STANDINGS
LAS VEGAS - The members of the Professional Women's Bowling Association continued their strong showing at the 2018 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup on Friday, and the tournament now will transition to match play.
The 2018 QubicaAMF World Cup started with 68 competitors in the women's field, including eight PWBA members.
After the cut to the top 24 on Thursday, bowlers returned to the Sam's Town Bowling Center on Friday to bowl eight additional games, which determined the eight competitors moving onto Saturday's round-robin match play.
All eight PWBA players in the field advanced to Friday's round, and six will continue their journeys Saturday.
Malaysia's Sin Li Jane leads the PWBA contingent after 32 games and sits in second place overall, posting a 6,714 total so far on this week's 41-foot oil pattern. Indonesia's Nadia Nuramalina leads with 6,719.
Sin is followed in the standings by Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez (6,650 - third place); Venezuela's Karen Marcano (6,637 - fourth); Latvia's Diana Zavjalova (6,606 - sixth); Shannon O'Keefe of the United States (6,593 - seventh); and Singapore's Daphne Tan (6,547 - eighth).
Fellow PWBA members Tannya Lopez of Mexico and Stephanie Martins of Brazil finished 13th and 20th, respectively.
Rodriguez made the biggest move Friday, averaging better than 230 for her eight games to jump from 11th to third.
The first few rounds of qualifying threw some curveballs at the 2018 PWBA Tour Championship winner as she averaged just over 200 to advance to Friday's round. Rodriguez felt she was able to play to her strengths as the field narrowed down to the top performers of the week.
"I was trying to figure out the surface, pattern, my equipment - just everything in the first round," said Rodriguez, a 29-year-old right-hander. "On the second day, I ended up seeing so much friction in the front of the lane, and I wasn't ready for it. I made some additional adjustments from there, and that started to make a big difference.
"I think the lanes opened up a little more today with the top 24 players. Everyone was playing the same part of the lane, so I was able to play it like a normal long pattern. I was able to chase it left and use the friction to my advantage."
Rodriguez has been able to wind down and let her body rest heading into the World Cup after a long season on the PWBA Tour and representing Colombia in several international events.
She made a slight adjustment to her pitch prior to her week at Sam's Town, and the combination is starting to show at the 56-lane venue.
"I had some pain in my hand, so I made a change," Rodriguez said. "It was a little tough to make the decision, since I had just won the Tour Championship, but it was something I needed to do. With all the games on tour, you know for sure if it's right or not. It was something small, but it feels fine now."
Qualifying at the 2018 World Cup consisted of three eight-game blocks over three days, with total pinfall determining the 24 players advancing to Friday's fourth round. After 32 games, total pinfall determined the eight bowlers advancing to Saturday's round-robin match play.
Saturday's match-play round begins at noon Eastern, and 40-game pinfall totals, including bonus pins for each match won, will determine the four players advancing to the knockout-style semifinals, which are scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
The winner of each semifinal match will move onto the championship match.
All rounds of competition at the 2018 World Cup are being broadcast live on BowlTV.
For more information on the World Cup, visit QubicaAMF.com.
