SEPTEMBER 2013 -
5
Latvia’s Zavjalova
Wins 2013 USBC
Queens
By Matt Cannizzaro
HENDERSON, Nev. -
Latvia's Diana Zavjalova
became the first foreign player in more than two
decades to win the United States Bowling Congress
Queens as she defeated USBC Hall of Famer
Leanne Hulsenberg of North Ogden, Utah, 190-160,
at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center on
Thursday night.
The 22-year-old right-hander was the first No. 1
seed since 2009 to secure the title, and she did so in
her first USBC Queens appearance. Hall of famer
Carol Gianotti of Australia was the last foreign player
to claim the coveted crown, doing so in 1989, two
years before Zavjalova was born. The televised fi-
nals will air on ESPN2 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
"There are just so many feelings right now, but
excitement is at the top of the list," said Zavjalova,
who earned $20,000 and the traditional Queens ti-
ara. "This is the first time I have bowled in this event,
I was the leader and I was able to beat a hall of
famer. I'm living my dream. I just can't believe it."
Zavjalova has been successful under the television
lights before, helping Webber International to the
women's title at the 2012 USBC Intercollegiate
Team Championships, but the experience is much
different when you're out there alone.
Despite being nervous, Zavjalova felt confident
with her first few shots, though the 10 pin didn't
agree. After missing one in the second frame, she
was able to refocus, and the pins started to cooper-
ate.
"I was mad on the inside, but I knew I had to let it
go," said Zavjalova, who struck in the sixth, seventh
and eighth frames to put the game out of reach. "I
started fresh after the open, and even though I left
another 10 pin, I made it and kept trying to throw
good shots."
Hulsenberg, who has made more than 100 televi-
sion appearances in her career, threw 15 strikes in
her first two matches but was plagued with poor
carry in the finale. The 1999 Queens champion
missed two single-pin spares late in the game to
ultimately cost her a chance at becoming the ninth
bowler in history with two Queens victories. She
took home $10,000 for the runner-up finish Thurs-
day.
In the semifinal, Hulsenberg struck eight times as
she defeated Shayna Ng of Singapore, 249-172. Ng,
who was never lower than second in the standings
all week, left splits in the fourth and fifth frames and
wasn't able to recover.
Hulsenberg started her first game on TV since win-
ning the 2011 Bowling's U.S. Women's Open at
Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a missed
7 pin before getting comfortable. She then rattled off
a string of five strikes to build a 30-pin lead over
Jennifer Higgins of Westerville, Ohio, and advanced
to the semifinal with a 235-184 win.
In the evening's opening match, Higgins trailed
after six frames but made a late charge with three
consecutive strikes and cruised past USBC Hall of
Famer and two-time Queens champion Lynda Bar-
nes of Double Oak, Texas, 205-173.
The Queens is open to any female USBC member,
and with this year's event coming just after the
World Tenpin Bowling Association World Champion-
ships, the field included 202 players representing 15
countries.
Other international Queens winners include Kazue
Inahashi of Tokyo in 1984 and Katsuko Sugimoto,
also from Tokyo, in 1981 and 1982.
2013 USBC QUEENS
At Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center
Henderson, Nev.
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
Match 1
Jennifer Higgins, Westerville, Ohio, def. Lynda Bar-
nes, Double Oak, Texas, 205-173
(Barnes finishes fifth, earns $3,000)
Match 2
Leanne Hulsenberg, North Ogden, Utah, def.
Higgins, 235-184 (Higgins finishes fourth,
earns $4,000)
Match 3
Hulsenberg def. Shayna Ng, Singapore, 249-172
(Ng finishes third, earns $5,000)
Match 4
Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, def. Hulsenberg, 190-160
(Hulsenberg finishes second, earns $10,000;
Zavjalova finishes first, earns $20,000)
Continued on Pages 8 & 12
1 Kerry Painter, Henderson, NV
$10,000.00
2 Gary Dickinson, Edmond, OK
7,500.00
3 Curtis Dornath, Maricopa, CA
5,000.00
Continued on Page 13
UBA #1 Is
Top Military
Team!
―Best of 164 teams.‖ If it looks like those UBA balls
are shining - they are! Just as the entire team was shin-
ing as they pounded the pins for a 44-pin victory over
the field for a $5,000 payday!
Ken Cooper, Ray Lopez, captain Reggie Fullmore and
Rick Porter fired 2,678 scratch lead by Cooper's 744.
Also in the picture is Roto Grip's Hank Boomershine
and High Roller's Wendy Macpherson offering their
congrats to the Northern California team.
The most exciting finish of the week was both Willie
Wells and DaWon Turner fired 300 in the 3rd game of
Singles competition, Wells amassing 854 to overtake
Turner by just 10 pins for the Singles crown! The team
of Billy Wiiliams & Curtis Aaron won the Doubles title
with 1,565. The All Events champ was John Heneghan.
Teams from 40 states competed for team, singles &
doubles purses in the 4-day event that ended with a
Breakfast Awards Party.
See photo page 13
TOURNAMENTS
