SMYRNA, Tenn. (June 14, 2021) – Webber International University would like to say congrats to former Warrior women's bowler Verity Crawley on winning her first career title this past week at the PWBA Greater Nashville Open. Crawley won three matches in the stepladder finals on Saturday, June 12, on her way to the title and the $10,000 top prize, defeating another former Warrior women's bowler, Daria Pajak, 245-168 in the final.

Crawley had recorded four runner-up finishes on tour prior to her win on Saturday, including a loss to Pajak, one of her tour roommates, in the championship match of the 2017 PWBA Greater Detroit Open.

"I've been working so hard and knocking on the door and been so close to breaking through," said Crawley, who made her third championship-round appearance of the season. "It's an amazing feeling to know all the hard work paid off and that I deserve to be here. I used to not have the confidence that I could win, and it's something I've worked on a lot. It's always special when you can share these moments with friends, and I'm very thankful for their support."

Crawley averaged 244 in her three wins on Saturday, which included victories over Germany's Birgit Noreiks (246-214) and Shannon O'Keefe of Shiloh, Illinois (241-220), before recording the win against Pajak.

In the title tilt, Crawley was ahead by 55 pins after six frames, benefiting from a pair of opens and only one strike from Pajak. She already had locked up the win by the time she stepped up for her final frame.

"I just had really good ball motion and wanted to take advantage of that," Crawley said. "When you see your ball do the right thing, all you want to do is make the best shots possible and hope it works out in your favor. I was just focused on executing and making good shots. I didn't want to walk away with wanting to take back any shots. I wanted to be happy with every shot and really stay in the moment."

Prior to Saturday's victory, Crawley had recorded four top-10 finishes in her first six events this season, including back-to-back fourth-place finishes at the United States Bowling Congress Queens and PWBA BVL Open.

"My mindset changed when I went back to England in January and was unable to practice for three months," Crawley said. "When I came back to the U.S., I had three weeks to prepare for the PWBA Tour and had no expectations heading into that first event, but I was genuinely so happy to compete. I love being out here on tour and love bowling, and I haven't been as stressed about making cuts or anything like that. I haven't been thinking about those things because I just want to be here and bowl. I will have to head back to England after the Louisville stop because of my visa, so I'm really happy to be able to bring this trophy back to my parents after next week."

Crawley's run through the ladder almost did not take place, as she entered the final game of qualifying outside of the top four spots. She was able to jump ahead of Alexis Neuer of Milton, Pennsylvania, with a 207 game and hold off a late charge from Valerie Bercier of Muskegon, Michigan, who rolled 267 in the final game. Crawley was the No. 4 seed with a 5,131 total, with Bercier (5,121) and Neuer (5,120) finishing in fifth and sixth place, respectively.

Pajak, who was looking for her second PWBA Tour title and making her first championship-round appearance of 2021, put together a phenomenal run on this week's 39-foot condition during the final two rounds of qualifying Saturday to earn the top seed for the stepladder with a 5,166 total. The 2017 PWBA Rookie of the Year rolled 257 in the final game of the Round of 32 to advance to the final qualifying round in 11th place. She moved from 11th to first in the first five games of the final round and edged O'Keefe by three pins after 24 games to lead qualifying.

The 73-player field in Smyrna bowled 12 games Friday, June 11, before the first cut to the top 32 athletes. Advancers bowled an additional six-game block Saturday morning, with the top 12 competing in a final six-game round to determine the four bowlers for the stepladder, based on 24-game pinfall totals.

The Greater Nashville Open was the 10th event on the 20-tournament schedule for the 2021 PWBA Tour season, which kicked off in January. Entering the weekend, another former Warrior, Caitlyn Johnson of Beaumont, Texas, was third in the PWBA's Rookie of the Year Standings with 27,635 points. Johnson was a two-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player at Webber and has a top finish of 10th this season at the PWBA ITRC Classic.