUND 3
(15 games)
1, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 3,350. 2, Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 3,345. 3, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 3,318. 4, Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, 3,259. 5, Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 3,249. 6, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 3,244.
7, Cassandra Leuthold, Lincoln, Neb., 3,241. 8, Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., 3,224. 9, Brandi Kordelewski, Belleville, Ill., 3,186. 10, Daria Pajak, Poland, 3,183. 11, Cassidy Courey (n), Brooklyn Center, Minn., 3,180. 12, Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, 3,173.
13, Olivia Farwell (n), Elizabethtown, Pa., 3,169. 14, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 3,165. 15, Carlene Beyer (n), Ogdensburg, Wis., 3,155. 16, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 3,145. 17, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 3,141. 18(tie), Juliana Franco (n), Colombia, and Marissa Allison (n), Sylvania, Ohio, 3,124.
20, Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 3,121. 21, Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 3,115. 22, Hope Gramly (n), Aubrey, Texas, 3,114. 23, Maria Bulanova, Russia, 3,106. 24, Verity Crawley, England, 3,099.
25(tie), Taylor Bailey, Joliet, Ill., and Kristin Quah, Singapore, 3,097. 27, Robin Orlikowski (n), Grand Rapids, Mich., 3,095. 28(tie), Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., and Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 3,093. 30, Katelyn Zwiefelhofer (a), Racine, Wis., 3,084.
31, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 3,081. 32, Mary Orf (n), St. Louis, 3,076. 33, Shannon Sellens (n), Long Beach, N.Y., 3,075. 34, Ashley Rucker (n), Bartlesville, Okla., 3,073. 35, Rebecca Hagerman (n), Loves Park, Ill., 3,071. 36, Shannon O’Keefe, Belleville, Ill., 3,061.
37, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 3,057. 38, Kayla Crawford, Silvis, Ill., 3,054. 39, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 3,051. 40(tie), Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., and Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 3,050.
43(tie), Caroline Thesier (n), Mooresville, N.C., and Amanda Flood (n), Brandon, Fla., 3,048. 45, Shannon Grimm (n), Fenton, Mo., 3,047. 46, Emily Peterson (n), West Fargo, N.D., 3,044. 47, Lauren Pate, Ballwin, Mo., 3,042. 48, Brittany Pollentier, Cottage Grove, Wis., 3,031.
49, Maranda Pattison (a), Redwood Valley, Calif., 3,028. 50, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 3,023. 51(tie), Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., and Jessica Earnest (n), Nashville, Tenn., 3,022. 53, Sharon Powers (n), Lakewood, Colo., 3,013. 54, Sandra Maresca, Mamaroneck, N.Y., 3,009.
55, Courtney Jacques, Albany, Ga., 3,008. 56, Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 3,006. 57, Brittany Smith, Johnston, Iowa, 3,003. 58, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 2,997. 59, Sarah Gill, Fitchburg, Mass., 2,996. 60, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 2,993.
61, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 2,986. 62, Megan Allensworth (n), Plainfield, Ill., 2,985. 63, Laura Plazas (n), Colombia, 2,982. 64, Ana Morales, Guatemala, 2,981.
DID NOT ADVANCE
65, Kelly Zapf, Lakewood, Colo., 2,979, $1,500. 66, Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 2,977, $1,500.
67, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 2,976, $1,500. 68, Estefania Cobo, Puerto Rico, 2,974, $1,500. 69, Heather Melvin, Sioux Falls, S.D., 2,971. 70, Emily Eckhoff (n), Wheat Ridge, Colo., 2,970. 71, Kara Mangiola, Spencerport, N.Y., 2,969. 72, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 2,967.
73, Missy Parkin, San Clemente, Calif., 2,962. 74(tie), Johanna Puentes (n), Colombia, and Taylor Bulthuis, New Port Richey, Fla., 2,958. 76, Maryssa Carey (n), Hobart, Ind., 2,953. 77(tie), Abby Ragsdale, Aurora, Ill., and Sofia Rodriguez Granda (n), Guatemala, 2,947.
79, Heather Erdei, Omaha, Neb., 2,945. 80, Jasmine Snell (n), Papillion, Neb., 2,942. 81, Chelsey Klingler, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2,936. 82, Christine Gill, Troy, Ill., 2,930. 83, Kasey Eaton (n), Wyoming, Mich., 2,929. 84(tie), Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, and Kayla Pashina, Minnetonka, Minn., 2,925.
86, Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 2,924. 87, Kaleena Henning-Shannon (a), Omaha, Neb., 2,923. 88, Rocio Restrepo, Uniontown, Ohio, 2,922. 89(tie), Mallory Clark, Auburn, Maine, and Olivia Komorowski, Oshkosh, Wis., 2,920.
91(tie), Eryn Jones, Greenfield, Ind., and Zoriani Reyes, Puerto Rico, 2,917. 93, Olivia Sandham, Saint Joseph, Mo., 2,915. 94, Katie Ann Sopp, White Bear Lake, Minn., 2,914. 95, Alexis Neuer, Milton, Pa., 2,909. 96, Ana Bolanos, Guatemala, 2,904.
97(tie), Danielle Knittle, State College, Pa., Serenity Quintero, Aurora, Ill., and Heather D’Errico, Rochester, N.Y., 2,893. 100, Kirstin Foster (n), Pella, Iowa, 2,892. 101, Jennifer Hocurscak, Orange, Conn., 2,888. 102, Kristin Nieter (n), Homewood, Ill., 2,887.
103(tie), Karen Marcano, Venezuela, and Justyne Vukovich, New Stanton, Pa., 2,886. 105, Kristie Leong (n), Daly City, Calif., 2,883. 106, Brianna Andrew, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2,882. 107, Summer Jasmin, Beckley, W.Va., 2,881. 108, Kaylene Bishop, Medical Lake, Wash., 2,876.
