Diana Zavjalova (pictured left) of Latvia made a huge statement in her United States Bowling Congress Queens debut this week, and she's now one game away from the biggest win of her bowling career.

The 22-year-old right-hander averaged more than 234 on the way to a 6-0 match-play record at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center, including a 688-628 win against Singapore's Shayna Ng (right) on Wednesday to secure the top spot.

Ng was the top qualifier heading into match play and now is the second seed for the TV show, which will be taped Thursday night at 10 p.m. EDT and air on ESPN2 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. "I started the week with a great block on the burn but then struggled on the fresh," Zavjalova said. "I tried a few different balls and surfaces and continued to struggle, but I figured it out by the time match play started, and that was the perfect time. Once I found my look and started winning matches, my confidence was through the roof."

Zavjalova and Ng will be joined by USBC Hall of Famer and 1999 Queens winner Leanne Hulsenberg (left) of North Ogden, Utah (No. 3), former Team USA member Jennifer Higgins of Westerville, Ohio (No. 4) and USBC Hall of Famer and two-time Queens champion Lynda Barnes (right) of Double Oak, Texas (No. 5), who all battled through the elimination bracket.

The last three spots in the stepladder were filled through a shootout round with the final four players in the elimination bracket bowling three games. Total pinfall determined who would advance and in what order. Former Wichita State star Jazreel Tan (below left) of Singapore was eliminated.

Zavjalova's run at the Queens came after a confidence-boosting performance at the recent World Tenpin Bowling Association World Championships, also held at Sunset Station, where she earned the bronze medal in All-Events (combined qualifying results in Singles, Doubles, Trios and Team).

Despite being exhausted, Zavjalova is excited about the possibility of becoming the first foreign Queens champion since Australia's Carol Gianotti (went out in Elimination Bracket Round 6) in 1989.

"Honestly, I'm speechless right now, but if you ask me again tomorrow, I might have a different answer," said Zavjalova, who helped Webber International to a win at the 2012 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships. "It has been a long three weeks here, and I'm exhausted, but I'm excited and speechless at the same time. This is a dream come true."

The 2013 Queens champion will take home the $20,000 top prize, and a perfect game in the championship match will earn the player an additional $10,000 from Storm Bowling Products.

The Queens is open to any female USBC member, and with this year's event coming just after the WTBA World Championships, the field included 202 players representing 15 countries.

 

 

 

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2013 USBC Queens Match-Play Results

Double elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall

Complete Brackets

Winners Bracket Round 2

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

Shayna Ng, Singapore, def. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas, 672-591
Jazreel Tan, Singapore, def. Amy Stolz, Larkspur, Colo., 673-611
Jovan Blankenfeld, San Antonio, def. Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 664-625
Jennifer Higgins, Westerville, Ohio, def. Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 641-599
Stefanie Nation, Grand Prairie, Texas, def. Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 739-664
Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, def. Shauna Shannon, Albuquerque, N.M., 760-621
Leanne Hulsenberg, North Ogden, Utah, def. Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 663-569
Carol Gianotti, Australia, def. Kim Kearney, Grand Prairie, Texas, 628-613

 

 

Elimination Bracket Round 3

Losers eliminated, earn $900

Sandra Andersson, Sweden, def. Laura Daniel, Corona, Calif., 704-542
Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, def. Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 683-645
Geraldine Ng, Singapore, def. Kim Yioulos, Rochester, N.Y., 664-635
Kayla Bandy, Pikeville, Ky., def. Lindsay Boomershine, Brigham City, Utah, 679-552
Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., def. Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 684-614
Daphne Tan, Singapore, def. Aumi Guerra, Dominican Republic, 661-589
Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., def. Paola Gomez, Colombia, 596-552
Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., def. Catherine Rawsthorne, Federal Way, Wash., 724-519

 

 

Winners Bracket Round 3

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

S. Ng def. J. Tan, 648-580
Higgins def. Blankenfeld, 665-650
Zavjalova def. Nation, 639-618
Hulsenberg def. Gianotti, 764-644

 

 

Elimination Bracket Round 4

Losers eliminated, earn $1,000

Barnes def. Andersson, 698-599
Zulkifli def. Asbaty, 618-615
G. Ng def. Dorin-Ballard, 656-619
Stolz def. Bandy, 681-629
Kearney def. Kulick, 725-652
Pluhowsky def. D. Tan, 637-618
Earnest def. Shannon, 628-602
McEwan def. Johnson, 697-642

 

 

Elimination Bracket Round 5

Losers eliminated, earn $1,200

Barnes def. Zulkifli, 605-562
G. Ng def. Stolz, 706-679
Kearney def. Pluhowsky, 626-625
Earnest def. McEwan, 718-707

 

 

Winners Bracket Round 4

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

S. Ng def. Higgins, 656-549
Zavjalova def. Hulsenberg, 733-643

 

 

Elimination Bracket Round 6

Losers eliminated, earn $1,400

Barnes def. Gianotti, 600-597
G. Ng def. Nation, 648-638
Kearney def. Blankenfled, 571-519
J. Tan def. Earnest, 662-545

 

 

Winners Bracket Round 4

Winner earns No. 1 seed for finals; loser is No. 2 seed.

Zavjalova def. S. Ng, 688-628

 

 

Elimination Bracket Round 7

Losers eliminated, earn $1,700

Barnes def. G. Ng, 587-523
J. Tan def. Kearney, 684-661

 

 

Elimination Bracket Round 8

Three highest scores advance to finals, high score is No. 3 seed, second high is No. 4, third high is No. 5, lowest score is eliminated, earns $2,300

Hulsenberg 641, Higgins 631, Barnes 617, J. Tan 573