Russo leads men; Alexander tops among women on Day 4 of 2024 Team USA Trials
January 07, 2024
LAS VEGAS – Alyssa Alexander of Fremont, California, had a moment of Déjà vu during Saturday’s fourth round of competition at the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials and United States National Amateur Bowling Championships, which are being held at Gold Coast Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
During last year’s event, Alexander shot 289 during the final game of Round 4 to jump into 9th place in the women’s standings.
Amazingly, history repeated itself Saturday evening as Alexander shot another 289, this time leaving a brutal 7 pin to end her run at perfection after throwing the first 10 strikes to start Game 6.
Despite missing out on the 300, there was a clear silver lining as this time, the big game didn’t just move Alexander into the Round 4 top 10; it jumped her all the way to the top of the leaderboard.
Alexander started the day with scores of 193, 190 and 175 before finding the ideal line to the 1-3 pocket; however, once she found that line, she took off, finishing Saturday’s block with games of 251, 221 and 289 to vault to the top of the standings.
Most bowlers experience at least some level of nervousness when trying to finish off a perfect game. Alexander is no different, but compared to last year’s 289, she felt much more confident as she attempted to secure the 300 this time around.
“Last year, I rushed the 11th shot and pulled it, leaving a 5 pin. Today, I went through my process and made the shot I wanted to and just had a bad break,” Alexander said.
Alexander is a lifelong bowler, growing up around the sport thanks to her parents. After her 289 game, she immediately went to her father and let the emotions out.
“My father taught me everything I know and is why I am the person I am today,” Alexander said. “My parents have been my biggest supporters since I’ve gone to college; I do what I do every single day for them.”
High scores were few and far between during Saturday’s block as only 18 bowlers in the 151-player women’s field averaged 200 or better on the day.
Lauren Russo of Ballwin, Missouri (1,287), Annalise OBryant of Ball Ground, Georgia (1,270), Erin Klemencic of Powder Springs, Georgia (1,262), and Kayla Smith of Arlington, South Dakota (1,253), joined Alexander in the top five.
Friday’s leader Kayla Verstraete of Loves Park, Illinois, ended her block with a score of 1,147, which earned her a tie for 47th place on the day.
Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, the opening-round leader, still sits atop the women’s Team USA Trials standings with 28 ranking points. Verstraete leads the U.S. Amateur with 60 points.
Lauren Russo was not the only Russo who had a good day on lanes during Saturday’s fourth round of competition.
Just before Lauren took the lanes to bowl, her husband Matthew Russo of Ballwin, Missouri, took the lead for the day on the men’s side.
A member of Team USA for the past four years and seven of the last eight, Matthew Russo knows that the Team USA Trials is a grind as the 174-player men’s field is always competitive, and anyone can find themselves at the top at any time.
Despite the strong field, Russo didn’t feel any pressure before the week started as he is very comfortable at Gold Coast.
“The practice session went well, and I knew what I wanted to do for the week. Being familiar with the center and this tournament, I have an idea of how the lane shapes,” Russo said. “This is the first year that I haven’t put any pressure on myself in that I have to make the team. I’ve stayed loose and let the pins fall how they may.”
During Saturday’s block, Russo averaged 250 for the day, firing games of 289, 277, 180, 258, 239 and 257 for a 1,500 total.
The strong Round 4 performance allowed Russo to continue improving his position in the daily standings just as he had after each previous round.
In fact, by the time Saturday’s men’s block was completed, Russo found himself at the top of the leaderboard.
He also achieved the impressive distinction of having averaged 250 or better for the second straight day - he completed Friday’s block with an average of 255.
Going into the fifth and final day of competition on Sunday, Russo is confident in his abilities to stay near the top of the overall standings and hopes to hear his name called when the members of Team USA 2024 are announced.
“I know that if I keep bowling well enough and to my standards, then I’ll have put myself in a good spot to make the team,” Russo said.
Traeten Henrichsmeyer of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (1,458), David Northhouse of Bryon Center, Michigan (1,457), Julia Salinas of Richmond, Texas (1,456) and C.J. Petrin of Chattanooga, Tennessee (1,443), all averaged 242 or better to find themselves in the top five in Saturday's standings.
Spencer Robarge of Springfield, Missouri, who led Round 2 on Thursday and then broke the Team USA Trials six-game scoring record en route to first place again on Friday, finished Round 4 with a score of 1,199.
Alexander Glinski of Greensboro, South Carolina, and Anthony Mastroianni of Brooklyn, New York, shot 300s during Saturday’s block. Glinski had his 300 during Game 2 while Mastroianni ended his 6-game block with the perfect game.
