Lead changes continue in Diamond, Sapphire at Women’s Championships
May 01, 2023
Pictured above (from left): Kristy Shephard and Danielle Miller
LAS VEGAS – The great scores at the 2023 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships seem to be rolling in after each squad, and three new leaders capped Sunday’s action at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Diamond Doubles, Diamond Singles and Sapphire All-Events.
Las Vegas’ Kristy Shephard and Danielle Miller of Warren, Michigan, shot to the top of the leaderboard in Diamond Doubles, posting a combined score of 1,384. The top score entering Sunday’s competition was a tie at 1,304 by Gemise Jackson of Chicago and Portia Henderson of Westland, Michigan, as well as Megan Jirsa of Middleton, Wisconsin, and Kristin Warzinski of Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Shephard rolled an impressive 730 series with games of 246, 264 and 220. Miller contributed 654 to effort, adding games of 208, 234 and 212.
“To actually be able to get to the first spot is pretty great,” Shephard said. “We came out to have fun and didn’t have expectations.”
Both Shephard and Miller are early in their careers at the USBC Women’s Championships, but they have started their run at the tournament with a bang.
“It would be a dream come true if we won,” Shephard said.
Diamond Doubles features bowlers with combined entering averages of 350 and above.
Cristi Dikeou
One pair over from Shephard and Miller, Cristi Dikeou of Fowlerville, Michigan, was making her own run toward the lead in Sapphire All-Events in her Women’s Championships debut.
“When I saw this year was in Las Vegas, I knew I had to go,” Dikeou said.
Going into her singles set at South Point, Dikeou already had bowled 557 in team and 582 in doubles, so she needed 453 to take the outright lead from Jill Dudney of Seguin, Texas, who had moved into the top spot earlier in the day with 1,591.
After games of 157 and 153, Dikeou shot 203 for a 513 series, giving her a nine-game total of 1,652.
“My favorite part of this whole trip has honestly been just being here with some new people,” Dikeou said. “Having the lead is pretty exciting, too.”
Sapphire All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 138-148.
Julie Vickers
To end the excitement Sunday night, Julie Vickers of Pittsburg, Kansas, put on a show, firing games of 239, 258 and 248 for a 745 series to take the Diamond Singles lead by 11 pins. Michelle Turner of Detroit had led with 734.
Vickers kept things simple after a disappointing set in doubles, where she had 489, and bounced back in amazing fashion with 30 clean frames and 25 strikes.
“I took a step right and straightened things up, and I’m very glad I did that,” Vickers said. “It feels pretty good to be at the top right now.”
Diamond Singles features bowlers with entering averages of 175 and above.
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.
LAS VEGAS – The great scores at the 2023 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships seem to be rolling in after each squad, and three new leaders capped Sunday’s action at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Diamond Doubles, Diamond Singles and Sapphire All-Events.
Las Vegas’ Kristy Shephard and Danielle Miller of Warren, Michigan, shot to the top of the leaderboard in Diamond Doubles, posting a combined score of 1,384. The top score entering Sunday’s competition was a tie at 1,304 by Gemise Jackson of Chicago and Portia Henderson of Westland, Michigan, as well as Megan Jirsa of Middleton, Wisconsin, and Kristin Warzinski of Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Shephard rolled an impressive 730 series with games of 246, 264 and 220. Miller contributed 654 to effort, adding games of 208, 234 and 212.
“To actually be able to get to the first spot is pretty great,” Shephard said. “We came out to have fun and didn’t have expectations.”
Both Shephard and Miller are early in their careers at the USBC Women’s Championships, but they have started their run at the tournament with a bang.
“It would be a dream come true if we won,” Shephard said.
Diamond Doubles features bowlers with combined entering averages of 350 and above.
Cristi Dikeou
One pair over from Shephard and Miller, Cristi Dikeou of Fowlerville, Michigan, was making her own run toward the lead in Sapphire All-Events in her Women’s Championships debut.
“When I saw this year was in Las Vegas, I knew I had to go,” Dikeou said.
Going into her singles set at South Point, Dikeou already had bowled 557 in team and 582 in doubles, so she needed 453 to take the outright lead from Jill Dudney of Seguin, Texas, who had moved into the top spot earlier in the day with 1,591.
After games of 157 and 153, Dikeou shot 203 for a 513 series, giving her a nine-game total of 1,652.
“My favorite part of this whole trip has honestly been just being here with some new people,” Dikeou said. “Having the lead is pretty exciting, too.”
Sapphire All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 138-148.
Julie Vickers
To end the excitement Sunday night, Julie Vickers of Pittsburg, Kansas, put on a show, firing games of 239, 258 and 248 for a 745 series to take the Diamond Singles lead by 11 pins. Michelle Turner of Detroit had led with 734.
Vickers kept things simple after a disappointing set in doubles, where she had 489, and bounced back in amazing fashion with 30 clean frames and 25 strikes.
“I took a step right and straightened things up, and I’m very glad I did that,” Vickers said. “It feels pretty good to be at the top right now.”
Diamond Singles features bowlers with entering averages of 175 and above.
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.