109, Samantha Knight (n), Kalamazoo, Mich., 2,875. 110, Denisyha Waller (a), Markham, Ill., 2,869. 111, Haley Carroll, Williamsville, N.Y., 2,867. 112, Wendy Bartaire-Jimenez, France, 2,865. 113(tie), Melanie McDaniel, Joliet, Ill., and Kerry Smith, New Holland, Pa., 2,857.
115, Jenny Wonders (n), Roscoe, Ill., 2,856. 116, Nicole Kleutgen, Stevens Point, Wis., 2,854. 117, Melissa Landers, Prairie Grove, Ark., 2,852. 118, Ashlyn Jamrog, Lacey, Wash., 2,841. 119, Janis Birschbach, Fond du Lac, Wis., 2,831. 120, Kelsi Anderson, San Antonio, 2,830.
121, Sarah Sanes (n), Murfreesboro, Tenn., 2,829. 122, Felicia Wong, Canada, 2,828. 123, Madison Janack (n), Wichita, Kan., 2,827. 124, Jennifer Russo, Monmouth Junction, N.J., 2,821.
125(tie), Nichole Hiraoka (n), Daly City, Calif., and Pamela Perez Millan, Puerto Rico, 2,815.
127, Terysa Wojnar, New Lenox, Ill., 2,809. 128, Itzel Salayet, Puerto Rico, 2,806. 129, Sue Cabello, Rockford, Ill., 2,804. 130, Bailey Gipson, Davison, Mich., 2,791. 131, Juliana Botero, Colombia, 2,783. 132, Victoria Giardina, Shelby Township, Mich., 2,777.
133, Capri Howard, Lynwood, Ill., 2,773. 134, Jenica Baron, Barrington, Ill., 2,760. 135, Maria Kreke (n), Manchester, Mo., 2,756. 136, Mari Gallegos (n), Chicago, 2,755. 137, Edith Quintanilla, Guatemala, 2,754. 138, Sierra Kanemoto (n), Dayton, Ohio, 2,752.
139, Sandra Toole (n), Galesburg, Mich., 2,750. 140, Taishaye Naranjo, Lake Wales, Fla., 2,746. 141, Jill Moore (n), Elizabethtown, Pa., 2,745. 142, Courtney Ermisch, Big Bend, Wis., 2,744. 143, Shawna Strause (n), Tucson, Ariz., 2,740. 144, Kayla Bandy, Wichita, Kan., 2,736.
145, Amber MacLeod (n), Brick, N.J., 2,735. 146, Ashlee Gonzales-Webb, Quantico, Va., 2,734. 147, Britney Brown, Norman, Okla., 2,731. 148, Gabriella VanHorn, Lansing, Mich., 2,723. 149, Bailey Palmer (n), Ottumwa, Iowa, 2,721. 150, Laura Barrios, Guatemala, 2,717.
151, Lisa Timm, Auburn, Ill., 2,714. 152, Chelsea Raymond, St. Albans, Vt., 2,708. 153, Megan Ashley (n), Parma, Ohio, 2,707. 154, Emma Grace Dockery (n), Kent, Ohio, 2,703. 155, Farrand Schneider (a), Essexville, Mich., 2,700. 156, Laura Stone, Bloomington, Ill., 2,695.
157, Kayla Smith (n), Salem, Ill., 2,689. 158, Lara Clevenger (n), Edgewater, Fla., 2,681. 159, Jackie Kosier (n), Sylvania, Ohio, 2,679. 160, Sarah Smith, Van Meter, Iowa, 2,671. 161(tie), Melissa Kammerer, Staten Island, N.Y., and Jennifer Dovers (n), Sierra Vista, Ariz., 2,667.
163, Barbara Batt (a), Jacksonville, Fla., 2,666. 164(tie), Stephanie Dennis, Kingston, Mo., and Jen Medon (n), Darien, Ill., 2,665. 166, Roberta Vann (n), Downey, Calif., 2,662. 167, Julie Oczepek, Vassar, Mich., 2,657. 168, Hayley Dann, Dayton, Ohio, 2,651.
169, Claudia Barrios (n), Guatemala, 2,646. 170, Jennifer DeGroodt, North Little Rock, Ark., 2,641. 171, Tina LaCroix, Southampton, Mass., 2,633. 172, Danielle Beeck, Frankfort, Ill., 2,624. 173, Kendall Leahy, Carol Stream, Ill., 2,621. 174, Amanda Sparr (n), Lake Villa, Ill., 2,618.
175, Olivia Wallace, Jackson, Mich., 2,613. 176, Daniela Gonzalez, Riyadh, Fla., 2,605. 177, Mei Yuan Miller (n), Millington, Tenn., 2,604. 178, Alexis Carter, Valparaiso, Ind., 2,599. 179, Stephanie DellaBernarda, Vernon Rockville, Conn., 2,598. 180, Katie Bishop (a), Westland, Mich., 2,587.
181, Rebecca Azurmendi (n), Winnemucca, Nev., 2,573. 182, Christina Hartl, Ephrata, Pa., 2,531. 183, Samantha Struzynski, Ogdensburg, Wis., 2,516. 184(tie), Ashley Stayer, Cheyenne, Wyo., and Nathalie Leon, Guatemala, 2,512. 186, Michaela Morgan, The Woodlands, Texas, 2,511.
187, Alexandra Ross (n), Greenwood, Ind., 2,510. 188(tie), Jill Creamer, Redding, Calif., and Samantha Kriner, Houston, Texas, 2,503. 190, Pam Sprow (n), Lakeland, Fla., 2,483. 191, Sue Walter, Ringle, Wis., 2,470. 192, Graciela Dube, Miami, Fla., 2,469.
193, Lanaea Malak (n), Lemont, Ill., 2,465. 194, Wendy Mann, South Elgin, Ill., 2,453. 195, Nicole Kittredge, St. Johnsbury, Vt., 2,429. 196, Meghan Moore, Cleveland, 2,424. 197, Taylor Diefenderfer, Wichita, Kan., 2,423. 198, Tabitha Schlupe, Akron, Ohio, 2,417.
