Team USA women dominate team event at PABCON Championships

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The Team USA women put on a dominate performance Friday night as they rolled to a record-setting team victory at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Championships.

The United States totaled 6,494 for six games at Carolina Bowling Center, easily breaking the previous record of 6,357 set by Team USA in 2008. Colombia took the silver medal with 6,146, while the Dominican Republic earned bronze with 5,969.

Lynda Barnes led Team USA with 1,315, an average of nearly 220 per game, and was joined by Diandra Asbaty (1,303), Kim Terrell-Kearney (1,283), Shannon Pluhowsky (1,250), Shannon O'Keefe (707) and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard (636).

"It was just so cool to be out there and play tonight," O'Keefe said. "We always come here hoping to win team event. We played well together and communicated well. It was a total team effort."

The Americans led the Dominican Republic by just 32 pins after three games, but pulled away to win the title by nearly 350 pins. Team USA had games of 1,089, 1,103 and 1,141 to close out the victory.

O'Keefe's 707 series in the final three games also propelled her to the all-events gold medal. For 24 games, O'Keefe totaled 5,159, an average of 214.23.

"I struggled a little bit in doubles, but figured it out in trios and team," O'Keefe said. "It's nice to win the all-events, but really it's just a bonus."

Colombia's Clara Guerrero took the silver medal with 5,108, while Pluhowsky earned the bronze with 5,078.

The top 16 players in the all-events standings advanced to the Masters match play Saturday afternoon and all six Team USA women made the cut.

On the men's side, Team USA has a big deficit to overcome in the second three games of team event on Saturday morning. The Americans sit in third place after three games with 3,164 and trail Mexico by nearly 200 pins.

The Mexicans finished with 3,345 after putting forward for a balanced attack. Benjamin Corona led Mexico with 693 and was followed by Alejandro Cruz (686), Daniel Falconi (675), Ernesto Franco (663) and Jorge Rosado (628).

The United States, which also trails Puerto Rico by 25 pins, was led by David Haynes with a 683 series and he was joined by Patrick Allen (667), Bill O'Neill (652), Chris Barnes (615) and Tommy Jones (547).

Cassidy Schaub will replace Allen in the lineup when Team USA competes Saturday morning to determine the men's team medalists.

In men's all-events, O'Neill leads with 4,785 for 21 games, Haynes is second with 4,649 and Barnes is third at 4,625. Jones and Allen are among the top 16, with Schaub sitting in 17th place heading into the final three games Saturday morning.

For more information on the 2009 PABCON Championships, visit BOWL.com.


2009 PABCON CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Carolina Bowling Center (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Friday's Results

TEAM

MEN
(Top 5; three games)

1, Mexico, 3,345. 2, Puerto Rico, 3,189. 3, United States, 3,164. 4, Venezuela, 3,122. 5, Canada, 3,109.

WOMEN
(Top 5; six games)

1, United States, 6,494. 2, Colombia, 6,146. 3, Dominican Republic, 5,969. 4, Venezuela, 5,929. 5, Canada, 5,795.

ALL-EVENTS

MEN
(Top 5; 21 games)

1, Bill O'Neill, United States, 4,785. 2, David Haynes, United States, 4,649. 3, Chris Barnes, United States, 4,625. 4, Frankie Colon, Puerto Rico, 4,590. 5, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 4,570.

WOMEN
(Top 5; 24 games)

1, Shannon O'Keefe, United States, 5,159. 2, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 5,108. 3, Shannon Pluhowsky, United States, 5,078. 4, Kim Terrell-Kearney, United States, 5,071. 5, Lynda Barnes, United States, 5,061.