Michigan bowler leads two events at 2019 USBC Women's Championships

By Christian Seaborn
USBC Communications

WICHITA, Kan.
- Elizabeth McGarey of Warren, Michigan, rolled a big final game during her 2019 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships appearance to take the lead in Amethyst Singles and All-Events on Saturday.

McGarey finished her singles set at Northrock Lanes with 222 to sneak into the top spot of each event with scores of 565 and 1,526, respectively.

She started singles competition with games of 197 and 146 before delivering in her final game and added sets of 485 in team and 476 in doubles on her way to the all-events lead.

Julie Holloway of Reeseville, Wisconsin, previously led Amethyst Singles with 559, and Nicole Sparks of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, led Amethyst All-Events with 1,506.

McGarey admitted to being surprised by the news of her performance helping her to the top of the leaderboard.

"Me? Take the lead? Normally, I choke at the end," McGarey said. "I thought I was just getting awarded a pin."

Bowling often is seen as a great way to spend quality time with the family, and McGarey is grateful from the support she has received from hers over the years.

"I owe this in big part to both my husband, Elwood, and my late mother-in-law, Ileana," said McGarey, who made her 17th USBC Women's Championships appearance. "Ileana was the one who first got me into bowling at the state and national level. She was a 25-year participant at the Women's Championships. My husband, who's an accomplished bowler in his own right, is the one who coaches me onward."

Heading into this year's event, McGarey shared a common goal of many bowlers in consistently hitting her average. She was able to accomplish that goal, even while fighting an injury, and now finds herself less than a month away from claiming a pair of titles at the event.

The 2019 Women's Championships kicked off April 20 and will run until June 30.

"It's just amazing," McGarey said. "Coming into Nationals, all I wanted to do was hit my average. Anything else would be a plus. Due to a recent arm injury, I've been going back and forth between 12- and 14-pound bowling balls. This year, I used the 12-pound ball."

Amethyst Singles and All-Events features bowlers with entering averages of 130-144.

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