Big changes in team, all-events at 2017 USBC Women's Championships
May 14, 2017
By Scott Simon and Aaron Smith
USBC Communications
BATON ROUGE, La. - An exciting 24-hour run at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships saw new team leaders emerge in three divisions and the bar raised in Diamond All-Events at the Raising Cane's River Center.
World Cup Bowling Academy (above) of Tampa, Florida, edged into the Diamond Team lead, while a pair of teams from Montana moved into the top spot in Ruby and Sapphire Team.
Tampa's Katie Robinson finished off the excitement at the 44-lane venue by posting a 1,867 total to take the lead in Diamond All-Events.
Led by Megan Kelly's 646 series, World Cup Bowling Academy fought through the transition of the oil pattern in Game 2 and bounced back in the final game to sneak into the lead Sunday by seven pins over 2 Kidz & 2 Goats of Brandon, Florida, which posted 2,397 on Saturday.
World Cup Bowling Academy posted games of 833, 735 and 836, and Kelly was joined at the River Center by Aumi Guerra (630), Hayley Veitch (620) and USBC Hall of Famer Lucy Sandelin (508).
"The oil really started to push down, so we had to try and figure out what moves and ball choices we needed to make," said Kelly, who made her 14th USBC Women's Championships appearance. "We all tried to collaborate and get in the right spot with the right ball, which we were able to do."
Although 2017 marked the first time the members of World Cup Bowling Academy bowled together on the championship lanes, the chemistry was strong from the early going. With many of the top bowlers from around the world heading to Baton Rouge for the upcoming USBC Queens and Senior Queens, they're happy they were able to set the number to chase.
The Queens will take place at the River Center from May 17-23, while the Senior Queens will head to nearby Circle Bowl from May 23-26.
"You can't win unless you're leading," Kelly said. "I think it's awesome that a group that just came together like this was able to develop such a solid team chemistry from the start. We had a lot of fun out there."
Diamond Team includes four-player teams with combined entering averages of 725 and above.
A four-team group from Helena, Montana, saw two of its teams ascend to the top of the leaderboards Saturday as Chevrolet of Helena and Mixed Up Nuts took the lead in the Ruby and Sapphire Divisions, respectively.
Chevrolet of Helena posted games of 671, 747 and 687 for a 2,105 total, passing the 2,077 total of Cashmere Bowling Queens 1 of Charlotte, North Carolina, while Mixed Up Nuts used games of 682, 642 and 530 for a 1,854 total, surpassing Jadene's Team of North Adams, Massachusetts, which previously held the lead with 1,785.
Chevrolet of Helena was led by first-time participant Kimberly Bolan's 546 series, and she was joined by her mother, Danielle Bolan (545), Jenny Chambers (521) and Peggy Cloninger (493).
Danielle Bolan helped to organize the four teams from Helena, and the trip already was special before her team's performance on the lanes due to her daughter joining the team for the Mother's Day weekend festivities.
"It was Kim's first year at the national tournament and also her first year as an adult bowler," said Danielle, who made her 10th Women's Championships appearance. "The rest of us on the team have bowled together at Nationals for about five years, and this team was formed just so Kim and I could bowl together."
Ruby Team features teams with combined entering averages of 650-724.
Mixed Up Nuts also was led by a first-timer, as Sabrina Ravndal led the way with a 497 series. She was joined by her mother, Christine Ravndal (492), Shelley Nolan (455) and Laura Baker (410).
"This is so unexpected," Sabrina Ravndal said. "I don't think anybody realized we were bowling well enough to move into first place."
Sapphire Team is made up of groups with combined entering averages of 574 and below.
Robinson's run to the top of the Diamond All-Events standings included firing a 696 series to help 2 Kidz & 2 Goats into the Diamond Team lead.
The 33-year-old right-hander added sets of 619 in singles and 552 in doubles to move ahead of Brenda Burns of Peoria, Arizona, who previously held the lead with 1,835.
"The lanes were very touchy, and I didn't have much room for error," said Robinson, who made her eighth consecutive tournament appearance. "My goal was to average 200, and I was able to do that."
Robinson also credited her teammates for her success at the River Center.