199, Ashley Ward, Bloomington, Ill., 2,379. 200, Farah Diaz, Tampa, Fla., 2,365. 201, Melissa Rieg (n), Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,362. 202, Michelle Sterner (n), Niagara Falls, N.Y., 1,834 (WD). 203, Nichole DePaul, Baytown, Texas, 1,109 (WD). 204, Danielle Young (n), Loves Park, Ill., 2,042 (WD).
KOVALOVA TAKES LEAD, MCEWAN MOVES INTO SECOND AT 2022 USBC QUEENS
By Emil Williams Jr.
ADDISON, Ill. – Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova moved into the overall lead after two rounds on Friday at the 2022 United States Bowling Congress Queens.
The 2019 USBC Queens champion added games of 217, 204, 208, 216 and 246 for a 1,091 five-game block and leads the field with a 10-game total of 2,286, an average of 228.6.
She is followed in the standings by Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York (2,259), opening-round leader Gazmine Mason of Cranston, Rhode Island (2,246), Stephanie Schwartz of Racine, Wisconsin (2,229), and Liz Kuhlkin of Schenectady, New York (2,228).
The USBC Queens is the second event and first major championship on the 2022 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour schedule. The finals will be broadcast live Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. All qualifying and match-play rounds leading up to the televised finals are streaming live at BowlTV.com.
The four-time PWBA Tour champion spent the offseason training her mental game and placing an emphasis on understanding her triggers and what produces anxiety when she competes. What she didn’t know at the time was how much of an escape bowling would become amidst devastating times.
Part of Kovalova’s anxiety stems from some emotional stress directly related to her native Ukraine, which was invaded in February. Kovalova’s parents, who live in Ukraine, were able to flee and find safety with Kovalova in her current hometown of Muskegon, Michigan.
Needless to say, the state of her country has taken its toll on Kovalova, but she’s managed to use the stress as a training tool to improve as a player as she looks to support not only herself, but her parents in the immediate future.
“In the past couple of months, I’ve found that bowling is actually my escape,” Kovalova said. “And, as you know before, I was very anxious about it. I’m still anxious about bowling, but I catch myself enjoying it because I don’t have to think about sad stuff. I can just focus on what I’m doing the best, which is throwing shots. My parents fled so now they’re here with me, which also adds a little bit of pressure, because I’ve got to work hard to make sure they can stay.
“I think it really, really pushed me to get on the lanes almost every single day in the offseason and just make sure that my body knows what to do when my brain freaks out. Then, find my triggers and understand how to bring myself back to the ground and focus on repeating shots, rather than throwing it all over the place and hoping for the best.”
All competitors will bowl on the fresh 42-foot lane condition for the final day of qualifying, which might be music to Kovalova’s ears after she averaged 239 on the fresh Thursday. She’s looking forward to what the condition will present after its third application to the lanes, but most importantly, she can’t wait to sport a new bowling jersey.
“Well, I’m going to try my new shirt to see if that’s a good bowling shirt, because so far I have 2 1/2 good bowling shirts,” said Kovalova, while smiling with her usual jovial spirit showing. “And as you know in bowling, it’s very important to bowl in a good shirt. So, I’m going to try that out and experiment a little. But, I also think I have to resurface a couple of my bowling balls because I have a suspicion they gained some lane shine, and I don’t think they’re going to work if I don’t resurface them.”
McEwan went through her own stressful period in 2021 thanks to a lingering toe injury, specifically the big toe on her right foot. The seven-time PWBA Tour champion somehow managed to win two titles despite consistently being in pain while competing.
As the season went on, she did see some improvement, but it wasn’t until the offseason where McEwan would have a couple of procedures done, which forced her to not bowl and focus solely on the improvement of her injury for two months.
With one round left, her sights are set on the double-elimination match-play bracket, and if she’s learned anything about herself during a difficult 2021 season, McEwan now knows she can win when she’s not 100%.
“I think it made me realize that I can still win when I’m not at my best, which is something that I always struggled with,” said McEwan, who finished third at the 2016 Queens. “If my game felt really good physically, then I knew I could win. But if it didn’t, then I would kind of convince myself that I had to throw it good in order to be successful, and out here, that’s not always the case.
“Sometimes your absolute ‘A’ game is not what’s needed. Your ‘B’ game is just as good to compete out here if you’re doing the right stuff on the lane. So, I think just having that in the back of my mind that even weeks where I don’t feel 100%, I can still come out and compete.”
And as for the status of her toe?
“It’s doing really well,” McEwan said. “But, some of the related parts around the injury are lingering. Anybody that’s ever had an injury probably knows how that feels. For example, if you hurt your hip, all of a sudden your knee and your ankle start hurting, so some of that is going on. I’m still recovering, but overall doing much better.”
Competition resumes Saturday with the third round of qualifying at 10 a.m. Eastern. After 15 games, the field will be cut to the top 63 players and Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, who is guaranteed a spot in the double-elimination bracket as the defending champion.
Bond finished the second round with a 2,014 total and is tied for 59th place.
Match play will begin Sunday, with all matches prior to the stepladder finals featuring a three-game total-pinfall format. Bracket play resumes Monday, with the top five athletes advancing to Tuesday’s stepladder finals.
The 2022 Queens champion will take home the $60,000 first-place prize and tiara awarded to the winner.
For more information on the USBC Queens, visit BOWL.com/Queens.
2022 USBC Queens
Friday’s Results
QUALIFYING – ROUND 2
(10 games)
1, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 2,286. 2, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 2,259. 3, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 2,246. 4, Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 2,229. 5, Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 2,228. 6, Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, 2,224.
7, Cassandra Leuthold, Lincoln, Neb., 2,213. 8, Daria Pajak, Poland, 2,178. 9, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 2,171. 10, Brandi Kordelewski, Belleville, Ill., 2,166. 11, Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 2,158. 12, Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, 2,149.
13, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 2,148. 14, Maranda Pattison (a), Redwood Valley, Calif., 2,147. 15, Carlene Beyer, Ogdensburg, Wis., 2,142. 16, Marissa Allison (n), Sylvania, Ohio, 2,141. 17, Olivia Farwell (n), Elizabethtown, Pa., 2,134. 18, Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 2,131.
19, Robin Orlikowski (n), Grand Rapids, Mich., 2,129. 20, Kristin Quah, Singapore, 2,122. 21, Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 2,116. 22, Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., 2,114. 23, Sofia Rodriguez Granda (n), Guatemala, 2,113. 24, Mary Orf, St. Louis, 2,109.
25, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 2,102. 26, Shannon Sellens (n), Long Beach, N.Y., 2,100. 27, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 2,099. 28, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 2,092. 29(tie), Katelyn Zwiefelhofer (a), Racine, Wis., and Amanda Flood (n), Brandon, Fla., 2,087.
31, Maryssa Carey (n), Hobart, Ind., 2,085. 32, Juliana Franco (n), Colombia, 2,084. 33, Cassidy Courey (n), Brooklyn Center, Minn., 2,082. 34, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 2,081. 35, Shannon O’Keefe, Belleville, Ill., 2,080. 36, Verity Crawley, England, 2,079.
37, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 2,078. 38, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 2,074. 39, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 2,071. 40, Caroline Thesier (n), Mooresville, N.C., 2,069. 41, Shannon Grimm (n), Fenton, Mo., 2,066. 42, Taylor Bailey, Joliet, Ill., 2,053.
43, Abby Ragsdale, Aurora, Ill., 2,048. 44(tie), Kelly Zapf, Lakewood, Colo., and Maria Bulanova, Russia, 2,043. 46(tie), Ashley Rucker (n), Bartlesville, Okla., Emily Peterson (n), West Fargo, N.D., and Kayla Crawford, Silvis, Ill., 2,042.
49, Brittany Smith, Johnston, Iowa, 2,039. 50, Jessica Earnest (n), Nashville, Tenn., 2,034. 51, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 2,031. 52(tie), Rocio Restrepo, Uniontown, Ohio, Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., and Rebecca Hagerman (n), Loves Park, Ill., 2,029.
55, Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 2,025. 56, Kayla Pashina, Minnetonka, Minn., 2,024. 57, Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 2,018. 58, Courtney Jacques, Albany, Ga., 2,017. 59(tie), Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., and Hope Gramly (n), Aubrey, Texas, 2,014.
61, Zoriani Reyes, Puerto Rico, 2,012. 62, Sharon Powers (n), Lakewood, Colo., 2,011. 63, Megan Allensworth (n), Plainfield, Ill., 2,010. 64, Estefania Cobo, Puerto Rico, 2,001. 65, Missy Parkin, San Clemente, Calif., 2,000. 66(tie), Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, and Olivia Komorowski, Oshkosh, Wis., 1,997.
68, Olivia Sandham, Saint Joseph, Mo., 1,995. 69, Sandra Maresca, Mamaroneck, N.Y., 1,994. 70, Brianna Andrew, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1,993. 71, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 1,988. 72, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 1,987.
73, Lauren Pate, Ballwin, Mo., 1,985. 74, Taylor Bulthuis, New Port Richey, Fla., 1,983. 75, Britt́any Pollentier, Cottage Grove, Wis., 1,981. 76, Eryn Jones, Greenfield, Ind., 1,979. 77(tie), Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., and Christine Gill, Troy, Ill., 1,978.
79, Sarah Gill, Fitchburg, Mass., 1,975. 80, Mallory Clark, Auburn, Maine, 1,973. 81(tie), Wendy Bartaire-Jimenez, France, and Summer Jasmin, Beckley, W.Va., 1,969. 83, Emily Eckhoff (n), Wheat Ridge, Colo., 1,966. 84, Jenny Wonders (n), Roscoe, Ill., 1,963.
85(tie), Heather D’Errico, Rochester, N.Y., and Janis Birschbach, Fond du Lac, Wis., 1,960. 87, Heather Erdei, Omaha, Neb., 1,959. 88, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 1,956. 89(tie), Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., and Laura Plazas (n), Bogota, 1,955.
91(tie), Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, and Serenity Quintero, Aurora, Ill., 1,948. 93, Denisyha Waller (a), Markham, Ill., 1,946. 94, Kerry Smith, New Holland, Pa., 1,945. 95, Danielle Knittle, State College, Pa., 1,943. 96, Heather Melvin, Sioux Falls, S.D., 1,942.
97, Kasey Eaton (n), Wyoming, Mich., 1,941. 98(tie), Melanie McDaniel, Joliet, Ill., and Chelsey Klingler, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1,940. 100, Ana Morales, Guatemala, 1,939. 101, Katie Ann Sopp, White Bear Lake, Minn., 1,936. 102, Melissa Landers, Prairie Grove, Ark., 1,932.
103, Kristin Nieter (n), Homewood, Ill., 1,931. 104, Johanna Puentes (n), Colombia, 1,930. 105, Kirstin Foster (n), Pella, Iowa, 1,929. 106, Kristie Leong (n), Daly City, Calif., 1,926. 107, Nicole Kleutgen, Stevens Point, Wis., 1,924.
108(tie) Terysa Wojnar, New Lenox, Ill., and Itzel Salayet, Puerto Rico, 1,920. 110, Kaylene Bishop, Medical Lake, Wash., 1,919. 111, Kara Mangiola, Spencerport, N.Y., 1,918. 112, Haley Carroll, Williamsville, N.Y., 1,915. 113, Jasmine Snell (n), Papillion, Neb., 1,913. 114, Kelsi Anderson, San Antonio, 1,912.
115, Jennifer Russo, Monmouth Junction, N.J., 1,904. 116, Felicia Wong, Canada, 1,903. 117 (tie), Bailey Gipson, Davison, Mich., and Alexis Neuer, Milton, Pa., 1,902. 119(tie), Maria Kreke (n), Manchester, Mo., and Sarah Sanes (n), Murfreesboro, Tenn., 1,895.
