Team USA men, women dominate Singles Qualifying at Pan American Games

    10/27/11

    Mexico

    Top 16 division leaders advance to Thursday's single-elimination match play finals

    2011WWCKellyKulick.jpg2011WWCMastersLizJohnson.jpgTeam USA continued its strong performance at the Pan American Games on Wednesday by taking the top two spots in men's and women's singles qualifying. The four U.S. players led the top 16 men and top 16 women into Thursday's single-elimination match play at Bolerama Tapatio to determine medalists.

    PBA exempt player Kelly Kulick (pictured left) of Union, N.J., led the women's field with a 12-game total of 2644 (220.33 average), while Liz Johnson (right) of Cheektowaga, N.Y., a world champion, U.S. Open champion and USBC Queens winner like Kulick, had 2636 (219.67).

    2011WWCTriosCarolineLagrange300.jpg"Once we get lined up tomorrow and don't give the pocket away, we'll be OK," Kulick said. "Hopefully Liz and I don't face each other until the finals because I would be OK with either silver or gold knowing one of us is bringing home the gold."

    Caroline Lagrange (right), Canada, was 128 pins behind Johnson in third place with 2508 (209.00) with Sofia Granda, Guatemala, in fourth place at 2500 (208.33). Stephanie Martins, Brazil, took the 16th and last spot to advance to the women's finals with 2229 or an average of 185.75. Martins will bowl Kelly Kulick in the opening round of the finals.

    Women's Round of 16 match-ups:
    #1 Kelly Kulick, United States, vs. #16 Stephanie Martins, Brazil
    #2 Liz Johnson, United States, vs. #15 Yoselin Leon, Puerto Rico
    #3 Caroline Lagrange, Canada, vs. #14 Anggie Ramirez, Colombia
    #4 Sofia Granda, Guatemala, vs. #13 Patricia De Faria, Venezuela
    #5 Marizete Scheer, Brazil, vs. #12 Andrea Rojas, Chile
    #6 Aumi Guerra, Dominican Republic, vs. #11 Aseret Zetter, Mexico
    #7 Jennifer Park, Canada, vs. #10 Thashaïna Seraus, Aruba
    #8 Karen Marcano, Venezuela, vs. #9 Kamilah Dammers, Aruba

    2011PAGChrisBarnesBillONeill.jpgOn the men's side, 13-time PBA champion Chris Barnes (left) of Double Oak, Texas, led with 2849 (237.42 average), and three-time PBA champion Bill O'Neill (right) of Southampton, Pa., was second with 2763 (230.25).

    Barnes said they used Wednesday's competition as a way to get comfortable heading into Thursday's matches.

    2011KSAOAndresGomez2.jpg"Bill and I both used today as an opportunity to try a few things and this morning, especially, those things worked," Barnes said. "We also used today to get into a better rhythm and our shot making got better and better."

    PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, a 19-time PBA champion, was third with 2691 (224.25) and was followed by PBA exempt player Andres Gomez (right), Colombia, in fourth place with 2660 (221.67).

    Art Oliver Jr., Canada, took the last spot to advance in the men's division with 2439 total and an average of 203.25 and will take on qualifying leader Barnes in the first round of the single-elimination finals.

    Men's Round of 16 match-ups:
    #1 Chris Barnes, United States, vs. #16 Art Oliver Jr. Canada
    #2 William O'Neill, United States, vs. #15 Rolando Sebelen, Dominican Republic
    #3 Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, vs. #14 Mario Valverde, Costa Rica
    #4 Andres Gomez, Colombia, vs. #13 Andraunick Simounet, Puerto Rico
    #5 Alejandro Cruz, Mexico, vs. #12 Marcelo Suartz, Brazil
    #6 Manuel Fernandez, Dominican Republic, vs. #11 Ernesto Franco, Mexico
    #7 Frankie Colon, Puerto Rico, vs. #10 Alejandro Reyna, Costa Rica
    #8 José Lander, Venezuela, vs. #9 Santiago Mejia, Colombia

    The opening round and the quarterfinals matches feature three games with the highest pinfall advancing. For the semifinals and finals, the action will shift to best-of-three game matches.

    2011EBT11AmletoMonacellit.jpg2011KegelKTCLogo.jpgAlmost one-third of the 32 players, who advanced to the match play finals, have prepared for the Pan American Games at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla.. Two-time PBA Player of the Year, Amleto Monacelli (right) spent one full week at KTC as part of the Venezuelan National Team.

    "The training center overall is a fantastic idea especially coming from my perspective that I had to move to a foreign country and learn this all on my own…. the TC could open many doors especially for international people, " stated Monacelli, after training ended.

    "I wasn't sure what to expect but it was an unbelievable experience between CATS, the coaches experience, and especially their PBA knowledge it was amazing" said Amleto enthusiastically. "The coaches made very subtle changes that effected many areas of my game to help me fine tune the techniques I was working on."

    The 50-year-old right-hander, who is the first non-U.S. citizen who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame (1997) was joined by his team mates José Lander, Karen Marcano and Patricia De Faria.

    The other finalists who spent time at the KTC preparing for the Pan Am Games include on the men's side Andraunick Simounet, Puerto Rico and Marcelo Suartz, Brazil, both members of Webber International University and their Webber team mates Stephanie Martins, Brazil and Yoselin Leon, Puerto Rico as well as Thashaïna Seraus, Aruba and Marizete Scheer, Brazil on the women's side.

    2011PAGLogo.jpg Held every four years, the Pan American Games are the second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games. This year, nearly 6,000 athletes from the American Zone are competing in 36 sports.

    A total of 19 member federations of the Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON) - 16 each in the men's and women's division - participate in the bowling competition. Each team in the men's and women's division consists of two players for total 32 men and 32 women.

     


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    The top 16 advance to single-elimination match play.

     


    Women's Singles - Standings after Qualifying (12 games)


    The top 16 advance to single-elimination match play.

     


    Men's Singles - Qualifying Standings after 6/12 games

     


    Women's Singles - Qualifying Standings after 6/12 games

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