Paula Vidad (pictured left) of Sun City, Calif., topped defending champion Char Hammel (right) of Las Vegas, 639-542, to earn the No. 1 seed for the championship round of the 2011 USBC Senior Queens on Tuesday.

Hammel still has a chance to successfully defend her title, however, after defeating LuAnn Carbonetto of Blauvelt, N.Y., to advance out of the contenders bracket.

With the double-elimination format, Hammel will have to defeat Vidad twice to claim the coveted title and $3,500 first-place prize as well as become the first bowler to win consecutive USBC Senior Queens titles.

The two will square off in a three-game, total-pinfall match beginning Wednesday at 10 a.m. EDT, and should Hammel win, the second match will immediately follow. The battle will be broadcast live on BOWL.com.

"When you know you're throwing the ball well, and you know your opponent has to beat you twice to win, it's a huge advantage and helps you relax," said Vidad, who averaged 211.4 on the way to a 5-0 match-play record at the Oncenter Convention Center this week.

"I feel really good, and I'm excited about this opportunity. I'd really love to just go out and win the first match, so I don't have to worry about any added pressure."

 

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2011 USBC Senior Queens - Tuesday's Match Play Results

Double elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall.

Winners Bracket - Round 2

Winners remain in the Winners Bracket, losers move to the Contenders Bracket.

Stephanie Beck, Dubuque, Iowa, def. Shelley West, Omaha, Neb., 606-535
Paula Vidad, Sun City, Calif., def. Lucy Sandelin, Tampa, Fla., 703-687
LuAnn Carbonetto, Blauvelt, N.Y., def. Cynthia Johnson, Bowie, Md., 651-541
Char Hammel, Las Vegas, def. Patti Schultz, Braidwood, Ill., 607-575

 

Winners Bracket - Round 3

Winners remain in the Winners Bracket, losers move to the Contenders Bracket.

Hammel def. Carbonetto, 714-615
Vidad def. Beck, 539-498

 

Winners Bracket - Round 4

Winner earns No. 1 seed, loser move to the Contenders Bracket.

Vidad def. Hammel 639-542
Vidad earns No. 1 seed and must be defeated twice in championship match.

 

Contenders Bracket - Round 3

Winners advance, losers eliminated, earn $500.

Lil Johnson, Lawton, Okla., def. Lisa Vint, East Troy, Wis., 566-453
Susan Turchen, Wilmington, Dele., def. Roberta Havholm, Dayton, Ohio, 613-565
Marci Williams, Wichita, Kan., def. Becky Clark, Des Moines, Iowa, 617-612
Pam Lawrence, Pflugerville, Texas, def. Debbie Wade, West Jordan, Utah, 623-587

 

Contenders Bracket - Round 4

Winners advance, losers eliminated, earn $600.

L. Johnson def. Sandelin, 653-607
Turchen def. West, 670-571
Williams def. Schultz, 568-553
C. Johnson def. Lawrence, 631-554

 

Contenders Bracket - Round 5

Winners advance, losers eliminated, earn $700.

L. Johnson def. Turchen, 634-518
C. Johnson def. Williams, 597-523

 

Contenders Bracket - Round 6

Winners advance, losers eliminated, earn $900.

Carbonetto def. L. Johnson, 693-615
Beck def. C. Johnson 619-582

 

Contenders Bracket - Round 7

Winner advances, loser eliminated, earns $1,100.

Carbonetto def. Beck, 583-574

 

Contenders Bracket - Round 8

Winner earns No. 2 seed, loser eliminated, earns $1,300.

Hammel def. Carbonetto, 622-561