Defending champion Robin Romeo (pictured left) of Newhall, California, took the early lead as qualifying kicked off Thursday at the 2015 United States Bowling Congress Senior Queens.

Romeo, a USBC Hall of Famer, fired a five-game total of 1,080 (216 average) to top the field at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wis.

"During practice yesterday it was a little tricky trying to keep the ball around the pocket," Romeo said. "I just found a ball I could keep in play and not be overly aggressive."

Romeo put together games of 191, 225, 194, 246 and 224 in her opening-round effort. The only other bowler to average better than 200 in the first round was Lisa Wasson of Murphy, Texas, who fired 1,011.

Char Hammel of Las Vegas sits in third place with 984, while USBC Hall of Famer Tish Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, is fourth with 981. Beth Owen Cipielewski of Bradenton, Florida, rounds out the top five with 978.

All Senior Queens participants will bowl 15 games of qualifying, and the field then will be cut to the top 31, plus Romeo, for the double-elimination match-play bracket starting Sunday at 10 a.m. Eastern.

BowlTV will broadcast the stepladder finals of the Senior Queens on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Eastern. The player who survives the bracket to win the event will take home $3,000 of the $20,600 prize fund.

The Senior Queens, open to all female USBC members age 50 and older, marks the second stop of the Senior Women's Triple Crown Series presented by The Orleans. The Triple Crown Series is a special competition for bowlers who compete in the Senior Queens, National Golden Ladies Classic and the U.S. Women's Open.

The top 10 players in the Triple Crown standings, which combines qualifying totals from all three events, will take part in the Triple Crown Shoot-Out presented by The Orleans.

The Triple Crown Shoot-Out will be held after the U.S. Women's Open qualifying rounds Sept. 4 at Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick, New Jersey.

 

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2015 USBC Senior Queens - Standings after Round 1

Players with position, hometown/country and 5-game total

1, Robin Romeo, Newhall, Calif., 1,080
2, Lisa Wasson, Murphy, Texas, 1,011
3, Char Hammel, Las Vegas, Nev., 984
4, Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 981
5, Beth Owen Cipielewski, Bradenton, Fla., 978
6, Lucy Sandelin, Tampa, Fla., 966.
7, (tie) Christine Weber, Waukesha, Wis., and Terri Ward, Loveland, Colo., 965
9, Pam Sprow, Lakeland, Fla., 961
10, Kristy Whitcher, Belfair, Wash., 950
11, LoriJo Turner, Sheridan, Wyo., 937
12, Margarita Ramos, Mexico, 917.
13, Paula Vidad, Sun City, Calif., 915
14, (tie) Mandy Wilson, Dayton, Ohio, and Linda Cunningham, Davenport, Iowa, 912.
16, Shelley Nell, Silverdale, Wash., 911
17, Linda Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 909
18, Linda Andrews, Highlands Ranch, Colo., 901.
19, Corinne Hoffman, Rhinelander, Wis., 899
20, Karla Alsgood, Rio Linda, Calif., 898
21, Camille Kohner, Bloominton, Minn., 893
22, Jennifer Nelson, Menlo Park, Calif., 884
23, Debbie Colby, Frisco, Texas, 874
24, Tonda Lee, Fredericksburg, Va., 872.
25, Melanie McAllister, Colorado Springs, Colo., 870
26, Laurie Lanfier, Muscatine, Iowa, 868
27, Lynn Minning, Austin, Texas, 856
28, Pam Buckner, Reno, Nev., 855
29, Lisa Vint, East Troy, Wis., 851
30, Carole Jones, Englewood, Colo., 841.
31, Tayna Fulmer, McKinney, Texas, 832
32, Suzanne Soderberg, Conover, Wis., 805
33, Loree Hippe, Bremerton, Wash., 787
34, Joanne Herman, Natick, Mass., 771
35, Karen Tenor, Depere, Wis., 767
36, Pam Harms, Apple Valley, Minn., 758
37, Linda Buffa, Manchester, N.J., 693