Defending champion Maria Jose Rodriguez among undefeated players at 2015 USBC Queens
05/18/15
2015 PWBA Tour #1
List of undefeated players includes six past champions
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Defending champion Maria Jose Rodriguez (pictured) of Colombia is getting more and more comfortable as time progresses at the 2015 United States Bowling Congress Queens, a Professional Women's Bowling Association event, and she is one of 16 players still undefeated in match play.
The 26-year-old right-hander made two late charges Sunday at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley to sneak past Team USA member Josie Earnest of Nashville, Tennessee, (641-636) and fellow Team Colombia member Rocio Restrepo of Louisville, Ohio, (606-590).
Match play at the Queens continues Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern, and the event will conclude with the live ESPN2 finals Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern. All match play rounds leading up to the TV show will be broadcast live on Xtra Frame.
Against Restrepo, Rodriguez found herself down 56 pins heading into the finale of the three-game, total pins match, but four late strikes helped keep her in the winners bracket, where she'll continue her quest to become the fifth bowler in USBC Queens history, and first since Japan's Katsuko Sugimoto in 1982, to win titles in back-to-back titles.
"I definitely am getting more and more comfortable as the week goes on," said Rodriguez, who defeated two-time Queens winner Kelly Kulick, 190-189, to win the title last year in Reno, Nevada.
"I was nervous at the beginning, but being the defending champion is not in my head right now. I'm just one of the competitors out here trying to get on the show, and then I can start thinking about winning."
Rodriguez entered the week guaranteed a spot in the double-elimination match-play bracket, but her performance during the 15 games of qualifying helped her to the No. 35 seed in the bracket. The three days of bowling also allowed her to try different strategies in attacking the 42-foot Sport Bowling-certified lane condition.
"I may have had too many options during qualifying, and I didn't narrow them down enough, but I think I've got it figured out now," said Rodriguez, who averaged 211 during qualifying. "I changed surfaces and switched balls many times, and a lot of different things worked OK, but now I think I have a much better idea. And, I just want to relax and enjoy it."
The list of undefeated players at the 2015 Queens includes six past champions - USBC Hall of Famers Leanne Hulsenberg (left) of North Ogden, Utah (1999) and Kim Kearney of Grand Prairie, Texas (2002) as well as Shannon Pluhowsky (right) of Dayton, Ohio (2006), Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York (2009), Diandra Asbaty of Chicago (2012) and Latvian native Diana Zavjalova of Beavercreek, Ohio (2013).
Top-seeded Verity Crawley of Babson Park, Florida, made a quick exit from the bracket, losing to No. 64 seed Natalie Cortese of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, 684-631, and Giselle Poss of Montgomery, Illinois, 587-530.
More than 200 players bowled 15 games of qualifying over three days to determine the 63 bowlers who would join Rodriguez in match play. The player who survives the bracket to win the event will take home $20,000 of the estimated $125,000 prize fund.
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Double elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall. Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to elimination bracket
(64) Natalie Cortese, Hoffman Estates, Ill., def. (1) Verity Crawley, Babson Park, Fla., 684-631
(33) Bryanna Caldwell, Red Rock, Ariz., def. (32) Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 627-604
(17) Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., def. (48) Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, Oklahoma, 681-617
(16) Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, def. (49) Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 676-633
(56) Brenda Padilla, Mansfield, Texas, def. (9) Laura Beuthner, Germany, 628-581
(24) Kristina Wendell, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., def. (41) Daria Kovalova, Wichita, Kan., 696-653
(40) Iliana Lomeli, Mexico, def. (25) Birgit Poeppler, Germany, 646-597
