Brandolino and Robarge Lead Day 2 of 2024 Team USA Trials
January 05, 2024
LAS VEGAS – Another day is complete at the 2024 Team USA Trials, which is being contested at Gold Coast Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
Gianna Brandolino of Channahon, Illinois, averaged over 225 for her six games on Thursday, allowing her to lead Day 2 on the women’s side and continue the good start that began with a sixth-place finish during the opening round on Wednesday.
The 2023 Junior Gold Championships U18 girls champion rolled games of 229, 255, 182, 257, 216 and 215 en route to securing first place in the 153-player women’s field on Thursday.
Brandolino already has a spot on Junior Team USA 2024 locked up based on her victory at Junior Gold in July; nevertheless, she wanted to compete at the 2024 Team USA Trials as a means of proving herself.
“I just want to go out there and show everyone who I am, and I’m very happy with these first two days,” Brandolino said. “Hopefully it keeps going that way the next three days.”
Brandolino credits her friend Landin Jordan, who also is competing at this year’s Team USA Trials, with helping her stay ahead of the transition by being a second pair of eyes while she is bowling.
“Landin (Jordan) has been a huge help,” Brandolino said. “I don’t think I would have come close to bowling as well as I have so far without him.”
Brianna Andrew of Grand Rapids, Michigan, who had a rare triplicate of 244s during games three, four and five, finished just behind Brandolino during Thursday’s second round, coming in with a final score of 1,347.
Crystal Elliott of Palm Bay, Florida, finished third at 1,324 while Professional Women’s Bowling Association 2023 Rookie of the Year Hope Gramly of Aubry, Texas, was fourth with 1,315. Kayla Verstraete of Loves Park, Illinois, rounded out Thursday’s top five women’s finishers with 1,301.
Day 1 leader Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, finished Round 2 at 1,260, which put her in 12th place for the day.
Saralyne Nassberg of Lodi, California, had the day’s highest game of the day among all competitors, men and women, as she started Thursday afternoon’s set with 11 strikes in a row to record a score of 296.
Brandolino leads the women’s field in both the Team USA Trials and U.S Amateur with six ranking points after two days of competition. Defending Team USA Trials women’s champion Breanna Clemmer of Lebanon, Illinois, is 21st overall.
Before Brandolino and company took to the lanes Thursday afternoon, a field of 174 men had their chance to make a splash during their own six-game block of Round 2 action.
Spencer Robarge of Springfield, Missouri, who has yet to have a game under 200 through two days and 12 games of bowling, placed his name atop the men’s leaderboard on Day 2.
Robarge had games of 227, 211, 257, 258, 245 and 233 to finish at 1,431 on the day, which was good for better than a 238 average.
That mark allowed Robarge to finish Thursday’s action 82 pins ahead of Team USA’s Andrew Anderson of Holly, Michigan, who ended the day in second place in the men’s standings with 1,349.
Robarge didn’t necessarily feel like the breaks were on his side during the early portion of Round 2, but he stayed patient until things opened up and the pins began cooperating during the latter stages of the block.
“The pins were a little more kind to me today after the first game,” Robarge said. “I had so many nine counts during that game, so to see them fall more after that was really good. During games three and four, I had all the hook to the left and all the hold to the right and took advantage of that.”
Compared to Day 1, Robarge didn’t change up his strategies, instead trusting the process that led him to four-straight appearances on Junior Team USA from 2020-2023. That trust paid off on Thursday, and that has Robarge in position to make a strong case for the adult team since he is no longer eligible for Junior Team USA.
Still, Robarge isn’t looking that far ahead; instead, he’s just going to stick with the game plan during the next three days of competition.
“My goal is to keep getting as many pins as I can, make my spares and keep the process the same,” Robarge said.
Rounding out the men’s top five during Round 2 were Alexander Glinski of Greensboro, North Carolina (1,345), Brandon Bohn of Jackson, New Jersey (1,345) and 2022 Team USA Trials winner Darren Tang of Las Vegas (1,344).
Day 1 men’s leader DeeRonn Booker of Albuquerque, New Mexico, finished Round 2 with a score of 1,284, which was good for 21st place on the day.
The highest men’s game recorded on Thursday was shot by current Team USA member Brandon Bonta of Wichita, Kansas, who fired a 289 during the first game of the day.
After two days of competition in the men’s division, Robarge is in seventh in the Team USA Trials portion of the tournament and fourth in the U.S. Amateur standings with 27 ranking points. Tang leads Team USA Trials with 11 points while Connor Breaman of Greer, South Carolina, leads the U.S. Amateur pack with 18 points.
The men will return to Gold Coast Bowling Center at 11 a.m. Eastern Friday morning for their third round of with the ladies getting their chance to bowl Round 3 at 6 p.m. Eastern.
