California bowlers take Ruby Team lead at 2023 USBC Women’s Championships

Pictured above (from left): Cyndee Sutherland, Beth Sanders, Sue Rupe and Elizabeth Dawson

LAS VEGAS – The scoring pace has not slowed down in Las Vegas at the 2023 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships, with the Ruby Division having a new leader in the team event.

Head of Hair of San Jose, California, rolled a three-game set of 2,251 at the South Point Bowling Plaza to jump into first, besting the previous leader – Them Three and Me of Enoch, Utah – by 38 pins (2,213).

Team captain Cyndee Sutherland thought they were close going into Game 3, but she had no idea that they had become the new leaders, stating, “We’re so excited.”

Sutherland led the way with a 617 series and was joined by Beth Sanders (531 series), Sue Rupe (541) and Elizabeth Dawson (562).

After the first two team games of 739 and 715, the team got locked in for Game 3, staying clean through the first five frames. Dawson led the charge for Head of Hair, rolling seven strikes in the game to end with 236. The team knocked down 797 pins in Game 3 to take the lead.

“There was a little frustration after our first two games, but that’s why it’s a team event,” said Sutherland, who made her 21st appearance at the USBC Women’s Championships. “We held each other up on our lower games, and then Elizabeth had a great last game to help us take the lead.”

Their focus on staying close as a team paid off, and now they’ll wait to see if their spot at the top holds for the last several weeks of the 2023 tournament.

Ruby Team features four-player groups with combined entering averages of 600-664.

The 2023 Women’s Championships started April 23 and will conclude July 2. The event will run for 71 consecutive days at the South Point Bowling Plaza and feature more than 4,200 four-player teams and nearly 17,000 bowlers.

Follow updates and more from the official USBC Women’s Championships Facebook page.