(8) Kristin Quah, Singapore, def. (57) Stephanie Martins, Brazil, 699-591
(5) Brittni Hamilton, Wood Ridge, N.J., def. (60) Kimi Davidson, Irving, Texas, 686-513
(37) Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., def. (28) Kaidee Sutphin, Mount Dora, Fla., 614-530
(44) Lauren Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., def. (21) Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 650-564
(12) Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, def. (53) Jessica Abel, Wichita, Kan., 668-656
(52) Karen Marcano, Venezuela, def. (13) Samantha Kelly, Streamwood, Ill., 650-586
(20) Marcia Kloempken, Pleasant View, Utah, def. (45) Cassandra Leuthold, Black Hawk, S.D., 588-579
(36) Amanda Greene, Romney, W. Va., def. (29) Catherine Maher, Altoona, Pa., 731-656
(4) Kim Kearney, Grand Prairie, Texas, def. (61) Neishka Cardona, Puerto Rico, 612-577
(3) Rocio Restrepo, Louisville, Ohio, def. (62) Mariana Ayala, Euless, Texas, 606-597
(35) Maria Jose Rodriguez, Austin, Texas, def. (30) Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 641-636
(19) Leanne Hulsenberg, North Ogden, Utah, def. (46) Sarah Lokker, New Baltimore, Mich., 612-523
(51) Sarah Germano, Rochester, N.Y., def. (14) Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, 684-596
(11) Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., def. (54) Katie Anne Sopp, White Bear Lake, Minn., 586-512
(43) Patricia de Faria, Venezuela, def. (22) Anita Arnett, Richmond, Texas, 646-630
(27) Stefanie Johnson, Grand Prairie, Texas, def. (38) Emily Peterson, West Fargo, N.D., 715-677
(6) Diana Zavjalova, Beavercreek, Ohio, def. (59) Aseret Zetter, Mexico, 661-585
(7) Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., def. (58) Pamela Alvarez, Mexico, 676-601
(39) Trisha Reid, Columbus, Ohio, def. (26) Samantha How, Oregon City, Ore., 607-568
(42) T'Nia Falbo, Greensburg, Pa., def. (23) Jacqui Reese, McAdoo, Pa., 621-580
(10) Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, def. (55) Karen Boyd, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 655-625
(50) Shannon Labinski, Wauwatosa, Wis., def. (15) Shannon O'Keefe, O'Fallon, Ill., 623-552
(18) Brittany Smith, Des Moines, Iowa, def. (47) Kristin Warzinski, Lincoln, Calif., 631-532
(31) Clara Guerrero, Pflugerville, Texas, def. (34) Kerry Smith, Lititz, Pa., 692-654
(2) Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., def. (63) Jackie Carbonetto, Blauvelt, N.Y., 703-511
Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to elimination bracket.
Cortese def. Caldwell, 597-555
Woessner def. Parkin, 700-553
Wendell def. Padilla, 678-587
Quah def. Lomeli, 612-566
McCarthy def. Hamilton, 657-654
Asbaty def. Pate, 660-547
Marcano def. Kloempken, 668-559
Kearney def. Greene, 650-601
Rodriguez def. Restrepo, 606-590
Hulsenberg def. Germano, 690-655
Kuhlkin def. De Faria, 630-551
Zavjalova def. S. Johnson, 695-617
L. Johnson def. Reid, 732-563
Pluhowsky def. Falbo, 681-604
B. Smith def. Labinski, 600-593
Guerrero def. Kulick, 690-650
Losers eliminated, earn $1,000
Poss def. Crawley, 587-530
Poeppler def. Martins, 700-608
Duggan def. Galante, 614-575
Beuthner def. Kovalova, 679-668
Davidson def. Sutphin, 617-608
Maher def. Cardona, 739-716
M. Kelly def. Abel, 594-574
Leuthold def. S. Kelly, 616-561
Ayala def. Earnest, 636-629
Zetter def. Peterson, 590-574
Boomershine def. Lokker, 670-608
Arnett def. Sopp, 592-567
Alvarez def. How, 672-597
Carbonetto def. K. Smith, 648-529
Reese def. Boyd, 633-559
Warzinski def. O'Keefe, 612-611
Losers eliminated, earn $1,100
Poss def. Germano, 595-560
Poeppler def. De Faria, 690-541
Restrepo def. Duggan, 778-609
Beuthner def. S. Johnson, 657-644
Davidson def. Falbo, 595-561
Labinski def. Maher, 628-585
Reid def. M. Kelly, 647-578
Kulick def. Leuthold, 653-591
Parkin def. Ayala, 616-604
Padilla def. Zetter, 608-587
Caldwell def. Boomershine, 672-648
Lomeli def. Arnett, 634-592
Alvarez def. Pate, 602-488
Carbonetto def. Kloempken, 681-638
Hamilton def. Reese, 678-578
Greene def. Warzinski, 699-542
The 26-year-old right-hander made two late charges Sunday at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley to sneak past Team USA member Josie Earnest of Nashville, Tennessee, (641-636) and fellow Team Colombia member Rocio Restrepo of Louisville, Ohio, (606-590).
