Nebraska team takes Emerald lead at 2019 USBC Women's Championships

By Ethan Resh
USBC Communications

WICHITA, Kan.
- Consistency was the name of the game for the members of Elaine Behrendt Team 1 of Ravenna, Nebraska, as they took over the lead in Emerald Team on Friday at the 2019 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.

The team rolled games of 676, 675 and 676 for a 2,027 total at Northrock Lanes to move to the top of the leaderboard. For 7 of Bozeman, Montana, previously led with 1,998.

Lynn Bedke led the way with a 555 series, and she was joined by Laurie Johnson (515), Lisa Paitz (482) and Elaine Behrendt (475).

The team has been bowling together locally for around 10 years but recently have started bowling with the nation's best at the USBC Women's Championships.

"We have never taken the lead before," said Bedke, who made her fourth tournament appearance. "So, this feels pretty great!"

The first game was led by Paitz's 190, which was 43 pins over her entering average. By keeping the momentum going into the second game, the team needed 648 in its final game to take the outright lead and cruised to the top spot, led by Bedke's 211 game.

The teammates were proud of how they worked together Friday at Northrock Lanes.

"It was a total team effort," said Johnson, who made her fourth Women's Championships appearance. "Our lowest two averages had the highest two games in our first game. That's what makes a team."

The members of Elaine Behrendt Team 1 will return to the 48-lane venue Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Eastern for their doubles and singles competition.

Emerald Team consists of bowlers with combined entering averages of 575-649.

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