121, Pamela Perez Millan, Puerto Rico, 1,893. 122, Samantha Knight (n), Kalamazoo, Mich., 1,889. 123, Chelsea Raymond, St. Albans, Vt., 1,886. 124, Madison Janack (n), Wichita, Kan., 1,885. 125, Capri Howard, Lynwood, Ill., 1,884. 126, Nichole Hiraoka (n), Daly City, Calif., 1,882.
127, Justyne Vukovich, New Stanton, Pa., 1,881. 128(tie), Jenica Baron, Barrington, Ill., and Ana Bolanos, Guatemala, 1,878. 130, Jennifer Hocurscak, Orange, Conn., 1,871. 131, Ashlee Gonzales-Webb, Quantico, Va., 1,867. 132, Bailey Palmer (n), Ottumwa, Iowa, 1,864.
133, Ashlyn Jamrog, Lacey, Wash., 1,854. 134, Laura Barrios, Guatemala, 1,851. 135, Shawna Strause (n), Tucson, Ariz., 1,847. 136(tie), Sue Cabello, Rockford, Ill., and Courtney Ermisch, Big Bend, Wis., 1,846. 138, Victoria Giardina, Shelby Township, Mich., 1,840.
139, Kaleena Henning-Shannon (a), Omaha, Neb., 1,839. 140, Edith Quintanilla, Guatemala, 1,835. 141, Karen Marcano, Venezuela, 1,833. 142, Barbara Batt (a), Jacksonville, Fla., 1,828. 143, Juliana Botero, Colombia, 1,826. 144, Britney Brown, Norman, Okla., 1,825.
145, Lara Clevenger (n), Edgewater, Fla., 1,820. 146(tie), Sierra Kanemoto (n), Dayton, Ohio, and Amber MacLeod (n), Brick, N.J., 1,816. 148, Kayla Smith (n), Salem, Ill., 1,813. 149(tie), Mari Gallegos (n), Chicago, and Jill Moore (n), Elizabethtown, Pa., 1,805.
151, Jennifer Dovers (n), Sierra Vista, Ariz., 1,803. 152, Claudia Barrios (n), Guatemala, 1,790. 153, Farrand Schneider (a), Essexville, Mich., 1,787. 154, Jen Medon (n), Darien, Ill., 1,784. 155, Sandra Toole (n), Galesburg, Mich., 1,783. 156, Gabriella VanHorn, Lansing, Mich., 1,780.
157, Sarah Smith, Van Meter, Iowa, 1,774. 158, Taishaye Naranjo, Lake Wales, Fla., 1,771. 159, Kayla Bandy, Wichita, Kan., 1,767. 160(tie), Megan Ashley (n), Parma, Ohio, and Melissa Kammerer, Staten Island, N.Y., 1,766. 162, Hayley Dann, Dayton, Ohio, 1,758.
163(tie), Olivia Wallace, Jackson, Mich., and Amanda Sparr (n), Lake Villa, Ill., 1,755. 165, Roberta Vann (n), Downey, Calif., 1,753. 166, Stephanie Dennis, Kingston, Mo., 1,751. 167, Danielle Beeck, Frankfort, Ill., 1,750. 168(tie), Daniela Gonzalez, Riyadh, Fla., and Stephanie DellaBernarda, Vernon Rockville, Conn., 1,747.
170, Emma Grace Dockery (n), Kent, Ohio, 1,743. 171(tie), Lisa Timm, Auburn, Ill., and Samantha Struzynski, Ogdensburg, Wis., 1,731. 173, Kendall Leahy, Carol Stream, Ill., 1,729. 174, Laura Stone, Bloomington, Ill., 1,720.
175, Tina LaCroix, Southampton, Mass., 1,717. 176, Julie Oczepek, Vassar, Mich., 1,706. 177, Samantha Kriner, Houston, 1,705. 178, Danielle Young (n), Loves Park, Ill., 1,696. 179, Mei Yuan Miller (n), Millington, Tenn., 1,694. 180, Alexis Carter, Valparaiso, Ind., 1,689.
181(tie), Rebecca Azurmendi (n), Winnemucca, Nev., and Graciela Dube, Miami, Fla., 1,686. 183, Jennifer DeGroodt, North Little Rock, Ark., 1,684. 184(tie), Nathalie Leon, Guatemala, and Jackie Kosier (n), Sylvania, Ohio, 1,678. 186(tie), Sue Walter, Ringle, Wis., and
Alexandra Ross (n), Greenwood, Ind., 1,655. 188, Christina Hartl, Ephrata, Pa., 1,653. 189, Pam Sprow (n), Lakeland, Fla., 1,652. 190, Lanaea Malak (n), Lemont, Ill., 1,641. 191, Nicole Kittredge, St. Johnsbury, Vt., 1,640. 192, Jill Creamer, Redding, Calif., 1,622.
193, Wendy Mann, South Elgin, Ill., 1,620. 194, Ashley Stayer, Cheyenne, Wyo., 1,618. 195, Taylor Diefenderfer, Wichita, Kan., 1,601. 196, Katie Bishop (a), Westland, Mich., 1,600. 197, Ashley Ward, Bloomington, Ill., 1,593. 198, Tabitha Schlupe, Akron, Ohio, 1,560.
199, Michaela Morgan, The Woodlands, Texas, 1,554. 200, Farah Diaz, Tampa, Fla., 1,551. 201, Melissa Rieg (n), Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,512. 202, Meghan Moore, Cleveland, 1,502. 203, Michelle Sterner (n), Niagara Falls, N.Y., 1,834 (WD). 204, Nichole DePaul, Baytown, Texas, 1,109 (WD).
GAZMINE MASON LEADS OPENING ROUND AT 2022 USBC QUEENS
By Emil Williams Jr.
