USA takes Masters bronze at PABCON

BarnesUSA2012Inside GUADALAJARA, Mexico - Team USA earned two bronze medals Friday in the match-play Masters, the final event of the 2011 Pan American Bowling Confederation Men's Championships.

Bill O'Neill and Chris Barnes both lost in the best-of-three games semifinals at Bolerama Tapatio. Mexico's Alejandro Cruz took down O'Neill, 2-0, while Barnes lost 2-0 to eventual gold medalist Dan MacLelland of Canada.

"We had a good run this week, and it's hard to be too disappointed," said O'Neill, who won the all-events gold medal. "This format is a total crapshoot and for us to get a couple medals is OK. We're always disappointed when we don't win, but we brought home the gold in the important events."

Cruz, who earned Mexico its first medal of the Championships, struck out in the first game to beat O'Neill, 225-223, and then rolled to a 268-227 win for the sweep.

"I always like bowling against the crowd favorite," O'Neill said. "It's fun when you win that match as an underdog, but unfortunately I wasn't able to come out on top this time."

In the other semifinal, MacLelland, who earned the all-events silver medal, took the opening game, 257-223, and then claimed the second game, 255-212.

All six Team USA members were among the 16 players who advanced to the Masters competition based on their finish in the all-events standings. Wes Malott and Mike Fagan lost in the quarterfinals, while Patrick Allen and Walter Ray Williams Jr. were knocked out in the first round.

In the gold-medal match, MacLelland swept Cruz, 2-0, to win the title. The Canadian, who competes on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour, won 269-203 and 224-175.

The two bronze medals in the Masters competition finished off a week where Team USA won gold medals in four of the six events. The Americans finished first in five-player team, trios, doubles and all-events, while also taking the silver medal in trios and a bronze medal in singles.

For more complete coverage of the PABCON Men's Championships, including photos, videos, stories and results, visit BOWL.com.

MASTERS
(Best two-of-three matches)

ROUND OF 16
(1) Bill O'Neill, United States def. (16) George Lambert, Canada, 2-1 (217-222, 259-181, 225-223)

(9) Wes Malott, United States def. (8) Francisco Colon, Puerto Rico, 2-0 (226-222, 249-193)

(12) Alejandro Cruz, Mexico def. (5) Michael Schmidt, Canada, 2-0 (211-171, 218-208)

(13) Andro Simounet, Puerto Rico def. (4) Patrick Allen, United States, 2-1 (257-228, 178-236, 222-203)

(2) Dan MacLelland, Canada def. (15) Israel Hernandez, Puerto Rico, 2-0 (187-172, 233-211)

(7) Mike Fagan, United States def. (10) Alejandro Reyna, Costa Rica, 2-0 (248-236, 278-183)

(11) Chris Barnes, United States def. (6) Walter Ray Williams Jr., United States, 2-0 (247-207, 237-227)

(3) Manuel Otalora, Colombia def. (14) Mark Buffa, Canada, 2-1 (286-211, 215-249, 266-209)


QUARTERFINALS
O'Neill def. Malott, 2-0 (216-158, 230-195)

Cruz def. Simounet, 2-0 (232-181, 279-244)

MacLelland def. Fagan, 2-1 (236-213, 222-227, 257-205)

Barnes def. Otalora, 2-1 (268-270, 256-189, 266-259)


SEMIFINALS
Cruz def. O'Neill, 2-0 (225-223, 268-227)

MacLelland def. Barnes, 2-0 (257-223, 255-212)


CHAMPIONSHIP

MacLelland def. Cruz, 2-0 (269-203, 224-175)