PLUHOWSKY AND KULICK
CLAIM DOUBLES GOLD AT
PABCON WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS

After a frustrating singles performance at the 2010 Pan American Bowling Confederation Women's Championships, Team USA's Shannon Pluhowsky was able to regroup and join singles bronze medalist Kelly Kulick in a record doubles effort recently. The accomplished left-hander shot 1,400 for her six games, while Kulick contributed 1,380 to claim the gold medal with a 2,780 total at Sunset Station Hotel and Casino's Strike Zone Bowling Center in suburban Las Vegas. The previous record was 2,621 by Guatemala's Zussie de Machon and Sofia Granda at the 2009 PABCON Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.> > Pluhowsky and Kulick led by more than 100 pins after three games and battled through a tricky transition and a few ball changes to increase the margin of victory to 215 pins over their teammates, Shannon O'Keefe and Tennelle Milligan, who grabbed the silver medal with a 2,565 total. Canada's Caroline Lagrange and Isabelle Rioux took home the bronze with 2,562. Team USA's Liz Johnson and Stefanie Nation finished seventh with 2,461.> > "I got off to a good start today, and the pairs seemed to play more evenly from pair to pair and lane to lane," said Pluhowsky, who finished 30th in singles with a 1,183 total Monday. "It was a different day and a different pattern, so I really couldn't dwell on what happened yesterday. Since we'll see the patterns again this week, all I can do is learn from each day and hope to get some more pins the next time. The more games you bowl, the more comfortable you get, and I'm happy with how today turned out."> > Kulick got off to a slow start with a 182 game Tuesday morning but averaged 239.6 for the remaining five games. Her performance also helped her into the all-events lead with 2,747 after 12 games. Team USA's Johnson is second with 2,678, while O'Keefe is third with 2,648.> > "It's taking me a little bit longer to read the lanes in practice, and I've been slow out of the gate," said Kulick, who claimed the sixth gold medal of her PABCON Women's Championships career. "Shannon bowled great today from the start, and having a partner who's bowling well helps get your swing a little bit looser. Today, it was a new pattern and a new outlook, and I'm pleased with how everything came together for us."> > The 2010 PABCON Women's Championships features 60 competitors from 13 countries competing for medals in six events - five-player team, trios, doubles, singles, all-events and Masters match play.> > The bowlers will return to the lanes for six games of trios Wednesday beginning at noon Eastern.> > The United States Bowling Congress will provide wire-to-wire live streaming coverage of the event on BOWL.com.> > For complete coverage of the PABCON Women's Championships, go to BOWL.com and search: PABCON.> > United States Bowling Congress> The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to more than two million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.> > The interactive home of USBC is BOWL.com. Go to twitter.com/USBC for the fastest USBC headlines.> > Bowl with US> > 2010 PABCON WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS> At Strike Zone Bowling Center (Sunset Station Hotel and Casino)> Henderson, Nev.> Tuesday's Results> > DOUBLES> (Top 5; six games)> > 1, Shannon Pluhowsky/Kelly Kulick, United States, 2,780. 2, Shannon O'Keefe/Tennelle Milligan, United States, 2,565. 3, Caroline Lagrange/Isabelle Rioux, Canada, 2,562. 4, Lilia Robles/Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 2,546. 5, Kerrie Ryan-Ciach/Robin Orlikowski, Canada, 2,533.> > ALL-EVENTS> (Top 5; 12 games)> > 1, Kelly Kulick, United States, 2,747. 2, Liz Johnson, United States, 2,678. 3, Shannon O'Keefe, United States, 2,648. 4, Felicia Wong, Canada, 2,604. 5, Shannon Pluhowsky, United States, 2,583.