Match play at the Queens continues Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern, and the event will conclude with the live ESPN2 finals Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern. All match play rounds leading up to the TV show will be broadcast live on Xtra Frame.
Against Restrepo, Rodriguez found herself down 56 pins heading into the finale of the three-game, total pins match, but four late strikes helped keep her in the winners bracket, where she'll continue her quest to become the fifth bowler in USBC Queens history, and first since Japan's Katsuko Sugimoto in 1982, to win titles in back-to-back titles.
"I definitely am getting more and more comfortable as the week goes on," said Rodriguez, who defeated two-time Queens winner Kelly Kulick, 190-189, to win the title last year in Reno, Nevada.
"I was nervous at the beginning, but being the defending champion is not in my head right now. I'm just one of the competitors out here trying to get on the show, and then I can start thinking about winning."
Rodriguez entered the week guaranteed a spot in the double-elimination match-play bracket, but her performance during the 15 games of qualifying helped her to the No. 35 seed in the bracket. The three days of bowling also allowed her to try different strategies in attacking the 42-foot Sport Bowling-certified lane condition.
"I may have had too many options during qualifying, and I didn't narrow them down enough, but I think I've got it figured out now," said Rodriguez, who averaged 211 during qualifying. "I changed surfaces and switched balls many times, and a lot of different things worked OK, but now I think I have a much better idea. And, I just want to relax and enjoy it."
The list of undefeated players at the 2015 Queens includes six past champions - USBC Hall of Famers Leanne Hulsenberg (left) of North Ogden, Utah (1999) and Kim Kearney of Grand Prairie, Texas (2002) as well as Shannon Pluhowsky (right) of Dayton, Ohio (2006), Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York (2009), Diandra Asbaty of Chicago (2012) and Latvian native Diana Zavjalova of Beavercreek, Ohio (2013).Top-seeded Verity Crawley of Babson Park, Florida, made a quick exit from the bracket, losing to No. 64 seed Natalie Cortese of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, 684-631, and Giselle Poss of Montgomery, Illinois, 587-530.
More than 200 players bowled 15 games of qualifying over three days to determine the 63 bowlers who would join Rodriguez in match play. The player who survives the bracket to win the event will take home $20,000 of the estimated $125,000 prize fund.
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2015 USBC Queens - Opening Round
Double elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall. Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to elimination bracket
(64) Natalie Cortese, Hoffman Estates, Ill., def. (1) Verity Crawley, Babson Park, Fla., 684-631
(33) Bryanna Caldwell, Red Rock, Ariz., def. (32) Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 627-604
(17) Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., def. (48) Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, Oklahoma, 681-617
(16) Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, def. (49) Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 676-633
(56) Brenda Padilla, Mansfield, Texas, def. (9) Laura Beuthner, Germany, 628-581
(24) Kristina Wendell, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., def. (41) Daria Kovalova, Wichita, Kan., 696-653
(40) Iliana Lomeli, Mexico, def. (25) Birgit Poeppler, Germany, 646-597
(8) Kristin Quah, Singapore, def. (57) Stephanie Martins, Brazil, 699-591
(5) Brittni Hamilton, Wood Ridge, N.J., def. (60) Kimi Davidson, Irving, Texas, 686-513
(37) Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., def. (28) Kaidee Sutphin, Mount Dora, Fla., 614-530
(44) Lauren Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., def. (21) Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 650-564
