Qualifying
Stepladder
Final Results

PITTSBURGH – The third time was the charm for Kerry Smith as she won all three of her matches in the stepladder finals to take home the title in the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Greater Pittsburgh Regional at Nesbit’s Lanes on Saturday.

Smith, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, had finished second at PWBA regional events earlier this year in Spokane, Wahington, and Aberdeen, North Carolina. This time, Smith struck nine times in the title match on a challenging lane condition to defeat tournament leader Summer Jasmin of Beckley, West Virginia, 255-226.

“Just getting myself to the title match in three events has been awesome,” said Smith. “But winning this one helps my confidence for when I go back out on the national tour next month. The girls that bowled this event are all amazing and talented, so to get over the hump and win is a great feeling.”

The win, which netted Smith $1,700, was the second on the PWBA regional circuit for the 38-year-old right-hander after earning the title in last year’s Twin Cities Regional in Eagan, Minnesota.

Perhaps just as importantly, the victory secures Smith a spot in the season-ending PWBA Regional Showdown, which will be held at Aloma Bowl in Winter Park, Florida, from Dec. 7-9.

Smith and the other regional champions from 2023 will automatically be seeded for match play at the Regional Showdown. The remaining spots in the 16-person field will be awarded based on the results of an eight-game qualifying round that will be open to all PWBA Regional-eligible bowlers.

The top 16 players will compete in round-robin match play before the field is cut to the final four bowlers for the stepladder finals.

Every player who qualifies for match play will cash at the Regional Showdown. If the number of entries is high enough, additional cash spots outside the top 16 will be paid at a ratio of 1:3 as is done for PWBA National Tour prize funds. 

The winner of the 2023 Regional Showdown will not only receive a cash prize, but she will also have her entry fees covered for all 2024 PWBA National Tour singles events as well.

“It’s amazing to be qualified for that event,” Smith said. “I don’t think people realize how expensive it is to travel and bowl on the national tour. For me, I save my money all year long and that’s what I use my vacation for at work because this is what I love to do. So, to be able to have a chance to win that event and have all my entry fees paid for next year, that’s a tremendous opportunity.”

The title match marked consecutive PWBA regional events in which Smith and Jasmin faced each other in the stepladder finals. At the PWBA Pinehurst Regional in Aberdeen, North Carolina, Smith defeated Jasmin in the semifinal match, 224-206.

The rematch in Pittsburgh featured contrasting styles as Smith, playing an outside line and throwing it straight, started with three consecutive strikes, then converted the 10 pin for a spare in the fourth frame.

Jasmin, a 35-year-old right-hander, was playing a deeper, inside line and hooking the ball. She started with a single-pin spare conversion, then doubled, before also converting the 10 pin for a spare in her fourth frame to trail by 10 pins.

Jasmin struck in frames five through seven, but Smith was one better, striking in frames five through eight. Jasmin converted single-pin spares in frames eight, nine and 10 and, after a single-pin spare conversion of her own in the ninth frame, Smith sealed the win by striking on her first shot in the 10th frame.

“I think I might’ve had an advantage playing where I was because nobody was really out there with me,” Smith said. “But I think that is what’s great about the regional patterns, they’re playable from any angle. I’m a straighter player who is more speed dominant, so if I can go straight, that’s what I’m going to do, and I was able to do that today.”

The four players to qualify for the stepladder finals were the only ones to average 200 or better for the eight games of qualifying that led up to the finals. Jasmin qualified first with an eight-game total of 1,708 (213.5 average). Karsyn Lukosius of Jackson, New Jersey, was the No. 2 seed (1,703; 212.8). Smith was the No. 3 seed (1,681; 210.1) and Sandra Toole of Galesburg, Michigan, grabbed the last spot in the stepladder (1,604; 200.5).

Smith started her run to the title by taking care of Toole, 231-163. She kept the momentum going with a 235-190 win over Lukosius in the semifinal match.

Toole, who was making her first stepladder finals appearance in a PWBA event, collected $550 for fourth and Lukosius, who was the lone non-PWBA member to make the stepladder finals, earned $700 for third. Jasmin took home $850 for her second-place finish.

The next PWBA Regional event will be Aug, 27 at the PWBA Rockford Regional. The tournament will be held at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford, Illinois.

For more information on the PWBA Regional competition, visit PWBA.com/Regionals.