ADDISON, Ill. – Gazmine Mason of Cranston, Rhode Island, averaged more than 243 to snag the overall lead after Round 1 of the 2022 United States Bowling Congress Queens.
Mason had a strong start to her week at Stardust Bowl and tossed games of 225, 239, 278, 216 and 259 for a 1,217 five-game total.
Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova, the 2019 USBC Queens champion, was second with 1,195, and Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York (1,185), Poland’s Daria Pajak (1,137) and Olivia Farwell of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania (1,135), round out the top five.
The Queens is the second event and first major championship on the 2022 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour schedule. The finals will be broadcast live Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. All qualifying and match-play rounds leading up to the televised finals are streaming live at BowlTV.com.
For Mason, the old saying “patience is a virtue,” is exactly the attitude she used to claim the overall lead Thursday.
“I’m just staying patient,” said Mason, who cashed at the season-opening PWBA Rockford Open last week. “I think my patience has grown over the past couple years. Sometimes I want to strike right away, but I’m more aware of what’s going on. I’ll tell myself, ‘Hey, you don’t have to start out the game with four or five (strikes) in a row. Be patient and let them come to you.’ So, I really think that patience and awareness has been key for me.”
Mason will bowl on the “burn” Friday afternoon and will rely on some of the information she learned Thursday to assist but also will let her eyes be her guide as she navigates a different challenge.
“I ended on a pair that was a little tighter and had been migrating left throughout the day,” Mason said. “I was around 15 or 16 at the arrows when I made the move right, so tomorrow I’ll see what the first shot does and maybe start around 15 and move left from there. We’ll see what happens. But, who knows? You never know until you throw a ball.”
Kovalova began the season with a ninth-place finish at the Rockford Open and has rolled over her success to the Queens this week after firing games of 235, 269, 247, 218 and 226 on the 42-foot lane condition. She spent the offseason working on her mental game and gaining a better understanding of lane play, along with her equipment. It’s paying off early.
“I think the good start shows I can do things right,” Kovalova said. “It gives me confidence to believe in myself and what I do on the lanes. And, it shows that all the work I did in the offseason was useful.”
Competition resumes Friday with the second round of qualifying at 10 a.m. Eastern. After 15 games, the field will be cut to the top 63 players and Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, who is guaranteed a spot in the double-elimination bracket as the defending champion.
Bond finished the first round with a 1,011 total and is tied for 62nd place.
Match play will begin Sunday, with all matches prior to the stepladder finals featuring a three-game total-pinfall format. Bracket play resumes Monday, with the top five athletes advancing to Tuesday’s stepladder finals on CBS Sports Network.
The 2022 Queens champion will take home the $60,000 first-place prize and tiara awarded to the winner.
For more information on the USBC Queens, visit BOWL.com/Queens.
2022 USBC Queens
Thursday’s Results
QUALIFYING – ROUND 1
(Five games)
1, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 1,217. 2, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 1,195. 3, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 1,185. 4, Daria Pajak, Poland, 1,137. 5, Olivia Farwell (n), Elizabethtown, Pa., 1,135. 6, Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 1,128.
7, Caroline Thesier, Mooresville, N.C., 1,124. 8, Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 1,118. 9, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 1,111. 10, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 1,106. 11, Brandi Kordelewski, Belleville, Ill., 1,104. 12, Sofia Rodriguez Granda (n), Guatemala, 1,093.
13, Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 1,090. 14, Cassandra Leuthold, Lincoln, Neb., 1,089. 15(tie), Juliana Franco (n), Colombia, and Mary Orf, St. Louis, 1,088. 17, Abby Ragsdale, Aurora, Ill., 1,086. 18(tie), Brittany Smith, Johnston, Iowa, and Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 1,084.
20, Zoriani Reyes, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, 1,081. 21, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 1,080. 22(tie), Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Cassidy Courey (n), Brooklyn Center, Minn., 1,072. 24(tie), Maranda Pattison (a), Redwood Valley, Calif., and Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 1,068.
26, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 1,066. 27, Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, 1,064. 28, Kayla Pashina, Minnetonka, Minn., 1,062. 29, Kayla Crawford, Silvis, Ill., 1,060. 30, Maria Bulanova, Russia, 1,059. 31, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,058.
32, Marissa Allison (n), Sylvania, Ohio, 1,054. 33(tie), Estefania Cobo, Puerto Rico, and Denisyha Waller (a), Markham, Ill., 1,050. 35, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 1,044. 36(tie), Verity Crawley, England, Kristin Quah, Singapore, and Itzel Salayet, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1,040.
39, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 1,038. 40, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 1,037. 41, Courtney Jacques, Albany, Ga., 1,036. 42, Summer Jasmin, Beckley, W.Va., 1,035.
43, Amanda Flood (n), Brandon, Fla., 1,034. 44, Shannon Sellens (n), Long Beach, N.Y., 1,033. 45, Bailey Palmer (n), Ottumwa, Iowa, 1,032. 46, Carlene Beyer, Ogdensburg, Wis., 1,030. 47, Megan Allensworth (n), Plainfield, Ill., 1,029. 48, Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., 1,027.
49(tie), Olivia Sandham, Saint Joseph, Mo., and Robin Orlikowski (n), Grand Rapids, Mich., 1,026. 51, Sharon Powers (n), Lakewood, Colo., 1,023. 52, Brianna Andrew, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1,020. 53(tie), Nicole Kleutgen, Stevens Point, Wis., and Emily Peterson (n), West Fargo, N.D., 1,018.
55, Wendy Bartaire-Jimenez, France, 1,017. 56(tie), Katelyn Zwiefelhofer (a), Racine, Wis., and Chelsey Klingler, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1,015. 58, Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 1,014. 59(tie), Terysa Wojnar, New Lenox, Ill., and Rebecca Hagerman (n), Loves Park, Ill., 1,013.
