Kaitlyn Stull wins 2024 PWBA Regional Showdown for second regional title
WINTER PARK, Fla. – Kaitlyn Stull of Raleigh, North Carolina, took home her second Professional Women’s Bowling Association Regional title of the year Saturday at Aloma Bowl after defeating Karsyn Lukosius of Jackson, New Jersey, 247-232, in the title match.
Stull’s calm and cool demeanor was on display, never showing any sign of wavering when the pressure began building while using a trick to keep her focused.
“I usually have a song in my head when bowling,” said Stull. “I have three different ones that I go to, during the title match I had Hot Wings from the movie Rio going on,” she said with a laugh.
That relaxed approached helped her stay even keeled during an intense final match.
The two bowlers went blow for blow during the match, with Lukosius taking an early lead in the fourth frame after three strikes in four tries before Stull fired back with a five-bagger to take full control.
Heading into the final frame, Stull needed to double to fully lock out Lukosius, but her ball went left, leaving a six pin that she quickly converted before striking in the fill to end with 247. Lukosius now needed her own double to win, something she has done time and time again throughout the year.
With the center completely silent, Lukosius stepped up and threw another great shot that looked and sounded like a flush strike.
A stone 9 pin instead taunted her, with the headpin adding insult to injury by narrowly missing the standing pin, and Stull earned her second regional title of the year to go along with $4,000 into her SMART account and entry fees paid for in the 2025 PWBA National Tour season. Lukosius earned $3,000 for her runner-up finish.
Stull watched Lukosius during her journey to the title match and had nothing but praise for her opponent.
“Karsyn is an excellent player and during her first two matches, I was a little nervous to face her,” Stull said. “I kept taking deep breaths and going one shot at a time.”
Stull’s focus now is on the upcoming Team USA Trials in Reno from Jan. 2-7.
“This boosted my confidence a little bit for (Team Trials). I took a two-month break during the summer and I’m still getting back into bowling, as I wasn’t too confident coming into the Showdown. Seeing how this turned out made me feel a lot better,” said Stull.
Lukosius was looking to end the 2024 PWBA Regional Tour season just as she started it: by climbing the ladder, this time for her fourth title of the year. She was well on her way to doing so after advancing to the stepladder finals after match play was over as the No. 4 seed.
Lukosius defeated Team USA member Crystal Elliott of Palm Bay, Florida, in the opening match, where carry on the left lane was an issue for both bowlers. Neither bowler was able to double until Lukosius ended with a five-bagger to shut out Elliott, 217-196. Elliott earned $1,750 for her fourth-place finish.
Waiting in the wings was another Team USA bowler in the young Avery Domaguin of San Diego, the No. 2 seed.
The semifinal match was another close one, where Lukosius had a potentially back-breaking single pin spare miss in the fourth frame. Once again, carry reared its ugly head, this time for Domaguin who missed pocket just once but couldn’t double until the 10th frame for 209. By that point, Lukosius had thrown another five-bagger to pull ahead and end with 218. Domaguin earned $2,250 for her third-place finish to add to her SMART account.
The next PWBA event will be Feb. 23, 2025, with the PWBA Greater Detroit Regional in Westland, Michigan.
