Stefanie Nation starts 2010 PABCON Women's Championships with victory in Singles

09/28/10

United States

Alicia Marcano earns the silver medal; Kelly Kulick gets bronze

2010PWCStefanieNation.jpgStefanie Nation (pictured), United States, showed off her world-champion focus and closed with two big games to claim the Singles gold medal at the 2010 Pan American Bowling Confederation Women's Championships at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center in Henderson, Nev., on Monday.

Nation started her six-game block with games of 242, 220 and 182 to trail Jennifer Park, Canada (704) by 60 pins after three games. The World Champion in Singles (2009 in Las Vegas) finished with games of 215, 268 and 245 for a 1372 six-game total to win the first gold medal of the championships.

2010PWCSinglesTop3.jpgThe Team USA member edged out Venezuela's Alicia Marcano, sister of defending Singles champion Karen Marcano (31st, 1175) by three pins. Alicia, who was in second place after five games, needed two strikes in her final frame to claim the gold, but left a 4 pin on her second shot for 1369 and had to settle for the silver medal.

Team USA's super star Kelly Kulick entered the last game with a 29-pin advantage over Marcano and had a chance to retain her lead, but a 3-6-9-10 in the 10th frame left her with a 1,367 total and the bronze medal. Park slipped all the way out of the medals to finish fourth with 1349.

L-R Alicia Marcano, Stefanie Nation and Kelly Kulick.

"There were four or five of us in it going into the last game, so it was pretty exciting," said Nation. "I just wanted to make sure to stay in my own moment and make good shots, hoping the pins would fall my way. Whether it was me or Kelly, I just wanted us to be on top."

Nation's focus was tested in Game 4 when she registered a foul after starting the game with six consecutive strikes. She chose not to dispute the foul and didn't allow it to affect her performance as she finished with 215.

"You just have to move on from something like that, and I'm glad it didn't cost us in the end," Nation said. "Winning two of the three medals is a great start for us, and I think we're all mentally and physically prepared for the next couple of days leading into the team event, which is the one we're really looking forward to."

 

 



At the 2009 PABCON Championships (men and women combined) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Diandra Asbaty finished second to Karen Marcano to earn the silver medal. At the 2008 PABCON Women's Championships in Santiago, Chile, Kulick finished fourth in Singles before winning gold medals in Doubles, Trios, Team, All Events and Masters.

"Stefanie was consistent all day long and put herself in contention to win it," Kulick said. "I'm disappointed that I had the opportunity to win the gold and threw a bad shot, but I'm thrilled for Stefanie. Last time, I finished fourth in Singles, so at least I improved and got a medal today. Now, I'm going to focus on Doubles with Shannon (Pluhowsky) tomorrow, and I'm really looking forward to the team event. That's the pinnacle of a tournament like this, and it's a good opportunity for us to learn and improve as we look forward to the World Championships next year."

The 2010 PABCON Women's Championships features 60 competitors from 13 countries -Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States, Venezuela - competing for medals in six events - Singles, Doubles, Trios, five-player Team, All Events and Masters.

The bowlers will return to the lanes for six games of Doubles Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern. The United States Bowling Congress will provide wire-to-wire live streaming coverage of the event on BOWL.com.

PABCON Championships Live Streaming Schedule
(Subject to change; all times Eastern)

Sept. 28, 1 p.m., Doubles
Sept. 29, noon, Trios
Sept. 30, noon, Team
Oct. 1, noon, Masters

 


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Singles - Final standings after six games

 


High Games/High Series:
1 Game - Jessica Santiago, Puerto Rico, 279
3 Games - Alicia Marcano, Venezuela, 741
6 Games - Stefanie Nation, United States, 1372

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