VIDEO FEATURE: Young guns firing early

RENO, Nev. - Two months ago Erin McCarthy of Omaha, Neb., was leading Midland to the United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships finals on her way to be named the tournament's most valuable player. On Friday, her success on the big stage continued as she took the opening-round lead of the 2012 Bowling's U.S. Women's Open.

McCarthy averaged more than 250 for the opening block with a six-game total of 1,501 at the National Bowling Stadium. Jodi Woessner of Oregon, Ohio, is second with 1,445.

After a disappointing showing in her first U.S. Women's Open appearance last year in Euless, Texas, McCarthy came out of the gates strong in hopes of redeeming her 2011 performance. She credited her success to making each frame as important as the next.

"I wasn't very happy with my performance at all last year," McCarthy said. "I didn't bowl very well and missed a lot of spares. I came back this year in hopes to redeem myself. I just took it one shot at a time today. If I made a bad shot or got a lucky break, I just erased it from my memory and started a new frame. Every game was a new game like every day is a new day."

Although Midland fell to Webber International in the finals of the ITC, McCarthy used the momentum of that performance to help her prepare for the event. She hopes to take advantage of her strong set as qualifying continues Saturday.

"It gave me something to build on," McCarthy said. "I'm going to come in tomorrow and not think about what I did today. I'm just going to start fresh again and keep trying to make good shots."

Brenda Padilla of Mansfield, Texas, sits in third place with 1,435. Two-time U.S. Women's Open champion Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., and Brinda Burks of Bossier City, La., are tied for fourth with 1,431.

All 202 bowlers in the U.S. Women's Open field will return for six additional qualifying games Saturday with the final six-game block Sunday. After 18 games of qualifying, the field will be cut to the top 50 for six additional games to determine the final 16 for round-robin match play.

The five players who remain at the top of the standings after 40 total games will advance to Wednesday's television finals, which will be broadcast July 3 at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.

SANDELIN LEADS SENIOR U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

The Senior U.S. Women's Open saw USBC Hall of Famer Lucy Sandelin of Tampa, Fla., grab the early lead with 1,364 (227.3 average).

Sandelin already has a major title under her belt, as she claimed the 2007 USBC Senior Queens title. More than 60 of the top female bowlers over the age of 50 are competing for the first running of the event.

Pamela Pancoast of Lomita, Calif., sits in second place with 1,316, while Sharon Powers of Denver is third with 1,315.

All 61 Senior U.S. Women's Open competitors will bowl 18 games of qualifying before the cut is made to the top 15 for six additional games. The top eight players will take part in round-robin match play to determine the finalists for the stepladder finals.

For complete results of both events, go to BowlingsUSWomensOpen.com.

2012 U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN
At National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev.
Friday's results

QUALIFYING - ROUND 1
(Six games; Top 50)

1, Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., 1,501.
2, Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 1,445.
3, Brenda Padilla, Mansfield, Texas, 1,435.
4, Brinda Burks, Bossier City, La., 1,431.
4, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,431.
6, Kimberly Yioulos, Rochester, N.Y., 1,426.
7, Kayla Stram, Grand Rapids, Minn., 1,422.
8, Missy Parkin, Lake Forest, Calif., 1,419.
9, Yuka Tsuchiya, Japan, 1,415.
10, Joyce Biondo, Carpentersville, Ill., 1,406.
11, Stefanie Nation, Grand Prairie, Texas, 1,399.
12, Kayla Bandy, Pikeville, Ky., 1,398.
12, Michelle Sterner, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 1,398.
14, Joely Carrillo, Clifton, N.J., 1,387.
15, Ashly Galante, Lake Wales, Fla., 1,386.
16, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 1,384.
17, Clara Guerrero, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,382.
18, Lindsay Baker, Brigham City, Utah, 1,376.
19, Jennifer Higgins, Westerville, Ohio, 1,375.
20, Lynda, Barnes Double Oak, Texas, 1,371.
21, Roxanne George, Waukesha, Wis., 1,356.
22, Angela Chirpich, Urbandale, Iowa, 1,353.
23, Jennifer Martin, Antioch, Calif., 1,352.
24, Shannon Sellens, Kansas City, Mo., 1,347.
25, Rachel Perez, Maumelle, Ark., 1,344.
26, Rocio Restrepo, Canton, Ohio, 1,339.
27, Brandi Branka, Momence, Ill., 1,336.
28, Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, Okla., 1,334.
28, Tennelle Milligan, Arlington, Texas, 1,334.
30, Cathy Dorin-Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 1,333.
31, Kristina Frahm, Salisbury, Md., 1,332.
32, Olivia Sandham, Wichita, Kan., 1,327.
33, Leanne Hulsenberg, Roseville, Calif., 1,323.
34, Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 1,320.
35, Terysa Wojnar, Chicago, Ill., 1,317.
36, Samantha How, Oregon City, Ore., 1,316.
36, Cassandra Leuthold, Black Hawk, S.D., 1,316.
38, Kristin Warzinski, Fort Worth, Texas, 1,315.
39, Kayla Johnson, Washington, Ill., 1,314.
39, Masae Nakajima, Japan, 1,314.
41, Yuki Ichihara, Japan, 1,312.
42, April Ellis, Wichita, Kan., 1,304.
42, Kristie Leong, Daly City, Calif., 1,304.
44, Shannon O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 1,302.
45, Brittni Hamilton, Webster, N.Y., 1,300.
46, Carol Gianotti, Australia, 1,291.
47, Yuko Nakatani, Japan, 1,289.
48, Adrienne Miller, Albuquerque, N.M., 1,288.
49, Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 1,286.
49, Anita Manns, Houston, Texas, 1,286.

2012 SENIOR U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN
At National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev.
Friday's results

QUALIFYING - ROUND 1
(Six games; Top 15)

1, Lucy Sandelin, Tampa, Fla., 1,364.
2, Pamela Pancoast, Lomita, Calif., 1,316.
3, Sharon Powers, Denver, Colo., 1,315.
4, Jeanne Naccarato, Tacoma, Wash., 1,278.
5, Tracey Kincaid, Cookeville, Tenn., 1,274.
6, Robin Romeo, Newhall, Calif., 1,270.
7, Paula Vidad, Sun City, Calif., 1,256.
8, Lisa Wasson, Plano, Texas, 1,253.
9, Linda Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 1,250.
10, Mandy Wilson, Dayton, Ohio, 1,246.
11, Barbara Batt, Jacksonville, Fla., 1,230.
12, Carole Jones, Englewood, Colo., 1,214.
13, Kristine Whitcher, Belfair, Wash., 1,208.
14, Shelley Nell, Silverdale, Wash., 1,196.
15, Judy Vogel, Slidell, La., 1,193.