Johnson rallies, leads undefeated players at USBC Queens

Super Bowl Lanes in Canton, Mich. and Skore Lanes in Taylor, Mich. (April 26-30, 2008)

After watching her opponent get dialed in and throw 11 consecutive strikes, it would have been easy for Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., to let a little doubt seep into her mind at the 2008 United States Bowling Congress Queens.

Instead Johnson dug deep, got lined up and started throwing strike after strike to defeat Australian Carol Gianotti to lead a group of 16 undefeated players in three-game, double-elimination match play in the Queens at Super Bowl Lanes.

Down 290-258 in the opening game, Johnson rallied to defeat Gianotti, 747-680, to keep her hopes alive for her first Queens title.

"Even after falling behind in the first game, I threw a strike, a spare and an open to start the next game," said Johnson, who then put together a string of 17 strikes in 19 shots to come back and win. "At that point you have to think that eventually something is going to give and pins are going to stand for her but start falling for me. I just told myself to breathe, make good shots and just let the swing go so good things will happen, and they did."

Johnson, a Team USA member, has 11 professional women's titles, a PBA regional title and a second-place finish in a Denny's PBA Tour event to her credit. Yet a Queens title has eluded her.

"I've been very fortunate over my career to do a lot of things," said Johnson, who finished second in the 2006 Queens. "I've been a lot of places and I've won a lot of tournaments, but there's one blank spot on my resume sheet for the Queens. That's the goal this week, to fill in that blank."

Joining Johnson in the winners bracket is Corrine Ham (right) of Cocoa, Fla., who knocked off defending champion Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., 631-587, and then defeated Shannon O'Keefe of Brookfield, Wis., 619-579.

"It seems like I'm always drawing the big names and I'm the underdog," Ham said. "But I went into both matches with the attitude that at any given time you can beat the other person, plus I had a few breaks along the way and so here I am."

Shannon Pluhowsky (left) of Phoenix, who earned the top seed in match play earlier in the day by finishing as the high qualifier after 15 games, also remained undefeated. Pluhowsky knocked off Diandra Asbaty of Chicago, 703-603, and Mandy Wilson of Dayton, Ohio, 669-585.

In the contenders bracket late Monday, 32 of the 64 players in the match play field were eliminated from the tournament. Kulick kept her hopes alive of repeating as champion with contenders bracket victories over Keli Callahan (749-662) and Lesia Herider (635-615).

Match play continues Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. Eastern. The tournament concludes with the top five bowlers (four from the winners bracket and the contenders bracket champion) facing off live on ESPN2 in the stepladder finals Wednesday at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Pluhowsky top qualifier at USBC Queens
Rejuvenated Bellinder takes lead at USBC Queens
Pluhowsky, Murphy share lead at USBC Queens
Kulick ready for tough task of defending USBC Queens title

2008 USBC Queens - Match Play

Double elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall.

OPENING ROUND

Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to contenders bracket.

Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, def. Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 703-603
Mandy Wilson, Dayton, Ohio, def. Tamika Glenn, Belleville, Mich., 626-565
Emily Maier, Wichita, Kan., def. Anita Manns, Hutto, Texas, 603-541
Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, N. Richland Hills, Texas, def. Darlene Dysart, Flint, Mich., 567-523
Joy Esterson, Annapolis, Md., def. Lisa Barfield, Silverdale, Wash., 647-597
Kristal Wilson, Lawrence, Kan., def. Laura Hardeman, Chula Vista, Calif., 565-512
Brenda Mack, Indianapolis, def. April Ellis, Arlington, Texas, 631-584
Lindsay Baker, Lincoln, Neb., def. Michelle Feldman, Mattydale, N.Y., 621-568

Missy Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif., def. Linda Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 632-585
Kathy Tribbey, Dundee, Ore., def. Keli Callahan, Las Vegas, 605-536
Marcia Kloempken, Pleasant View, Utah, def. Samantha Williams, Essex, Md., 576-572
Clara Guerrero, Colombia, def. Robin Romeo, Newhall, Calif., 657-588
Laurie Soto, Castaic, Calif., def. Cheryl Daniels, W. Bloomfield, Mich., 561-552
Stefanie Nation, Winter Springs, Fla., def. Crystal Schoneman, Orlando, Fla., 660-578
Carol Gianotti, Australia, def. Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, Nev., 593-566
Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., def. Pam Marciniszyn, Sarnia, Ontario, 691-511

Kim Terrell, Dover, Del., def. Lisa Bishop, Belleville, Mich., 638-588
Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., def. Angie Trego, Huber Heights, Ohio, 578-574
Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., def. Esther Cheah, Malaysia, 674-614
Robin Orlikowski, Grand Rapids, Mich., def. Jennifer Murphy, Clarksville, Tenn., 579-489
Maria Ward, Baltimore, def. Zandra Aziela, Malaysia, 652-512
Christina Kinney, Las Vegas, def. Sandra Gongora, Wichita, Kan., 602-552
Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, def. Michelle Ewald, Clinton Twp., Mich., 667-558
Brenda Viator, Lake Wales, Fla., def. Kristin Nieter, Homewood, Ill., 692-531

