Zavala earns spot on Team USA
1/9/2017 12:17:00 PM | Women's Bowling
Junior Stephanie Zavala had one of her best weeks as an amateur bowler this past week at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials in Henderson Nevada, earning her a spot on both Team USA and Junior Team USA.
Zavala bowled her way through five grueling days of qualifying to earn an automatic spot on Junior Team USA. She also qualified as the No. 2 seed in the stepladder finals. In the opening match she defeated Sydney Brummett, 220-210, to advance to the finals, as well as earning an automatic spot on Team USA.
Zavala was also in contention to take the US Amateur championship, falling 229-204 to Julia Bond in the finals. Zavala had an opportunity to close out the title by bowling a pair of strikes in the 10th frame, but left the 2-4-10 split on her first attempt in the 10th.
Zavala will join fellow Sam Houston teammate Heather Penatzer on the Junior Team USA squad, who earned her place on the team at the 2016 Junior Gold competition.
Zavala, who finished second among the 94 amateur bowlers, was one of four current members of the Bearkat bowling squad to compete at this past weekend's event. She was joined in Nevada by Madysen Keller (38th place finish) Taryn Gray (65th place), and Randi Speiler (69th place). Former Bearkat bowler Anna Groce, who was a member of the 2014 national championship team, was also competing this past weekend as an amateur, finishing 44th.
