onefrombills
11-02-2008, 05:45 PM
Team USA member Stefanie Nation of Arlington, Texas, stepped up and claimed her first professional title at Thunder Alley in Omaha, Neb., on Sunday, and minutes later, Brad Angelo of Lockport, N.Y., followed suit by winning the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Pepsi Viper Championship for the first win of his seven-year Professional Bowlers Association career.
Nation, who has enjoyed success at the youth, collegiate and international levels, joined the professional ranks for 2008-09 PBA Women's Series and claimed the first event of the season with a 225-200 win against former Professional Women's Bowling Association star Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y. Nation took home $10,000 for the win.
"I think this is the first time in my life that I've been speechless," said Nation, who also defeated Feldman in the televised Round of 16 at the 2008 U.S. Women's Open this fall. "It's an amazing feeling. I just came out and bowled, and everything fell my way. It seems like just yesterday I bowled Michelle at the U.S. Open. I knew I had to make great shots because she's a great player."
After a successful debut in 2007, the PBA Women's Series was expanded to seven events for the 2008-09 season and will be held alongside Tour events throughout the fall. The 16-player field includes 12 qualifiers from the PBA Women's Tour Trials, which were held during the 2008 U.S. Women's Open and the four winners from last year's PBA Women's Series (Pluhowsky, Diandra Asbaty, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Joy Esterson).
The women bowled 14 games of qualifying this week before the field was cut to the top 10 for round-robin match play. After nine games of match play Friday, the top two players earned the opportunity to bowl for the title during Sunday's live telecast on ESPN.
In the Pepsi Viper Championship, Angelo, the No. 3 seed, disposed of Wes Malott of Argyle, Texas, 222-195, all-time title leader (44) Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., 221-214 and top seed Chris Loschetter of Avon, Ohio, 256-215. Angelo took home $25,000 for the win.
After Loschetter missed a 10 pin in the fourth frame of the championship match, Angelo jumped at the opening and solidified his first win with six consecutive strikes. Angelo broke through in his 119th Tour event, while Loschetter, also in search of his first title, finished second for the fourth time.
"This is what everybody on the Tour always dreams of, and it's what we all do it for," Angelo said. "I've been knocking on the door for several years, and it finally happened for me."
Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour action continues next week at the Lake County Indiana Golden Anniversary Championship in Hammond, Ind., while the PBA Women's Series resumes Nov. 12 alongside the Chameleon Championship at Taylor Lanes in Taylor, Mich.
Pepsi Viper Championship
At Thunder Alley, Omaha, Neb.
Championship round
PBA Women's Series
(Winner earns $10,000; loser earns $6,000)
Stefanie Nation, Arlington, Texas, def. Michelle Feldman, Auburn, N.Y., 225-200
Pepsi Viper Championship
Match 1
(Winner advances; loser earns $5,500)
Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., def. Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 222-195
Semifinal
(Winner advances; loser earns $6,500)
Angelo def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 221-214
Championship
(Winner earns $25,000; loser earns $13,000)
Angelo def. Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 256-215
Nation, who has enjoyed success at the youth, collegiate and international levels, joined the professional ranks for 2008-09 PBA Women's Series and claimed the first event of the season with a 225-200 win against former Professional Women's Bowling Association star Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y. Nation took home $10,000 for the win.
"I think this is the first time in my life that I've been speechless," said Nation, who also defeated Feldman in the televised Round of 16 at the 2008 U.S. Women's Open this fall. "It's an amazing feeling. I just came out and bowled, and everything fell my way. It seems like just yesterday I bowled Michelle at the U.S. Open. I knew I had to make great shots because she's a great player."
After a successful debut in 2007, the PBA Women's Series was expanded to seven events for the 2008-09 season and will be held alongside Tour events throughout the fall. The 16-player field includes 12 qualifiers from the PBA Women's Tour Trials, which were held during the 2008 U.S. Women's Open and the four winners from last year's PBA Women's Series (Pluhowsky, Diandra Asbaty, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Joy Esterson).
The women bowled 14 games of qualifying this week before the field was cut to the top 10 for round-robin match play. After nine games of match play Friday, the top two players earned the opportunity to bowl for the title during Sunday's live telecast on ESPN.
In the Pepsi Viper Championship, Angelo, the No. 3 seed, disposed of Wes Malott of Argyle, Texas, 222-195, all-time title leader (44) Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., 221-214 and top seed Chris Loschetter of Avon, Ohio, 256-215. Angelo took home $25,000 for the win.
After Loschetter missed a 10 pin in the fourth frame of the championship match, Angelo jumped at the opening and solidified his first win with six consecutive strikes. Angelo broke through in his 119th Tour event, while Loschetter, also in search of his first title, finished second for the fourth time.
"This is what everybody on the Tour always dreams of, and it's what we all do it for," Angelo said. "I've been knocking on the door for several years, and it finally happened for me."
Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour action continues next week at the Lake County Indiana Golden Anniversary Championship in Hammond, Ind., while the PBA Women's Series resumes Nov. 12 alongside the Chameleon Championship at Taylor Lanes in Taylor, Mich.
Pepsi Viper Championship
At Thunder Alley, Omaha, Neb.
Championship round
PBA Women's Series
(Winner earns $10,000; loser earns $6,000)
Stefanie Nation, Arlington, Texas, def. Michelle Feldman, Auburn, N.Y., 225-200
Pepsi Viper Championship
Match 1
(Winner advances; loser earns $5,500)
Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., def. Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 222-195
Semifinal
(Winner advances; loser earns $6,500)
Angelo def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 221-214
Championship
(Winner earns $25,000; loser earns $13,000)
Angelo def. Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 256-215