Team USA women learn from singles at 2017 World Bowling Championships
November 25, 2017
Standings
LAS VEGAS - The first event of the 2017 World Bowling Championships didn't go as well as the Team USA women had hoped, but they used the experience to gather information and get more comfortable on the event's 39-foot Beijing oil pattern.
Left-hander Shannon Pluhowsky was the team's top performer in singles Saturday, finishing 10th with a 1,271 total, a 211.83 average.
All 176 women, representing 30 countries, bowled six games at the South Point Bowling Plaza, with the top four advancing to the semifinals, which will take place in conjunction with the men's championship round Monday morning.
Korea's Hong Haeni earned the top seed for the women's semifinals with a six-game total of 1,330, an average of 221.67. Futaba Imai of Japan qualified second with 1,322, while Chan Han of Hong Kong and Mai Ginge Jensen of Denmark tied for third place with 1,312.
Final seeding for Chan and Jensen was determined by a roll-off. Both players struck on their first two offerings, before Chan claimed the No. 3 seed, 10-9.
Hong and Jensen will face off in one semifinal, and Imai will meet Chan in the other. The two winners will bowl for the singles gold medal, and the semifinal losers will share the bronze.
Team USA's Stefanie Johnson finished 33rd (1,213), Danielle McEwan was tied for 34 th (1,212), Josie Barnes finished 60th (1,173), Kelly Kulick was tied for 74th (1,154) and Shannon O'Keefe finished tied for 114th (1,087).
"I think I could've started with the wrong ball, which looked good at the end of practice, but I probably would've switched sooner," Pluhowsky said. "We also should've moved sooner. We should've moved when we thought we needed to, rather than second guess it. It was probably the lanes and not all us. But, we shot spares very well and stayed clean. Going forward, we'll be better with moves and ball choices and stay committed to that."
The women from the United States now will have two days to regroup and develop a new strategy for their doubles competition Tuesday.
Men's singles is next up and will take place Sunday over two squads. More than 200 competitors from 36 countries are vying for the four spots in Monday's semifinals.
The Team USA men spent some time behind the lanes Saturday, but Chris Barnes said what he saw didn't change much in her personal plan. In fact, it offered affirmation about his strategy.
"I know where I'd like to start, and I hope to stay there as long as possible," Barnes said. "The guys will break down the lanes much differently, and they'll probably transition faster, so I anticipate a lot moving farther left pretty early. We'll definitely be doing a lot of watching how others are playing the lanes and how they're transitioning, so we can make the moves as fast as possible."
The 2017 World Championships will run until Dec. 4. The final two days of competition will be broadcast live on the Olympic Channel to a worldwide audience.
This year's tournament is a combined men's and women's event, which happens every four years. The 2013 World Championships at nearby Sunset Station in Henderson, Nevada, also was a combined event.
Countries participating this year in Las Vegas include: Aruba, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States, Ukraine, Venezuela and Wales.
For more information on the 2017 World Championships, visit 2017wc.worldbowling.org.
LAS VEGAS - The first event of the 2017 World Bowling Championships didn't go as well as the Team USA women had hoped, but they used the experience to gather information and get more comfortable on the event's 39-foot Beijing oil pattern.
Left-hander Shannon Pluhowsky was the team's top performer in singles Saturday, finishing 10th with a 1,271 total, a 211.83 average.
All 176 women, representing 30 countries, bowled six games at the South Point Bowling Plaza, with the top four advancing to the semifinals, which will take place in conjunction with the men's championship round Monday morning.
Korea's Hong Haeni earned the top seed for the women's semifinals with a six-game total of 1,330, an average of 221.67. Futaba Imai of Japan qualified second with 1,322, while Chan Han of Hong Kong and Mai Ginge Jensen of Denmark tied for third place with 1,312.
Final seeding for Chan and Jensen was determined by a roll-off. Both players struck on their first two offerings, before Chan claimed the No. 3 seed, 10-9.
Hong and Jensen will face off in one semifinal, and Imai will meet Chan in the other. The two winners will bowl for the singles gold medal, and the semifinal losers will share the bronze.
Team USA's Stefanie Johnson finished 33rd (1,213), Danielle McEwan was tied for 34 th (1,212), Josie Barnes finished 60th (1,173), Kelly Kulick was tied for 74th (1,154) and Shannon O'Keefe finished tied for 114th (1,087).
"I think I could've started with the wrong ball, which looked good at the end of practice, but I probably would've switched sooner," Pluhowsky said. "We also should've moved sooner. We should've moved when we thought we needed to, rather than second guess it. It was probably the lanes and not all us. But, we shot spares very well and stayed clean. Going forward, we'll be better with moves and ball choices and stay committed to that."
The women from the United States now will have two days to regroup and develop a new strategy for their doubles competition Tuesday.
Men's singles is next up and will take place Sunday over two squads. More than 200 competitors from 36 countries are vying for the four spots in Monday's semifinals.
The Team USA men spent some time behind the lanes Saturday, but Chris Barnes said what he saw didn't change much in her personal plan. In fact, it offered affirmation about his strategy.
"I know where I'd like to start, and I hope to stay there as long as possible," Barnes said. "The guys will break down the lanes much differently, and they'll probably transition faster, so I anticipate a lot moving farther left pretty early. We'll definitely be doing a lot of watching how others are playing the lanes and how they're transitioning, so we can make the moves as fast as possible."
The 2017 World Championships will run until Dec. 4. The final two days of competition will be broadcast live on the Olympic Channel to a worldwide audience.
This year's tournament is a combined men's and women's event, which happens every four years. The 2013 World Championships at nearby Sunset Station in Henderson, Nevada, also was a combined event.
Countries participating this year in Las Vegas include: Aruba, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States, Ukraine, Venezuela and Wales.
For more information on the 2017 World Championships, visit 2017wc.worldbowling.org.