Diana Zavjalova (pictured above with the trophy) of Latvia delivered four clutch strikes in the championship match Saturday to win the 2015 Professional Women's Bowling Association Minnesota Open.

Zavjalova, the 2013 United States Bowling Congress Queens champion, defeated Rocio Restrepo of Colombia, 216-208, in a pressure-packed title match at Island Xtreme Bowl in Welch, Minn.

Finishing the match first, Zavjalova struck in the ninth frame and threw all three strikes in the 10th frame to put the pressure on Restrepo. Needing a double and nine pins in the final frame to win, Restrepo struck on her first shot but left a 7 pin on her second shot to lose.

"I just had a feeling this was going to be my week and it was," Zavjalova said. "I feel like I have been so close and to finally break through and win feels great."

Trailing in the match at the halfway point, Zavjalova made the decision to make a ball change that ended up paying dividends down the stretch.

"I didn't use that ball all week," Zavjalova said. "I was struggling with the transition and I had to figure out a way to strike. So I tried something different and it worked. Go big or go home."

Zavjalova entered the stepladder finals the No. 3 seed and had to win three matches to take the title. In the opening match, she started with the front nine in a 279-205 victory over Kelly Kulick (left) of Union, New Jersey.

In the semifinal, Zavjalova blew past Kayla Bandy (right) of Salisbury, Maryland, 247-209.

Zavjalova earned $10,000 for the title and a spot in the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship presented by GoBowling.com, which will be contested in Arlington, Texas, next month.

 

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PWBA Minnesota Open - Stepladder Finals

Island Xtreme Bowl in Welch, Minn., United States (Aug. 20-23, 2015)

Championship Round:
1. Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 742 (3 games), $10,000
2. Rocio Restrepo, Colombia, 208 (1 game), $5,000
3. Kayla Bandy, Salisbury, Md., 209 (1 game), $3,500
4. Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 205 (1 game) $3,000

Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 3 Zavjalova def. No. 4 Kulick, 279-205
Second Match: Zavjalova def. No. 2 Bandy, 247-209
Championship: Zavjalova def. No. 1 Restrepo, 216-208.

 

PWBA Minnesota Open - Match Play Results

Players with position, hometown/country and 16-game total including bonues pins (30 bonus pins for a win, 15 bonus pins for a tie); top four advance to the stepladder finals, places 5-16 show earnings.

1. Rocio Restrepo, Louisville, Ohio, 13-3-0, 6,874
2. Kayla Bandy, Salisbury, Md., 14-2-0, 6,860
3. Diana Zavjalova, Beavercreek, Ohio, 10-6-0, 6,754
4. Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 10-5-1, 6,716

Missed Cut:
5. Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 9-7-0, 6,673, $2,000
6. Stefanie Johnson, Grand Prairie, Texas, 10-6-0, 6,569, $1,850
7. Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 8-7-1, 6,559, $1,800
8. Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 4-10-2, 6,518, $1,750
9. Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 6-10-0, 6,508, $1,700
10. Kristina Wendell, Kingston, N.Y., 9-6-1, 6,506, $1,650
11. Bryanna Caldwell, Red Rock, Ariz., 6-10-0, 6,386, $1,550
12. Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 6-10-0, 6,375, $1,500
13. Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, 6-10-0, 6,313, $1,450
14. Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 5-11-0, 6,254, $1,400
15. Jacqueline Carbonetto, Blauvelt, N.Y., 5-10-1, 6,231, $1,350
16. Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 4-12-0, 6,078, $1,300