(12) Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, def. (53) Jessica Abel, Wichita, Kan., 668-656
(52) Karen Marcano, Venezuela, def. (13) Samantha Kelly, Streamwood, Ill., 650-586
(20) Marcia Kloempken, Pleasant View, Utah, def. (45) Cassandra Leuthold, Black Hawk, S.D., 588-579
(36) Amanda Greene, Romney, W. Va., def. (29) Catherine Maher, Altoona, Pa., 731-656
(4) Kim Kearney, Grand Prairie, Texas, def. (61) Neishka Cardona, Puerto Rico, 612-577
(3) Rocio Restrepo, Louisville, Ohio, def. (62) Mariana Ayala, Euless, Texas, 606-597
(35) Maria Jose Rodriguez, Austin, Texas, def. (30) Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 641-636
(19) Leanne Hulsenberg, North Ogden, Utah, def. (46) Sarah Lokker, New Baltimore, Mich., 612-523
(51) Sarah Germano, Rochester, N.Y., def. (14) Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, 684-596
(11) Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., def. (54) Katie Anne Sopp, White Bear Lake, Minn., 586-512
(43) Patricia de Faria, Venezuela, def. (22) Anita Arnett, Richmond, Texas, 646-630
(27) Stefanie Johnson, Grand Prairie, Texas, def. (38) Emily Peterson, West Fargo, N.D., 715-677
(6) Diana Zavjalova, Beavercreek, Ohio, def. (59) Aseret Zetter, Mexico, 661-585
(7) Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., def. (58) Pamela Alvarez, Mexico, 676-601
(39) Trisha Reid, Columbus, Ohio, def. (26) Samantha How, Oregon City, Ore., 607-568
(42) T'Nia Falbo, Greensburg, Pa., def. (23) Jacqui Reese, McAdoo, Pa., 621-580
(10) Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, def. (55) Karen Boyd, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 655-625
(50) Shannon Labinski, Wauwatosa, Wis., def. (15) Shannon O'Keefe, O'Fallon, Ill., 623-552
(18) Brittany Smith, Des Moines, Iowa, def. (47) Kristin Warzinski, Lincoln, Calif., 631-532
(31) Clara Guerrero, Pflugerville, Texas, def. (34) Kerry Smith, Lititz, Pa., 692-654
(2) Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., def. (63) Jackie Carbonetto, Blauvelt, N.Y., 703-511
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2015 USBC Queens - Winners Bracket Round 1
Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to elimination bracket.
Cortese def. Caldwell, 597-555
Woessner def. Parkin, 700-553
Wendell def. Padilla, 678-587
Quah def. Lomeli, 612-566
McCarthy def. Hamilton, 657-654
Asbaty def. Pate, 660-547
Marcano def. Kloempken, 668-559
Kearney def. Greene, 650-601
Rodriguez def. Restrepo, 606-590
Hulsenberg def. Germano, 690-655
Kuhlkin def. De Faria, 630-551
Zavjalova def. S. Johnson, 695-617
L. Johnson def. Reid, 732-563
Pluhowsky def. Falbo, 681-604
B. Smith def. Labinski, 600-593
Guerrero def. Kulick, 690-650
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2015 USBC Queens - Elimination Bracket Round 1
Losers eliminated, earn $1,000
Poss def. Crawley, 587-530
Poeppler def. Martins, 700-608
Duggan def. Galante, 614-575
Beuthner def. Kovalova, 679-668
Davidson def. Sutphin, 617-608
Maher def. Cardona, 739-716
M. Kelly def. Abel, 594-574
Leuthold def. S. Kelly, 616-561
Ayala def. Earnest, 636-629
Zetter def. Peterson, 590-574
Boomershine def. Lokker, 670-608
Arnett def. Sopp, 592-567
Alvarez def. How, 672-597
Carbonetto def. K. Smith, 648-529
Reese def. Boyd, 633-559
Warzinski def. O'Keefe, 612-611
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2015 USBC Queens - Elimination Bracket Round 2
Losers eliminated, earn $1,100
Poss def. Germano, 595-560
Poeppler def. De Faria, 690-541
Restrepo def. Duggan, 778-609
Beuthner def. S. Johnson, 657-644
Davidson def. Falbo, 595-561
Labinski def. Maher, 628-585
Reid def. M. Kelly, 647-578
Kulick def. Leuthold, 653-591
Parkin def. Ayala, 616-604
Padilla def. Zetter, 608-587
Caldwell def. Boomershine, 672-648
Lomeli def. Arnett, 634-592
Alvarez def. Pate, 602-488
Carbonetto def. Kloempken, 681-638
Hamilton def. Reese, 678-578
Greene def. Warzinski, 699-542
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