Glinski is now leading the Team USA Trials standings with 46 ranking points after four days of competition, but Darren Tang of Las Vegas is right behind him at 47 points.
Jacob Bockstie of Nottingham, Maryland, leads the U.S. Amateur with 82 points while Austin Grammar of Lake Wales, Florida, is second at 86 points.
The men will be back on the lanes for the final day of competition at 11 a.m. Eastern on Sunday morning. The women will begin their final block at 6 p.m. Eastern.
Immediately following the completion of Round 5 for the women, the top three men and top three women in the U.S. Amateur standings will bowl a stepladder finals to determine the 2024 U.S. Amateur champions, who will both earn automatic spots on Team USA 2024.
2024 Team USA Trials (Through Round 4 of 5)
Men’s Top 10 by Ranking Points
Women’s Top 10 by Ranking Points
2024 U.S. Amateur (Through Round 4 of 5)
Men’s Top 10 by Ranking Points
Women’s Top 10 by Ranking Points
2024 Junior Team USA Qualifying (Through Round 4 of 5)
Boys Top 10 (By Ranking Points)
Girls Top 10 By Ranking Points
For complete Day 4 results, CLICK HERE.
During last year’s event, Alexander shot 289 during the final game of Round 4 to jump into 9th place in the women’s standings.
Amazingly, history repeated itself Saturday evening as Alexander shot another 289, this time leaving a brutal 7 pin to end her run at perfection after throwing the first 10 strikes to start Game 6.
Despite missing out on the 300, there was a clear silver lining as this time, the big game didn’t just move Alexander into the Round 4 top 10; it jumped her all the way to the top of the leaderboard.
Alexander started the day with scores of 193, 190 and 175 before finding the ideal line to the 1-3 pocket; however, once she found that line, she took off, finishing Saturday’s block with games of 251, 221 and 289 to vault to the top of the standings.
Most bowlers experience at least some level of nervousness when trying to finish off a perfect game. Alexander is no different, but compared to last year’s 289, she felt much more confident as she attempted to secure the 300 this time around.
“Last year, I rushed the 11th shot and pulled it, leaving a 5 pin. Today, I went through my process and made the shot I wanted to and just had a bad break,” Alexander said.
Alexander is a lifelong bowler, growing up around the sport thanks to her parents. After her 289 game, she immediately went to her father and let the emotions out.
“My father taught me everything I know and is why I am the person I am today,” Alexander said. “My parents have been my biggest supporters since I’ve gone to college; I do what I do every single day for them.”
High scores were few and far between during Saturday’s block as only 18 bowlers in the 151-player women’s field averaged 200 or better on the day.
Lauren Russo of Ballwin, Missouri (1,287), Annalise OBryant of Ball Ground, Georgia (1,270), Erin Klemencic of Powder Springs, Georgia (1,262), and Kayla Smith of Arlington, South Dakota (1,253), joined Alexander in the top five.
Friday’s leader Kayla Verstraete of Loves Park, Illinois, ended her block with a score of 1,147, which earned her a tie for 47th place on the day.
Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, the opening-round leader, still sits atop the women’s Team USA Trials standings with 28 ranking points. Verstraete leads the U.S. Amateur with 60 points.
Lauren Russo was not the only Russo who had a good day on lanes during Saturday’s fourth round of competition.
Just before Lauren took the lanes to bowl, her husband Matthew Russo of Ballwin, Missouri, took the lead for the day on the men’s side.
A member of Team USA for the past four years and seven of the last eight, Matthew Russo knows that the Team USA Trials is a grind as the 174-player men’s field is always competitive, and anyone can find themselves at the top at any time.
Despite the strong field, Russo didn’t feel any pressure before the week started as he is very comfortable at Gold Coast.
“The practice session went well, and I knew what I wanted to do for the week. Being familiar with the center and this tournament, I have an idea of how the lane shapes,” Russo said. “This is the first year that I haven’t put any pressure on myself in that I have to make the team. I’ve stayed loose and let the pins fall how they may.”
During Saturday’s block, Russo averaged 250 for the day, firing games of 289, 277, 180, 258, 239 and 257 for a 1,500 total.
The strong Round 4 performance allowed Russo to continue improving his position in the daily standings just as he had after each previous round.
In fact, by the time Saturday’s men’s block was completed, Russo found himself at the top of the leaderboard.
He also achieved the impressive distinction of having averaged 250 or better for the second straight day - he completed Friday’s block with an average of 255.
Going into the fifth and final day of competition on Sunday, Russo is confident in his abilities to stay near the top of the overall standings and hopes to hear his name called when the members of Team USA 2024 are announced.
