Friday, November 7, 2008

Stefanie Nation and Brad Angelo

Brad Angelo and Stefanie Nation Win First Career PBA Titles in Omaha
Nation wins first PBA Women’s Series event of 2008-09 season

It was a day of firsts last Sunday afternoon as Brad Angelo and Stefanie Nation each captured their first career PBA title at the Pepsi Viper Championship at Thunder Alley in Omaha, the second stop of the 2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour.

Angelo, a seven-year veteran of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, defeated No. 1 seed Chris Loschetter of Avon, Ohio, 256-215 in the championship match. With both bowlers vying for their first title, the game was tied at 107 in the fifth frame and Angelo proceeded to strike in the sixth through 11th frames to run away with the victory. Prior to today, Angelo had appeared in 13 PBA televised finals without garnering a title.

“This is what everybody on the Tour always dreams of, it’s what we all do it for,” Angelo said. “I’ve been knocking on the door for several years, and it finally happened for me.”

Angelo, of Lockport, N.Y., who entered Sunday’s live televised finals as the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 4 seed Wes Malott of Argyle, Texas, 222-195, and No. 2 seed Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., 221-214, in order to advance through the stepladder format. Williams Jr., who is the all-time PBA titles leader with 44, became the first to surpass the $4 million mark with his third-place finish.

Stefanie Nation, of Arlington, Texas, a veteran of last year’s inaugural PBA Women’s Series which is sponsored by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), also claimed her first PBA title on Sunday, defeating Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y., 225-200. Nation struck in the third through sixth frames keeping the match close. Feldman, opening in the ninth frame, enabled Nation to clinch.

“I think this is the first time in my life that I’ve been speechless,” Nation said. “It’s an amazing feeling. I just came out and bowled, and everything fell my way. It seems like just yesterday I bowled Michelle at the (Women’s) U.S. Open. I knew I had to make great shots because she’s a great player.”

The PBA Tour travels this week to Hammond, Indiana for the Lake County Indiana Golden Anniversary Championship with the live finals airing on ESPN Sunday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. ET.

Men’s Finals results
Stepladder Game 11, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 7,5782, Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 7,544 $5,500Stepladder Game 21, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 7,7992, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 7,605, $6,500Finals1, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 8,055, $25,0002, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 7,803, $13,000

Women’s finals results
Finals1, Stefanie Nation, Miami, Fla, 5,304, $10,0002, Michelle Feldman, Auburn, N.Y., 5,408, $6,000

About the PBA
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) features the best bowlers in the world competing in National, Regional and Senior Tour events. The organization has more than 4,000 members spanning 13 countries, and nearly one million viewers tune-in to watch the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour every Sunday on ESPN throughout the season. PBA sponsors include Bayer, Brunswick, CLR, Denny's, Etonic, Flomax, GEICO, Go RVing, H&R Block, Lumber Liquidators, Motel 6, Pepsi-Cola and the USBC, among others.

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