Feldman Saves Best for Last
In PBA Women’s Series Showdown
Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y., concluded a personally disappointing season with a resounding victory in the PBA Women’s Series Showdown presented April 18 by BOWL.COM at the International Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas.
Feldman, who got into the PBA Tour special event by a sequence of fortunate breaks, was nearly perfect in the competition that aired on ESPN Sunday, defeating Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, and Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, for a $25,000 first prize.
Feldman, an 11-time Professional Women’s Bowlers Association champion before the women’s tour ceased operations in 2003, survived a tense opening round in the “Petraglia Scoring System” event, but was a pair of 10 pins away from throwing a perfect game in the title match to defeat Pluhowsky and Nation.
It was a rewarding conclusion to a season in which Feldman’s two previous television appearances – in the Bayer Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship and the United States Bowling Congress Queens – came up short of a title. This time, even the opportunity to participate came her way only because the qualifying rules lined up in her favor.
“I didn’t bowl very good in the PBA Women’s Series this year,” she confessed. “I just didn’t click. When you bowl in the same place the whole time and don’t get comfortable, it kinda puts a damper on how you think you’re going to bowl. I didn’t make a show or win a title, but I guess I picked the right week to bowl well, and that was the one that got me into this tournament.”
In the Showdown, the Petraglia Scoring System also worked for Feldman. The Petraglia system awards one point for each ball throw to complete a frame, with the lowest score winning. A perfect game is a 10 – 10 strikes in 10 frames. By converting 10-pin spares in the fifth and sixth frames, and striking on her other eight shots, Feldman posted a score of 12 compared to Pluhowsky’s 16 and Nation’s 20.
Feldman got into the title match by winning a one-ball roll-off against Nation in the first round, after they tied at 14-14. Feldman, who converted the 2-4-6-7 split in the 10th frame to earn the tie, struck to win the roll-off while Nation knocked down only six pins. Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., finished third with 16 points and joined Nation in the Wild Card round.
“In the 10th frame of the first round, I told myself not to throw it bad,” she said, “and I then threw it worse – as usual. I always have to make things difficult on myself. But I made a really good shot to make the spare.”
In the other first-round matchup, Pluhowsky started with nine strikes before leaving a 7 pin, which she converted for a nearly-perfect 11. Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., wasn’t far behind, posting a 13 to advance to the Wild Card round, but defending Women’s Showdown champion Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, was eliminated because she had the highest score in the opening round – a 17.
Feldman and Pluhowsky, as winners of their groups, automatically advanced to the championship match. In the Wild Card contest between the next three lowest scorers, Nation’s 13 earned her a berth in the showdown match. Kulick had a 15 and Johnson an 18.
“In the title match, I knew Stefanie had an okay shot and I knew Shannon really had a good look. She almost had a perfect game in the first round. I figured Shannon would be the harder person to beat,” Feldman continued. “We were pretty close the whole game, until she split in the 10th. That kinda made it so all I had to do was get a spare to win.”
Ironically, the stars aligned perfectly for Feldman to get into the season-ending special event, which was designed for the champions of the six PBA Women’s Series presented by BOWL.COM singles events (the Mixed Doubles was excluded). In cases of multiple champions, the next highest finisher got a spot in the Showdown. Kulick was a double-winner (PBA Women’s World Championship and Shark Championship) as was Pluhowsky (Chameleon and Scorpion Championships). Johnson won the Viper title and Nation claimed the Earl Anthony Memorial women’s event. Dorin-Ballard qualified as runner-up to Kulick in the Shark, and Feldman qualified as the fourth-place finisher in the Scorpion because Pluhowsky, Johnson and Kulick had previously qualified.
“It was more fun than most days this year,” Feldman said. “It’ll definitely make it a nicer summer for me.”
Feldman, who got into the PBA Tour special event by a sequence of fortunate breaks, was nearly perfect in the competition that aired on ESPN Sunday, defeating Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, and Stefanie Nation of Grand Prairie, Texas, for a $25,000 first prize.
Feldman, an 11-time Professional Women’s Bowlers Association champion before the women’s tour ceased operations in 2003, survived a tense opening round in the “Petraglia Scoring System” event, but was a pair of 10 pins away from throwing a perfect game in the title match to defeat Pluhowsky and Nation.
It was a rewarding conclusion to a season in which Feldman’s two previous television appearances – in the Bayer Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship and the United States Bowling Congress Queens – came up short of a title. This time, even the opportunity to participate came her way only because the qualifying rules lined up in her favor.
“I didn’t bowl very good in the PBA Women’s Series this year,” she confessed. “I just didn’t click. When you bowl in the same place the whole time and don’t get comfortable, it kinda puts a damper on how you think you’re going to bowl. I didn’t make a show or win a title, but I guess I picked the right week to bowl well, and that was the one that got me into this tournament.”
In the Showdown, the Petraglia Scoring System also worked for Feldman. The Petraglia system awards one point for each ball throw to complete a frame, with the lowest score winning. A perfect game is a 10 – 10 strikes in 10 frames. By converting 10-pin spares in the fifth and sixth frames, and striking on her other eight shots, Feldman posted a score of 12 compared to Pluhowsky’s 16 and Nation’s 20.
Feldman got into the title match by winning a one-ball roll-off against Nation in the first round, after they tied at 14-14. Feldman, who converted the 2-4-6-7 split in the 10th frame to earn the tie, struck to win the roll-off while Nation knocked down only six pins. Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., finished third with 16 points and joined Nation in the Wild Card round.
“In the 10th frame of the first round, I told myself not to throw it bad,” she said, “and I then threw it worse – as usual. I always have to make things difficult on myself. But I made a really good shot to make the spare.”
In the other first-round matchup, Pluhowsky started with nine strikes before leaving a 7 pin, which she converted for a nearly-perfect 11. Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., wasn’t far behind, posting a 13 to advance to the Wild Card round, but defending Women’s Showdown champion Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, was eliminated because she had the highest score in the opening round – a 17.
Feldman and Pluhowsky, as winners of their groups, automatically advanced to the championship match. In the Wild Card contest between the next three lowest scorers, Nation’s 13 earned her a berth in the showdown match. Kulick had a 15 and Johnson an 18.
“In the title match, I knew Stefanie had an okay shot and I knew Shannon really had a good look. She almost had a perfect game in the first round. I figured Shannon would be the harder person to beat,” Feldman continued. “We were pretty close the whole game, until she split in the 10th. That kinda made it so all I had to do was get a spare to win.”
Ironically, the stars aligned perfectly for Feldman to get into the season-ending special event, which was designed for the champions of the six PBA Women’s Series presented by BOWL.COM singles events (the Mixed Doubles was excluded). In cases of multiple champions, the next highest finisher got a spot in the Showdown. Kulick was a double-winner (PBA Women’s World Championship and Shark Championship) as was Pluhowsky (Chameleon and Scorpion Championships). Johnson won the Viper title and Nation claimed the Earl Anthony Memorial women’s event. Dorin-Ballard qualified as runner-up to Kulick in the Shark, and Feldman qualified as the fourth-place finisher in the Scorpion because Pluhowsky, Johnson and Kulick had previously qualified.
“It was more fun than most days this year,” Feldman said. “It’ll definitely make it a nicer summer for me.”
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