%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
The NTCA No. 1-rated Nebraska bowling team saw some of its current and former bowling members have success at the Team USA Trials in Las Vegas this week. Former Husker all-American Shannon Pluhowsky won the event that wrapped up competition Wednesday night, while current members Liz Kuhlkin, Gazmine Mason, Julia Bond and Bri Zabierek all performed valiantly at the event.
The event, hosted at The Orleans Bowling Center includes all of the top United States bowlers on both the men’s and women’s side. The competition also is considered to be the US Amateur Championship.
Pluhowsky, a three-time first-team All-American while at Nebraska, defeated two-time champion Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, 246-222, at The Orleans Bowling Center. In an interview with Lucas Wiseman of Bowl.com, Pluhowsky was excited to be a part of Team USA again, after trailing by 21 pins early in the women's title match. Pluhowsky rallied with eight consecutive strikes to close out the victory.
"I'm very excited because it's a big year ahead for Team USA with the World Championships in December, and I just wanted to be a part of it again," said Pluhowsky. "Last year, I led and lost in the final, and this year I just wanted to come in and make good shots."
Pluhowsky also who won the Team USA Trials in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2011.
Sophomore Gazmine Mason finished 18th in the competition, with a total pinfall of 6075 in five rounds of competition. With her youth status through the USBC, (United States Bowling Congress) Mason earned a spot on the Junior Team USA Team.
Junior Team USA competes in several prestigious events all over the world, such as the World Youth Championships, and many others as well. This past year the team traveled to Tokyo, as current Husker Liz Kuhlkin made the trip. The team is comprised of 10 boys and 10 girls.
Senior Liz Kuhlkin placed 17th in the competition, while true freshman Julia Bond placed 27th. Both Kuhlkin and Bond are already members of Junior Team USA.
Sophomore Briana Zabierek also was at the competition in Las Vegas, as she finished 47th overall.
With winter break approaching its end for UNL students, the Huskers will be back on campus Monday Jan. 12 and will resume practice then. The Huskers will be back on the lanes for competition on Jan. 16-18 for the Mid-Winter Classic in Jonesboro, Ark.