July 15, 2011
HENDERSON, NV—For the second consecutive year, Vanderbilt’s Jessica Earnest has qualified for the final match play round at the Junior Gold Championship.
The Commodore All-American was in fourth place after Thursday’s grueling 16 games were added to the event’s prior 18 games. She is 109 pins behind pace-setting Holly Harris and well within striking distance heading into Friday’s equaling testing round-robin match play between the 16 finalists.
Incoming freshman Nicole Mosesso had survived Wednesday’s cut from 578 to 72 but was a victim of this time. The Centerville, Ohio star was 49th, still an impressive outing in this elite field where for the most part, the most veteran women tend to see the most success. The top four placers at this point are collegians, for example.
The final day is nothing new for Earnest, who a year ago ended up 14th. This time she is much better positioned to contend for the title on a long day in which bowler’s receive 20 bonus pins for each match play win they achieve.
In addition to national titles, the Junior Gold Championships awards spots on Junior Team USA. The top four male and top four female finishers after match-play competition will automatically qualify for Junior Team USA 2012, and the National Selection Committee will award four at-large spots – two male, two female – from the pool of athletes that make match-play finals.
Complete results can be found on bowl.com.
SEMIFINALS(30 games; Top 16)at Sunset Station’s Strike Zone
1, Holly Harris, Long Prairie, Minn., 6,2802, Natalie Jimenez, Rowland Heights, Calif., 6,2603, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 6,1844, Jessica Earnest, Vandalia, Ill., 6,1715, Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 6,1446, Melanie Hannon, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 6,0807, Olivia Wirtz, Battle Creek, Mich., 6,0698, Amanda Greene, Romney, W.Va., 6,0649, Emily Lynn Huddleston, Omaha, Neb., 6,06110, Brandy Hensley, Corpus Christi, Texas, 6,01011, Kelsey Muther, Topeka, Kan., 5,99512, Andreya Teuber, Swartz Creek, Mich., 5,98813, Nicole Trudell, Coventry, R.I., 5,97814, Kaitlin Quinn, Livonia, N.Y., 5,97215, Addileen Pointer, Highland, Mich., 5,95816, Amanda LaBossiere, Buzzards Bay, Mass., 5,954