61, Hope Gramly (n), Aubrey, Texas, 1,012. 62(tie), Shannon Grimm (n), Fenton, Mo., Jenny Wonders (n), Roscoe, Ill., Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., and Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 1,011. 66, Kerry Smith, New Holland, Pa., 1,010.
67, Christine Gill, Troy, Ill., 1,008. 68, Emily Eckhoff (n), Wheat Ridge, Colo., 1,005. 69, Danielle Knittle, State College, Pa., 999. 70, Olivia Komorowski, Oshkosh, Wis., 997. 71, Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 996. 72(tie), Maryssa Carey (n), Hobart, Ind., and Sandra Maresca, Mamaroneck, N.Y., 994.
74(tie), Shannon O’Keefe, Belleville, Ill., Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, Rocio Restrepo, Uniontown, Ohio, and Eryn Jones, Greenfield, Ind., 993. 78, Missy Parkin, San Clemente, Calif., 991.
79, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 990. 80, Kaleena Henning-Shannon (a), Omaha, Neb., 988. 81, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 985. 82, Taylor Bailey, Joliet, Ill., 984. 83(tie), Courtney Ermisch, Big Bend, Wis., and Katie Ann Sopp, White Bear Lake, Minn., 980.
85, Madison Janack (n), Wichita, Kan., 978. 86, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 977. 87(tie), Jasmine Snell (n), Papillion, Neb., Janis Birschbach, Fond du Lac, Wis., Chelsea Raymond, St. Albans, Vt., and Serenity Quintero, Aurora, Ill., 975.
91(tie), Pamela Perez Millan, Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Kelly Zapf, Lakewood, Colo., 972. 93, Johanna Puentes (n), Colombia, 971. 94, Justyne Vukovich, New Stanton, Pa., 970. 95, Kaylene Bishop, Medical Lake, Wash., 969.
96(tie), Laura Barrios, Guatemala, and Ashley Rucker (n), Bartlesville, Okla., 968. 98, Sarah Gill, Fitchburg, Mass., 967. 99(tie), Brittany Pollentier, Cottage Grove, Wis., Kristin Nieter (n), Homewood, Ill., Edith Quintanilla, Guatemala, and Sue Cabello, Rockford, Ill., 965.
103(tie), Jessica Earnest (n), Nashville, Tenn., and Barbara Batt (a), Jacksonville, Fla., 962. 105(tie), Karen Marcano, Venezuela, Heather D’Errico, Rochester, N.Y., and Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 961. 108, Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 960.
109(tie), Alexis Neuer, Milton, Pa., and Capri Howard, Lynwood, Ill., 959. 111, Sarah Sanes (n), Murfreesboro, Tenn., 957. 112(tie), Kirstin Foster (n), Pella, Iowa, and Kasey Eaton (n), Wyoming, Mich., 956. 114(tie), Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, and Melissa Kammerer, Staten Island, N.Y., 954.
116(tie), Taylor Bulthuis, New Port Richey, Fla., and Heather Melvin, Sioux Falls, S.D., 952. 118, Samantha Knight (n), Kalamazoo, Mich., 950. 119(tie), Sarah Smith, Van Meter, Iowa, Laura Plazas (n), Bogota, and Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 947.
122(tie), Bailey Gipson, Davison, Mich., and Danielle Beeck, Frankfort, Ill., 946. 124(tie), Nichole Hiraoka (n), Daly City, Calif., and Kristie Leong (n), Daly City, Calif., 945. 126(tie), Melanie McDaniel, Joliet, Ill., Amanda Sparr (n), Lake Villa, Ill., and Gabriella VanHorn, Lansing, Mich., 943.
129(tie), Lauren Pate, Ballwin, Mo., and Haley Carroll, Williamsville, N.Y., 941. 131, Melissa Landers, Prairie Grove, Ark., 939. 132, Mallory Clark, Auburn, Maine, 938.
133, Victoria Giardina, Shelby Township, Mich., 934. 134, Farrand Schneider (a), Essexville, Mich., 931. 135, Shawna Strause (n), Tucson, Ariz., 929. 136(tie), Heather Erdei, Omaha, Neb., and Jill Moore (n), Elizabethtown, Pa., 927. 138, Graciela Dube, Miami, Fla., 926.
139(tie), Kara Mangiola, Spencerport, N.Y., and Michelle Sterner (n), Niagara Falls, N.Y., 921. 141, Ana Bolanos, Guatemala, 920. 142, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 918. 143, Julie Oczepek, Vassar, Mich., 917. 144, Jennifer Hocurscak, Orange, Conn., 916.
145, Stephanie Dennis, Kingston, Mo., 915. 146, Ana Morales, Guatemala, 914. 147(tie), Kayla Smith (n), Salem, Ill., Britney Brown, Norman, Okla., and Amber MacLeod (n), Brick, N.J., 912. 150, Ashlee Gonzales-Webb, Quantico, Va., 909.
151, Sierra Kanemoto (n), Dayton, Ohio, 907. 152, Hayley Dann, Dayton, Ohio, 905. 153, Jen Medon (n), Darien, Ill., 904. 154, Maria Kreke (n), Manchester, Mo., 903. 155(tie), Sandra Toole (n), Galesburg, Mich., and Kayla Bandy, Wichita, Kan., 896.
157(tie), Kelsi Anderson, San Antonio, and Ashley Ward, Bloomington, Ill., 895. 159, Tina LaCroix, Southampton, Mass., 893. 160, Mari Gallegos (n), Chicago, 888. 161(tie), Jennifer Russo, Monmouth Junction, N.J., and Jackie Kosier (n), Sylvania, Ohio, 887.
163, Olivia Wallace, Jackson, Mich., 886. 164, Roberta Vann (n), Downey, Calif., 885. 165, Stephanie Della Bernarda, Vernon Rockville, Conn., 883. 166, Juliana Botero, Colombia, 880. 167, Jenica Baron, Barrington, Ill., 879. 168, Alexandra Ross (n), Greenwood, Ind., 877.