For complete Day 2 standings, CLICK HERE
Gianna Brandolino of Channahon, Illinois, averaged over 225 for her six games on Thursday, allowing her to lead Day 2 on the women’s side and continue the good start that began with a sixth-place finish during the opening round on Wednesday.
The 2023 Junior Gold Championships U18 girls champion rolled games of 229, 255, 182, 257, 216 and 215 en route to securing first place in the 153-player women’s field on Thursday.
Brandolino already has a spot on Junior Team USA 2024 locked up based on her victory at Junior Gold in July; nevertheless, she wanted to compete at the 2024 Team USA Trials as a means of proving herself.
“I just want to go out there and show everyone who I am, and I’m very happy with these first two days,” Brandolino said. “Hopefully it keeps going that way the next three days.”
Brandolino credits her friend Landin Jordan, who also is competing at this year’s Team USA Trials, with helping her stay ahead of the transition by being a second pair of eyes while she is bowling.
“Landin (Jordan) has been a huge help,” Brandolino said. “I don’t think I would have come close to bowling as well as I have so far without him.”
Brianna Andrew of Grand Rapids, Michigan, who had a rare triplicate of 244s during games three, four and five, finished just behind Brandolino during Thursday’s second round, coming in with a final score of 1,347.
Crystal Elliott of Palm Bay, Florida, finished third at 1,324 while Professional Women’s Bowling Association 2023 Rookie of the Year Hope Gramly of Aubry, Texas, was fourth with 1,315. Kayla Verstraete of Loves Park, Illinois, rounded out Thursday’s top five women’s finishers with 1,301.
Day 1 leader Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, finished Round 2 at 1,260, which put her in 12th place for the day.
Saralyne Nassberg of Lodi, California, had the day’s highest game of the day among all competitors, men and women, as she started Thursday afternoon’s set with 11 strikes in a row to record a score of 296.
Brandolino leads the women’s field in both the Team USA Trials and U.S Amateur with six ranking points after two days of competition. Defending Team USA Trials women’s champion Breanna Clemmer of Lebanon, Illinois, is 21st overall.
Before Brandolino and company took to the lanes Thursday afternoon, a field of 174 men had their chance to make a splash during their own six-game block of Round 2 action.
Spencer Robarge of Springfield, Missouri, who has yet to have a game under 200 through two days and 12 games of bowling, placed his name atop the men’s leaderboard on Day 2.
Robarge had games of 227, 211, 257, 258, 245 and 233 to finish at 1,431 on the day, which was good for better than a 238 average.
That mark allowed Robarge to finish Thursday’s action 82 pins ahead of Team USA’s Andrew Anderson of Holly, Michigan, who ended the day in second place in the men’s standings with 1,349.
Robarge didn’t necessarily feel like the breaks were on his side during the early portion of Round 2, but he stayed patient until things opened up and the pins began cooperating during the latter stages of the block.
“The pins were a little more kind to me today after the first game,” Robarge said. “I had so many nine counts during that game, so to see them fall more after that was really good. During games three and four, I had all the hook to the left and all the hold to the right and took advantage of that.”
Compared to Day 1, Robarge didn’t change up his strategies, instead trusting the process that led him to four-straight appearances on Junior Team USA from 2020-2023. That trust paid off on Thursday, and that has Robarge in position to make a strong case for the adult team since he is no longer eligible for Junior Team USA.
Still, Robarge isn’t looking that far ahead; instead, he’s just going to stick with the game plan during the next three days of competition.
“My goal is to keep getting as many pins as I can, make my spares and keep the process the same,” Robarge said.
Rounding out the men’s top five during Round 2 were Alexander Glinski of Greensboro, North Carolina (1,345), Brandon Bohn of Jackson, New Jersey (1,345) and 2022 Team USA Trials winner Darren Tang of Las Vegas (1,344).
Day 1 men’s leader DeeRonn Booker of Albuquerque, New Mexico, finished Round 2 with a score of 1,284, which was good for 21st place on the day.
The highest men’s game recorded on Thursday was shot by current Team USA member Brandon Bonta of Wichita, Kansas, who fired a 289 during the first game of the day.
After two days of competition in the men’s division, Robarge is in seventh in the Team USA Trials portion of the tournament and fourth in the U.S. Amateur standings with 27 ranking points. Tang leads Team USA Trials with 11 points while Connor Breaman of Greer, South Carolina, leads the U.S. Amateur pack with 18 points.
The men will return to Gold Coast Bowling Center at 11 a.m. Eastern Friday morning for their third round of with the ladies getting their chance to bowl Round 3 at 6 p.m. Eastern.
For complete Day 2 standings, CLICK HERE