Tegucigalpa, Honduras ? Nebraska bowler Shannon Pluhowsky turned in her strongest performance to date at the 2003 AMF Bowling World Cup on Tuesday, making a rapid leap into second place after the third day of qualifying at the Planeta Sipango Bowling Center in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Pluhowsky, a junior at the University of Nebraska, put herself into contention for her second straight Bowling World Cup title, slicing a 47-pin deficit to just one pin after Tuesday's competition. Pluhowsky totaled 1,161 pins (232.2 average) during the five games, and trails Marie Ramirez of Costa Rica by one pin, as Ramirez leads the 62-bowler field with a total of 3,370 (224.67 avg.) through 15 games
"I just tried to work on my physical game today, to be a little more consistent with what I was doing," Pluhowsky said. "I bowled in the Pan American Games and a friendship tournament earlier this year, so I feel I'm tournament-ready right now."
Pluhowsky, the two-time U.S. Amateur champion and Gold Medalist at the 2003 Pan America Games, trailed by 87 pins after Sunday's opening round, but has nearly overcome the deficit over the last two days. After standing in fifth place on Sunday with a 209.60 average, the Phoenix, Ariz., native has averaged an impressive 232.10 over her last 10 games to put herself near the top of the leaderboard.
Pluhowsky is working against history though, as only one bowler ? Jeanette Baker of Australia (1982-83) ? has ever won back-to-back titles in the 38-year history of the event, considered to the world's top amateur bowling competition.
Trailing the frontrunners are Kerrie Ryan-Ciach of Canada, whose final three games of the morning round totaled 783, and Shalin Zulkifli of Malaysia. Ryan-Ciach has 3,297 pins for a 219.8 average, while Zulkifli has 3,274 pins and a 218.27 average after 15 games.
The fourth and final qualifying round will take place Wednesday morning and afternoon, as the field will be then cut to the top 24 qualifiers.
39th AMF World Cup - Planeta Sipango, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Standings after 15 games ? Women: 1, Marie Ramirez , Costa Rica, 3370, 224.67. 2, Shannon Pluhowsky , USA, 3369, 224.60. 3, Kerrie Ryan-Ciach, Canada, 3297, 219.80. 4, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 3274, 218.27. 5, Tere Piccini Healey , Mexico, 3248, 216.53. 6, Hiroko Shimizu, Japan, 3195, 213.00. 7, Ann Maree Putney, Australia, 3176, 211.73. 8, Linda Haglund, Sweden, 3163, 210.87. 9, Laura Rhoney, Scotland, 3147, 209.80. 10, Sofia Granda, Guatemala, 3143, 209.53. 11, Jojo Canare, Philippines, 3050, 203.33. 12, Martina Beckel, Germany, 3050, 203.33. 13, Iben Tchu, Denmark, 3044, 202.93. 14, Doris Szvasztics, Austria, 3044, 202.93. 15, Donna Adams, England, 3040, 202.67. 16, Liliane Vintens, Belgium, 3028, 201.87. 17, Marianne Hauk?s, Norway, 3003, 200.20. 18, Evelyn Chan Lu Ee, Singapore, 2994, 199.60. 19, Sara Vargas, Colombia, 2987, 199.13. 20, Aida Granillo, El Salvador, 2984, 198.93. 21, Tracey Aubert, Jersey, 2977, 198.47. 22, Ross Greiner, Netherlands, 2977, 198.47. 23, Smirnova Tatiana, Russia, 2974, 198.27. 24, Tiia Einola, Finland, 2964, 197.60. 25, Margalit Mizrachi, Venezuela, 2963, 197.53.
26, Aumi Guerra, Dominican Republic, 2908, 193.87. 27, Bigi Manico, Switzerland, 2898, 193.20. 28, Vanessa Fung, Hong Kong, 2898, 193.20. 29, Yvette Chen, Panama, 2872, 191.47. 30, Astrid Carlin, Peru, 2858, 190.53. 31, Rahma Mubarak Al Sharqi , UAE, 2818, 187.87. 32, Miriam Michelle Ayala, Puerto Rico, 2800, 186.67. 33, Lyn Black, N Ireland, 2787, 185.80. 34, Sabeena Athica, India, 2777, 185.13. 35, Maria Elena Breve Ferrari, Honduras, 2748, 183.20. 36, Laura Cavazzini, Italy, 2742, 182.80. 37, Beatrix Pesek, Hungary, 2737, 182.47. 38, Luiza Rocha, Brazil, 2710, 180.67. 39, Jacqueline Boissiere, France, 2695, 179.67. 40 (empate) Edna Maduro, Aruba, y Pauline Maxwell, Isle of Man, 2682, 178.80. 42, Rina Pinto, South Africa, 2677, 178.47. 43, Ulle Kangur, Estonia, 2658, 177.20. 44, Yonit Cohen, Israel, 2646, 176.40. 45, Joanne Johnson, Guernsey, 2640, 176.00. 46, Theresa Depka, Virgin Islands, 2638, 175.87. 47, Cristina Mas, Spain, 2617, 174.47. 48, Beata Szostak, Poland, 2590, 172.67. 49, Filomena Choi, Macau, 2563, 170.87. 50, Stepanka Stelcigova, Czech Republic, 2529, 168.60. 51, Mariana Furchi, Argentina, 2528, 168.53. 52, Yelena Zemtsova, Kazakhstan, 2521, 168.07. 53, Elisabeth Girier-Dufournier, Martinique, 2502, 166.80. 54, Elena Poulitsidou , Greece, 2489, 165.93. 55, Joanne Woodside-Powell, Bahamas, 2477, 165.13. 56, Daniele Honigstein, Morocco, 2458, 163.87. 57, Sonia Anagui, Tunisia, 2410, 160.67. 58, Marina Guseva, Armenia, 2330, 155.33. 59, Carmen Bolanos , Nicaragua, 2260, 150.67. 60, Anastasiya Kuprijanova, Uzbekistan, 2056, 137.07. 61, Charly Clark, Gibraltar, 950, 135.71.