Semifinalists determined at 2014 XBowling ISC

RENO, Nev. - Wichita State's Heather Melvin may have not had the best start at the XBowling Intercollegiate Singles Championships, but she got lined up during match play and helped lead the top four women and top four men into the semifinals Monday.

2014ISC_465x262Melvin will be joined in the semifinals by teammate Tannya Roumimper, Nebraska's Elise Bolton and Webber International's Diana Zavjalova. The men's semifinal will feature Notre Dame-Ohio's Chris Via, Midland's Perry Crowell, Wichita State's Francois Lavoie and Webber International's Gabriel Garcia-Rinelli.

The semifinals will take place at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on Friday, and will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network in May. The women's show is scheduled to air May 6 at 8 p.m. ET, while the men's show is set for May 13 at 8 p.m. ET.

Melvin struggled through qualifying, averaging 176 for her eight games, but worked with her coach on creating a better look in match play and averaged more than 230 for her three matches. In a dramatic finish to make the semifinals, Melvin held off Fairleigh Dickinson's Danielle McEwan, 736-724.

"During qualifying I struggled with having any room," said Melvin, who is in her junior year. "My coach gave me some ideas to create some hold for me, and I had more confidence in myself in match play. This means a lot, especially since I've had a pretty good season. I hope to finish it off strong, and hope the team can finish it off as well."

In the other quarterfinals, Roumimper defeated teammate Kelsey Muther, 679-656, Bolton held off Lindenwood's Samantha Johnson, 603-583, and Zavjalova needed a strike on her fill ball in the final game to edge by Wichita State's Alexis Ijams, 627-626.

On the men's side, Via dominated from the beginning as he led qualifying by more than 140 pins. He continued strong into match play, defeating Wichita State's Devin Bidwell, 709-654, and eliminating Viterbo's Thomas York, 667-554 in the quarterfinals.

"I found something in practice and stuck with it," said Via, a senior who averaged more than 227 on Monday. "I had a pretty good look and created some room. When I got into match play, I knew that if I kept bowling like I did during qualifying, I'd be fine. It'd be nice to bring the title back to Notre Dame, especially after the heartbreaking sectional with the team not making it."

In the other men's quarterfinals, Crowell defeated Lawrence Tech's Brian Busch, 719-702, Lavoie cruised over Western New England's Ryan Graywacz, 733-599, and Garcia-Rinelli eliminated Notre Dame-Ohio's Kevin Donovan, 735-654.

The RSCC now will welcome the top men's and women's collegiate teams as the XBowling Intercollegiate Team Championships starts up Wednesday. All qualifying and match play rounds leading up to the TV finals will be broadcast live on BowlTV.

XBowling is the title sponsor of the collegiate national championships. XBowling is a first-of-its-kind bowling app that empowers bowlers to connect and compete using their smart phone or tablet devices while bowling within XBowling enabled centers locally, across the country and around the world. The XBowling platform allows bowlers to enter challenges, view live scoring, and compete remotely while bowling.

2014 XBOWLING INTERCOLLEGIATE SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Reno-Sparks Convention Center, Reno, Nev.
Monday's results

MATCH PLAY

Single elimination; three-game matches decided by total pinfall

MEN

ROUND 1

Devin Bidwell, Wichita State def. Domenick Luongo, St. John's, 657-596
Thomas York II, Viterbo def. Joshua Camacho, Webber International, 585-584
Ryan McCoy, Calumet def. Andro Simounet, Webber International, 642-607
Perry Crowell IV, Midland def. Dakota Daniels, Calumet, 693-608
Zackary Carrie, Marian def. James Tucker III, Urbana, 646-582
Ryan Graywacz, Western New England def. Jared Erickson, Midland, 641-520
Tyler Heintzelman, Clarke def. D.J. Rose, Concordia, 652-514
Gabriel Garcia-Rinelli, Webber International def. Zachary Rhoades, Wichita State, 659-633

ROUND 2
Chris Via, Notre Dame-Ohio def. Bidwell, 709-654
York def. Darren Tang, San Jose State, 617-563
Brian Busch, Lawrence Tech def. McCoy, 676-559
Crowell def. Nathan Maciejewski, Grand View, 672-603
Francois Lavoie, Wichita State def. Carrie, 679-519
Graywacz def. Mitch Katic, Calumet, 685-536
Kevin Donovan, Notre Dame-Ohio def. Heintzelman, 746-630
Garcia-Rinelli def. Nicholas Stone, Toledo, 672-545

QUARTERFINALS
Via def. York, 667-554
Crowell def. Busch, 719-702
Lavoie def. Graywacz, 733-599
Garcia-Rinelli def. Donovan, 735-654

SEMIFINALS
(Matches take place Friday at 9:45 a.m. Pacific; winners meet for the title)

Via vs. Crowell
Lavoie vs. Garcia-Rinelli


WOMEN

ROUND 1

Heather Melvin, Wichita State def. Tatiana Munoz, Maryland Eastern Shore, 601-547
Makayla Douglas, Lindenwood def. Jaymi Watson, Wisconsin-Whitewater, 613-553
Samantha Johnson, Lindenwood def. Amanda Van Duyn, Wisconsin-Whitewater, 622-499
Alexis Ijams, Wichita State def. Katherine Kleinmaier, Wisconsin-Whitewater, 627-620

ROUND 2
Melvin def. Mariana Alvarado, Maryland Eastern Shore, 734-646
Tannya Roumimper, Wichita State def. Douglas, 668-598
Johnson def. Jackie Carbonetto, Robert Morris-Ill., 648-605
Ijams def. Chelsey Stephens, Campbellsville, 613-580

QUARTERFINALS
Melvin def. Danielle McEwan, Fairleigh Dickinson, 736-724
Roumimper def. Kelsey Muther, Wichita State, 679-656
Elise Bolton, Nebraska def. Johnson, 603-583
Diana Zavjalova, Webber International def. Ijams, 627-626

SEMIFINALS
(Matches take place Friday at 3 p.m. Pacific; winners meet for the title)

Melvin vs. Roumimper
Bolton vs. Zavjalova