169, Jennifer DeGroodt, North Little Rock, Ark., 874. 170, Jennifer Dovers (n), Sierra Vista, Ariz., 873. 171, Taishaye Naranjo, Lake Wales, Fla., 868. 172, Rebecca Azurmendi (n), Winnemucca, Nev., 867. 173, Felicia Wong, Canada, 865. 174(tie), Kendall Leahy, Carol Stream, Ill., and Claudia Barrios (n), Guatemala, 862.
176, Samantha Kriner, Houston, 859. 177, Nathalie Leon, Guatemala, 855. 178, Samantha Struzynski, Ogdensburg, Wis., 849. 179(tie), Lanaea Malak (n), Lemont, Ill., and Mei Yuan Miller (n), Millington, Tenn., 847.
181, Sue Walter, Ringle, Wis., 846. 182, Nicole Kittredge, St. Johnsbury, Vt., 844. 183(tie), Daniela Gonzalez, Riyadh, Fla., and Ashlyn Jamrog, Lacey, Wash., 839. 185, Megan Ashley (n), Parma, Ohio, 837. 186, Laura Stone, Bloomington, Ill., 835.
187, Pam Sprow (n), Lakeland, Fla., 827. 188(tie), Ashley Stayer, Cheyenne, Wyo., and Taylor Diefenderfer, Wichita, Kan., 826. 190, Emma Grace Dockery (n), Kent, Ohio, 823. 191, Lara Clevenger (n), Edgewater, Fla., 822. 192, Christina Hartl, Ephrata, Pa., 819.
193(tie), Jill Creamer, Redding, Calif., and Lisa Timm, Auburn, Ill., 818. 195, Nichole DePaul, Baytown, Texas, 807. 196, Wendy Mann, South Elgin, Ill., 804. 197, Katie Bishop (a), Westland, Mich., 793. 198, Danielle Young (n), Loves Park, Ill., 767.
199, Michaela Morgan, The Woodlands, Texas, 763. 200, Meghan Moore, Cleveland, 761. 201, Alexis Carter, Valparaiso, Ind., 736. 202, Farah Diaz, Tampa, Fla., 735. 203, Melissa Rieg (n), Wesley Chapel, Fla., 721. 204, Tabitha Schlupe, Akron, Ohio, 681.
BOND LOOKS TO DEFEND TITLE CLOSE TO HOME AT 2022 USBC QUEENS
By Emil Williams Jr.
ADDISON, Ill. – When Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, made her Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour debut as a full-time member in 2019, it was simply a question of when, and not if, she would win a major title.
Just one full season later, Bond broke the code early, figuring out how to win three times on the national tour, which included her first major championship at the 2021 United States Bowling Congress Queens at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
The 26-year-old right-hander will return to the event this week at Stardust Bowl, and she’s looking for another long run through the tournament’s double-elimination bracket.
The 2022 USBC Queens begins Wednesday with the tournament’s official practice sessions. The first of three five-game qualifying rounds will start Thursday, before the field is cut to the top 63 players and Bond, who is guaranteed a spot in the bracket as the defending champion.
Three-game total-pinfall matches will determine which players advance through the bracket leading up to the stepladder finals on May 24 at 7 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network.
All qualifying and match-play rounds leading up to the live televised finals will be broadcast at BowlTV.com.
The winner of the Queens will take home a $60,000 top prize and the tiara awarded to the champion.
Bond averaged more than 234 across six matches to earn the top seed, and she went onto defeat Missy Parkin of San Clemente, California, in the title match, 238-154.
It’s rare for any player to earn a major championship so early in a career, but Bond has the pedigree. Bond had made two trips to the bracket as an amateur but did not advance to match play at the Queens in 2019. She responded in the best way possible in 2021.
She’s looking forward to a return to the bracket and gaining some understanding of how the lanes will play throughout qualifying.
“Winning Queens was definitely on my bucket list,” Bond said. “It felt incredible hoisting the trophy because, to be honest, I didn’t think Queens would be my first major. I didn’t even make the bracket when it was held in 2019. It felt very empowering to come back and win it at the (National Bowling) Stadium. And, as the defending champ, I’m really looking forward to going through the bracket again. I get the luxury of automatically making the bracket, so I’m really excited to learn as much as I can in qualifying and go head-to-head against the best.”
Bond’s win at the Queens was the second of her three titles in 2021, which also included the PWBA Hall of Fame Classic in January and PWBA Pepsi Classic in October. At the time of her win at the Queens last May, spectators were not allowed, which meant her parents, who often support her in person, were unable to attend.
Now, spectators are allowed, and the event is approximately 30 miles away from Bond’s Aurora home, which means parents, friends and more of her family will have the opportunity to see her potentially win another PWBA Tour title.
“I’m going to have a great appreciation for being able to compete in front of my support system,” said Bond, who finished fourth on the PWBA points list in 2021. “It will mean a lot to me to have them there while I try to defend my title, since we unfortunately couldn’t have spectators last year. They’ve never seen me win a title in person. It’ll be special to have them behind me.”
Bond is coming off a subpar finish at the season-opening PWBA Rockford Open. After a strong start to the event, she lost her battle with lane transition and finished outside of the top 27, the number to make the first cut, in 35th place.
In some ways, the timing of the first major and her title defense could not be better. She can quickly get back on the lanes, forget about the first event, and with a spot in the bracket, work on whatever may be needed in 15 games of qualifying before match play begins.
“I’m very disappointed with how Rockford went, considering how strong I started the first three games during the first qualifying round,” said Bond, who is a six-time member of Team USA. “When the transition hit, it hit me hard, and I struggled to recover. However, I reflected on what I saw on the lanes, what balls worked and what didn’t work. I journaled about it, processed the information and feel good moving forward.”
This year’s field will feature 200 players competing across two squads during qualifying. Match play will begin Sunday and go into Monday, before the top five players are determined for Tuesday’s stepladder finals.
For more information on the USBC Queens, visit BOWL.com/Queens.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 1,519 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
