Van Nuys Bowler Holds Second in L.A. Open

Jeanne Maiden of Solon, Ohio, maintained a 49-pin lead over Robin Romeo of Van Nuys at the end of qualifying Wednesday in the $30,000 Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour Brunswick L.A. Open in Anaheim.

Maiden, trying for her fourth title of the year, averaged 214 to finish with an 18-game total of 3,869 pins. Romeo finished at 3,820.

Lorrie Nichols of Algonquin, Ill., with 3, 819 pins, finished third to qualify for match play finals, thereby setting an all-time women’s professional bowling record. Nichols has qualified among the top 24 finalists in her last 49 tournaments, breaking the record of 48 consecutive match play finals set by Pat Costello of Merritt Island, Fla., in 1983.

The event is the fifth in the six-week $250,000 Dewey Stevens LPBT Fall Tour.