“I know that if I keep bowling well enough and to my standards, then I’ll have put myself in a good spot to make the team,” Russo said.
Traeten Henrichsmeyer of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (1,458), David Northhouse of Bryon Center, Michigan (1,457), Julia Salinas of Richmond, Texas (1,456) and C.J. Petrin of Chattanooga, Tennessee (1,443), all averaged 242 or better to find themselves in the top five in Saturday's standings.
Spencer Robarge of Springfield, Missouri, who led Round 2 on Thursday and then broke the Team USA Trials six-game scoring record en route to first place again on Friday, finished Round 4 with a score of 1,199.
Alexander Glinski of Greensboro, South Carolina, and Anthony Mastroianni of Brooklyn, New York, shot 300s during Saturday’s block. Glinski had his 300 during Game 2 while Mastroianni ended his 6-game block with the perfect game.
Glinski is now leading the Team USA Trials standings with 46 ranking points after four days of competition, but Darren Tang of Las Vegas is right behind him at 47 points.
Jacob Bockstie of Nottingham, Maryland, leads the U.S. Amateur with 82 points while Austin Grammar of Lake Wales, Florida, is second at 86 points.
The men will be back on the lanes for the final day of competition at 11 a.m. Eastern on Sunday morning. The women will begin their final block at 6 p.m. Eastern.
Immediately following the completion of Round 5 for the women, the top three men and top three women in the U.S. Amateur standings will bowl a stepladder finals to determine the 2024 U.S. Amateur champions, who will both earn automatic spots on Team USA 2024.
2024 Team USA Trials (Through Round 4 of 5)
Men’s Top 10 by Ranking Points
|
Greensboro, N.C. | 46 |
|
Las Vegas | 47 |
|
Ballwin, Mo. | 69 |
|
Nottingham, Md. | 82 |
|
Lake Wales, Fla. | 86 |
|
Richmond, Texas | 88 |
|
Eau Claire, Wis. | 108 |
|
Springfield, Mo. | 121 |
|
Romeoville, Ill. | 122 |
|
Wichita, Kan. | 124 |
Women’s Top 10 by Ranking Points
|
Dayton, Ohio | 28 |
|
Marana, Ariz. | 58 |
|
Loves Park, Ill. | 60 |
|
Channahon, Ill. | 64 |
|
Palm Harbor, Fla. | 65 |
|
Redwood Valley, Calif. | 75 |
|
Grand Rapids, Mich | 78 |
|
Palm Bay, Fla. | 85 |
|
Ballwin, Mo. | 101 |
|
Aubry, Texas | 104 |
2024 U.S. Amateur (Through Round 4 of 5)
Men’s Top 10 by Ranking Points
|
Nottingham, Md. | 82 |
|
Lake Wales, Fla. | 86 |
|
Richmond, Texas | 88 |
|
Eau Claire, Wis. | 108 |
|
Springfield, Mo. | 121 |
|
Wichita, Kan. | 124 |
|
St. Clair Shores, Mich | 135 |
|
Austin, Texas | 136 |
|
Cedar Rapids, Iowa | 141 |
|
Blaine, Minn. | 145 |
Women’s Top 10 by Ranking Points
|
Loves Park, Ill. | 60 |
|
Channahon, Ill. | 64 |
|
Redwood Valley, Calif. | 75 |
|
Palm Bay, Fla. | 85 |
|
Ball Ground, Ga. | 115 |
|
Bartlesville, Okla. | 120 |
|
Worcester, Mass. | 122 |
|
Holly, Mich. | 124 |
|
Santa Rosa, Calif. | 125 |
|
San Diego, Calif. | 133 |
2024 Junior Team USA Qualifying (Through Round 4 of 5)
Boys Top 10 (By Ranking Points)
|
Nottingham, Md. | 82 |
|
Eau Claire, Wis | 108 |
|
Austin, Texas | 136 |
|
Cedar Rapids, Iowa | 141 |
|
Waupaca, Wis. | 150 |
|
Channahon, Ill. | 168 |
|
Greer, S.C. | 170 |
|
Jackson, N.J. | 180 |
|
Chattanooga, Tenn. | 183 |
|
Hobart, Ind. | 197 |
Girls Top 10 By Ranking Points
|
Channahon, Ill. | 64 |
|
Ball Ground, Ga. | 115 |
|
Worcester, Mass. | 122 |
|
Holly, Mich | 124 |
|
Santa Rosa, Calif. | 125 |
|
San Diego, Calif. | 133 |
|
Schaumburg, Ill. | 149 |
|
Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. | 173 |
|
Chagrin Falls, Ohio | 176 |
|
Derby, Kan. | 182 |
For complete Day 4 results, CLICK HERE.