Striking Spotlight

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Stephanie Zavala of Downey, California, quickly is becoming a rising star on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour, and she continued her impressive run this month by leading the first two rounds of the 2021 PWBA BVL Open.

Zavala, a 24-year-old right-hander who will turn 25 on Saturday, won her first PWBA Tour title earlier in May at the PWBA Greater Cleveland Open, and she cruised to the top of the leaderboard Friday at Farmingdale Lanes by averaging more than 224 for her two six-game blocks to finish with a 2,690 total.

Breanna Clemmer of Clover, South Carolina, is second with 2,625, and she’s followed in the standings by Jordan Richard of Maumee, Ohio (2,571), Poland’s Daria Pajak (2,512) and Liz Kuhlkin of Schenectady, New York (2,503).

The 69-player field was cut to the top 32 players after Friday’s second round, with Karsyn Lukosius of Brick, New Jersey, claiming the final spot by finishing with a 2,294 total, a 191.17 average.

Lukosius rolled 203 in her final game to get ahead of Abby Ragsdale of Aurora, Illinois, by a single pin to advance to Saturday’s third round of qualifying, which starts at 10 a.m. Eastern.

Zavala is part of a talented rookie class competing on tour this season, and her win at the Greater Cleveland Open was in her third event as a professional.

She followed the victory with an impressive performance in qualifying at the United States Bowling Congress Queens in Reno, Nevada. She earned the No. 3 seed for the 64-player double-elimination bracket after averaging more 223 for 15 games in the first major of the 2021 season.

Zavala lost her first two matches, however, to finish tied for 49th place.

On Friday, Zavala rolled the highest six-game block of the day during the first round, posting games of 246, 213, 242, 195, 279 and 225 for a 1,400 total to build her lead on the field. She added 1,290 in the second round.

Clemmer, who also is a rookie this season, was the only other player to surpass the 1,300 total Friday at Farmingdale Lanes, making her move during the second round on the strength of a 1,389 six-game block.

Saturday’s third round will consist of an additional six games, with the top 12 returning to the lanes for one more six-game round to complete qualifying. The top four players, based on total pinfall for 24 games, will advance to the stepladder finals.

The stepladder will be Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern and broadcast live on BowlTV.com. The champion will earn $10,000.

For more information on the PWBA, visit PWBA.com.

About the PWBA
The Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) originally was formed in 1960. The PWBA Tour has events throughout the country, offering high-level competition and top prize money for women bowlers. The PWBA is supported by the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).

2021 PWBA BVL Open
At Farmingdale Lanes
Farmingdale, N.Y.

Friday’s results

QUALIFYING
(12 games)
1, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 2,690. 2, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 2,625. 3, Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 2,571. 4, Daria Pajak, Poland, 2,512. 5, Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 2,503. 6, Taylor Bulthuis, Coral Springs, Fla., 2,484.
7, Verity Crawley, England, 2,480. 8, Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, 2,450. 9, Summer Jasmin, Beckley, W.Va., 2,437. 10, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 2,428. 11, Shannon O’Keefe, Shiloh, Ill., 2,426. 12, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 2,416.
13, Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, 2,402. 14, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 2,391. 15, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 2,379. 16, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 2,368. 17, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 2,366. 18, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 2,361.
19, Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 2,355. 20, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 2,347. 21, Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 2,345. 22, Laura Plazas, Colombia, 2,333. 23, Sarah Germano (n), Rochester, N.Y., 2,327. 24, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 2,322.
25, Taylor Bailey, Joliet, Ill., 2,321. 26, Amanda Naujokas (n), Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y., 2,315. 27, Kara Mangiola, Spencerport, N.Y., 2,313. 28, Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 2,309. 29, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 2,303. 30, Kayla Jones (n), Johnstown, Pa., 2,296.
31, Alexis Neuer, Milton, Pa., 2,295. 32, Karsyn Lukosius (n), Brick, N.J., 2,294.

DID NOT ADVANCE

33, Abby Ragsdale, Aurora, Ill., 2,293. 34, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 2,291. 35, Maria Bulanova, Russia, 2,283. 36(tie), Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., and Aseret Zetter, Mexico, 2,282.
38, Rocio Restrepo, Uniontown, Ohio, 2,276. 39, Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 2,275. 40, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 2,273. 41, Danielle Knittle, State College, Pa., 2,262. 42(tie), Shanna Chepelsky, East Rochester, N.Y., and Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 2,259.
44, Valerie Bercier, Muskegon, Mich., 2,258. 45, Amanda Nardiello (n), Toms River, N.J., 2,250. 46(tie), Giselle Poss, Maitland, Fla., and Kerry Smith, New Holland, Pa., 2,232. 48, Estefania Cobo, North Richland Hills, Texas, 2,226.
49, Caitlyn Johnson, Beaumont, Texas, 2,220. 50, Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., 2,219. 51, Lauren Pate, Fairview Heights, Ill., 2,198. 52, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 2,191. 53, Suzanne Morine (n), Castleton-on-Hudson, N.Y., 2,182. 54, Jacqueline Evans, Acton, Mass., 2,171.
55, Melissa Kammerer (n), Staten Island, N.Y., 2,168. 56, Danielle Merino (n), College Point, N.Y., 2,164. 57, Heather D’Errico, Rochester, N.Y., 2,153. 58, Courtney Ermisch, Big Bend, Wis., 2,152. 59, Krista Sandt, Bethlehem, Pa., 2,133. 60, Toni Kaufman (n), Plainview, N.Y., 2,117.
61, Ingellimar Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 2,114. 62, Christina Hartl, Ephrata, Pa., 2,075. 63, Rachel Hines (n), Medford, N.Y., 2,063. 64, Jennifer Hocurscak, Orange, Conn., 1,984. 65, Katy Barnes, Greenwich, R.I., 1,961. 66, Cathrine Bell, Averill Park, N.Y., 1,912.
     67, Canan Bademci (n), Patchogue, N.Y., 1,864. 68, Becky Decker (n), Honesdale, Pa., 1,843. 69, Renee Martel-Ethridge (n), Danielson, Conn., 969 (WD).

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