Shannon O'Keefe, Brookfield, Wis., def. Patricia Contreras, Mexico, 638-596
Corrine Ham, Cocoa, Fla., def. Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 631-587
Lesia Herider, Palmdale, Calif., def. Stephanie Beck, Dubuque, Iowa, 550-537
Amy Stolz, Castle Rock, Colo., def. Jamie Martin, Omaha, Neb., 630-607
Leanne Hulsenberg, Roseville, Calif., def. Andrea Snyder, Pamona, Calif., 612-534
Debbie McMullen, Denver, def. Trisha Reid, Columbus, Ohio, 620-581
Jacqui Reese, Nazareth, Pa., def. Julie Hall, Richville, Mich., 588-524
Tennelle Milligan, Costa Mesa, Calif., def. Dawn Fay, Manassas, Va., 598-463

Winners Bracket - Round 1

Pluhowsky def. M. Wilson, 669-585
Maier def. Dorin-Ballard, 590-587
Esterson def. K. Wilson, 623-582
Baker def. Mack, 720-642
Bellinder def. Tribbey, 602-599
Kloempken def. Guerrero, 627-615
Nation def. Soto, 678-648
L. Johnson def. Gianotti, 747-680
Terrell def. Current, 584-550
Orlikowski def. T. Johnson, 672-603
Ward def. Kinney, 582-576
Barnes def. Viator, 636-598
Ham def. O'Keefe, 619-579
Stolz def. Herider, 680-569
McMullen def. Hulsenberg, 647-634
Reese def. Milligan, 568-543

Contenders Bracket - Round 1

Losers eliminated, earn $1,200

Bishop def. Asbaty, 708-512
Glenn def. Trego, 632-512
Cheah def. Manns, 556-501
Murphy def. Dysart, 589-541
Aziela def. Barfield, 651-575
Gongora def. Hardeman, 733-491
Ewald def. Ellis, 607-572
Feldman def. Nieter, 650-597
Kelly def. Contreras, 579-537
Kulick def. Callahan, 749-662
Beck def. Williams, 578-572
Martin def. Romeo, 645-612
Daniels def. Snyder, 614-553
Reid def. Schoneman, 643-537
Macpherson def. Hall, 629-555
Fay def. Marciniszyn, 538-521

Contenders Bracket - Round 2

Losers eliminated, earn $1,400

Macpherson def. T. Johnson, 717-662
Viator def. Fay, 665-551
Bishop def. K. Wilson, 619-586
M. Wilson def. Glenn, 598-583
Gianotti def. Cheah, 683-575
Murphy def. Guerrero, 639-607
Mack def. Aziela, 643-604
Dorin-Ballard def. Gongora, 666-604
Milligan def. Kelly, 738-589
Kulick def. Herider, 635-615
Tribbey def. Ewald, 749-683
Beck def. Hulsenberg, 663-630
O'Keefe def. Martin, 698-672
Feldman def. Soto, 649-518
Daniels def. Kinney, 633-561
Current def. Reid, 660-651

Other Cashers after15 games

65, Kerrie Ryan-Ciach, Mississauga, Ontario, 2,924, $750
66, (tie) Sandra Schultz, Macomb, Mich., 2,921, $650
Olivia Sandham, Wichita, Kan., 2,921, $650
68, Aumi Guerra, Dominican Republic, 2,908, $500
69, Sita Safiyah Amirah, Malaysia, 2,903, $500
Char Hammel, Las Vegas, 2,903, $500
71, Tina Stickney, Goodyear, Ariz., 2,900, $400
72, Felicia Wong, Wichita, Kan., 2,899, $400
73, Sharon Koh, Malaysia, 2,897, $400
74, (tie) Jennifer Creno, East Syracuse, N.Y., 2,896, $400
Melissa Legault, Sarnia, Ontario, 2,896, $400
76, Colby Stejbach, Mattydale, N.Y., 2,895, $375
77, Takiko Naganawa, Japan, 2,894, $375
78, (tie) Jackie Mitskavich, Dubois, Pa., 2,891, $375
Linda Kogut, Jacksonville, Fla., 2,891, $375
80, Jennifer Petrick, Canton, Ohio, 2,887, $375
81, Kimberly Sisk, Brownstown Township, Mich., 2,884, $350
82, Catie Jensen, Keller, Texas, 2,877, $350
83, Jennifer Cupples, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2,871, $350
84, Karen Boyd, Plantation, Fla., 2,867, $350
85, Shana Ray, Corpus Christi, Texas, 2,866, $325
86, Karen Collura, Toronto, 2,851, $325
87, Paola Gomez, Colombia, 2,850, $325
88, Eleanore, Rutledge, Flint, Mich., 2,848, $300
89, Michelle Berryman, Ypsilanti, Mich., 2,846, $300
90, Angela Wilt, Westland, Mich., 2,845, $300
91, Helen Waite, Gansevoort, N.Y., 2,830, $300
92, Chris Gonos, Phoenix, 2,827, $300
93, Tracy Anderson, Palatine, Ill., 2,824, $300
94, Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, Okla., 2,821, $300
95, Aesha Turner, Boonsboro, Md., 2,818, $300
96, Melissa Brownie, Morehead, N.Y., 2,815, $300
97, Jocelyn Scholl, Elma, N.Y., 2,810, $300
98, Yoselin Leon, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, 2,803, $300
99, Jessica Lesagonicz, St. Charles, Mo., 2,796, $300
100, Paula Vidad, Crestline, Calif., 2,777, $300
101, Lisa Beeksma, Pensacola, Fla., 2,758, $300
102, Becky Decker, Honesdale, Pa., 2,731, $300

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