Kulick maintains lead at U.S. Women's Open

EULESS, Texas - Defending champion Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., went 6-2 in the opening round of match play Tuesday night as she maintained her lead at the 2011 Bowling's U.S. Women's Open.

Kulick has a 40-game total of 9,812, including 30 bonus pins for each victory, to lead the final 16 bowlers in the field at AMF Euless Lanes. The top five players for Thursday's championship round will be determined in the final eight games of match play starting Wednesday morning.

"I didn't score as well as well on the fresh today as I did yesterday," Kulick said. "I'm trying to pull away from the field, but everyone is bowling well behind me. I think if I focus on repeating shots, I'll be in position to make the show tomorrow."

The Team USA member, who won the 2003 and 2010 U.S. Women's Open, turned it on down the stretch, closing with games of 249, 257, 228 and 232 to lead by 247 pins. Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., is second with 9,565.

Leanne Hulsenberg of Roseville, Calif., who was one of two bowlers to shoot 300 Tuesday night, is in third place with 9,551. Lynda Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, is fourth with 9,487, while Rachel Perez of Maumelle, Ark., is fifth with 9,440.

The finals of the U.S. Women's Open will take place at Cowboys Stadium and be broadcast on Saturday, July 2 at 6 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2. If a bowler throws a 300 game in the championship match, she will win $1 million. The champion will earn $50,000.

The 2011 U.S. Women's Open has already broken one record with 286 participants, which tops the previous record of 267 set in 2003. A total of 17 countries are represented in the field.

For more information Bowling's U.S. Women's Open, visit bowlingsuswomensopen.com. For complete coverage of the event, including stories and videos, visit BOWL.com.

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2011 BOWLING'S U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN
At AMF Euless Lanes, Euless, Texas
Tuesday's Results

MATCH PLAY
(40 games; Pos., name, hometown, match-play record, total)


1, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J.,  6-2-0, 9,812.
2, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 4-4-0, 9,565.
3, Leanne Hulsenberg, Roseville, Calif., 6-2-0, 9,551.
4, Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 5-3-0, 9,487.
5, Rachel Perez, Maumelle, Ark., 7-1-0, 9,440.
6, Shannon O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 3-5-0, 9,403.
7, Shannon Pluhowsky, Kettering, Ohio, 1-7-0, 9,335.
8, Tennelle Milligan, Arlington, Texas, 4-4-0, 9,260.
9, Lisanne Breeschoten, Netherlands, 4-4-0, 9,257.
10, Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 1-7-0, 9,226.
11, Kim Terrell-Kearney, Grand Prairie, Texas, 5-3-0, 9,215.
12, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 5-3-0, 9,157.
13, Stefanie Nation, Grand Prairie, Texas, 2-5-1, 9,150.
14, Helen Johnsson, Sweden, 4-3-1, 9,139.
15, Kristal Wilson, Lawrence, Kan., 3-5-0, 9,057.
16, Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 3-5-0, 9,035.

300 GAMES IN MATCH PLAY (2)  -
Leanne Hulsenberg; Shannon O'Keefe.


ROUND OF 32
(32 games)


1, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 7,777.
2, Shannon Pluhowsky, Kettering, Ohio, 7,624.
3, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 7,572.
4, Shannon O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 7,518.
5 (tie), Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 7,505.
7, Leanne Hulsenberg, Roseville, Calif., 7,462.
8, Stefanie Nation, Grand Prairie, Texas, 7,422.
9, Lisanne Breeschoten, Netherlands, 7,370.
10, Rachel Perez, Maumelle, Ark., 7,346.
11, Tennelle Milligan, Arlington, Texas, 7,302.
12, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 7,300.
13, Helen Johnsson, Sweden, 7,267.
14, Kristal Wilson, Lawrence, Kan., 7,264.
15, Kim Terrell-Kearney, Grand Prairie, Texas, 7,246.
16, Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 7,244.

DID NOT ADVANCE

17, Anita Manns, Houston, 7,230.
18, Nina Flack, Sweden, 7,183.
19, Jan Schmidt, Hales Corners, Wis., 7,180.
20 (tie), Missy Parkin, Lake Forest, Calif., and Tinickia Fleming, Greenville, S.C., 7,171.
22, Carol Gianotti, Australia, 7,147.
23, April Ellis, Arlington, Texas, 7,142.
24, Jacqui Reese, Bangor, Pa., 7,138.
25, Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 7,103.
26, Roxanne George, Waukesha, Wis., 7,095.
27, Sara Litteral, Eastpointe, Mich., 7,091.
28, Deanna Barnes, Hampstead, Md., 7,083.
29, Joline Persson-Planefors, Sweden, 7,037.
30, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas, 7,033.
31, Bryanna Caldwell, Tucson, Ariz., 7,010.
32, Emily Maier, Grapevine, Texas, 6,991.

300 GAMES IN ROUND OF 32 (1)  -
Mai Ginge Jensen.