"We bowl together for city and state all the time," Robinson said. "We play off each other really well."
Diamond All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 190 and above.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
BATON ROUGE, La. - An exciting 24-hour run at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships saw new team leaders emerge in three divisions and the bar raised in Diamond All-Events at the Raising Cane's River Center.
World Cup Bowling Academy (above) of Tampa, Florida, edged into the Diamond Team lead, while a pair of teams from Montana moved into the top spot in Ruby and Sapphire Team.
Tampa's Katie Robinson finished off the excitement at the 44-lane venue by posting a 1,867 total to take the lead in Diamond All-Events.
Led by Megan Kelly's 646 series, World Cup Bowling Academy fought through the transition of the oil pattern in Game 2 and bounced back in the final game to sneak into the lead Sunday by seven pins over 2 Kidz & 2 Goats of Brandon, Florida, which posted 2,397 on Saturday.
World Cup Bowling Academy posted games of 833, 735 and 836, and Kelly was joined at the River Center by Aumi Guerra (630), Hayley Veitch (620) and USBC Hall of Famer Lucy Sandelin (508).
"The oil really started to push down, so we had to try and figure out what moves and ball choices we needed to make," said Kelly, who made her 14th USBC Women's Championships appearance. "We all tried to collaborate and get in the right spot with the right ball, which we were able to do."
Although 2017 marked the first time the members of World Cup Bowling Academy bowled together on the championship lanes, the chemistry was strong from the early going. With many of the top bowlers from around the world heading to Baton Rouge for the upcoming USBC Queens and Senior Queens, they're happy they were able to set the number to chase.
The Queens will take place at the River Center from May 17-23, while the Senior Queens will head to nearby Circle Bowl from May 23-26.
"You can't win unless you're leading," Kelly said. "I think it's awesome that a group that just came together like this was able to develop such a solid team chemistry from the start. We had a lot of fun out there."
Diamond Team includes four-player teams with combined entering averages of 725 and above.
A four-team group from Helena, Montana, saw two of its teams ascend to the top of the leaderboards Saturday as Chevrolet of Helena and Mixed Up Nuts took the lead in the Ruby and Sapphire Divisions, respectively.
Chevrolet of Helena posted games of 671, 747 and 687 for a 2,105 total, passing the 2,077 total of Cashmere Bowling Queens 1 of Charlotte, North Carolina, while Mixed Up Nuts used games of 682, 642 and 530 for a 1,854 total, surpassing Jadene's Team of North Adams, Massachusetts, which previously held the lead with 1,785.
Chevrolet of Helena was led by first-time participant Kimberly Bolan's 546 series, and she was joined by her mother, Danielle Bolan (545), Jenny Chambers (521) and Peggy Cloninger (493).Danielle Bolan helped to organize the four teams from Helena, and the trip already was special before her team's performance on the lanes due to her daughter joining the team for the Mother's Day weekend festivities.
"It was Kim's first year at the national tournament and also her first year as an adult bowler," said Danielle, who made her 10th Women's Championships appearance. "The rest of us on the team have bowled together at Nationals for about five years, and this team was formed just so Kim and I could bowl together."
Ruby Team features teams with combined entering averages of 650-724.
Mixed Up Nuts also was led by a first-timer, as Sabrina Ravndal led the way with a 497 series. She was joined by her mother, Christine Ravndal (492), Shelley Nolan (455) and Laura Baker (410)."This is so unexpected," Sabrina Ravndal said. "I don't think anybody realized we were bowling well enough to move into first place."
Sapphire Team is made up of groups with combined entering averages of 574 and below.
Robinson's run to the top of the Diamond All-Events standings included firing a 696 series to help 2 Kidz & 2 Goats into the Diamond Team lead. The 33-year-old right-hander added sets of 619 in singles and 552 in doubles to move ahead of Brenda Burns of Peoria, Arizona, who previously held the lead with 1,835.
"The lanes were very touchy, and I didn't have much room for error," said Robinson, who made her eighth consecutive tournament appearance. "My goal was to average 200, and I was able to do that."
Robinson also credited her teammates for her success at the River Center.
"We bowl together for city and state all the time," Robinson said. "We play off each other really well."
Diamond All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 190 and above.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.