INQUIRER Sports

MELAKA, MALAYSIA? Paeng Nepomuceno and Liza del Rosario crashed out of the 45th QubicaAMF World here Thursday, but not after giving a good fight.

The 52-year-old, lefty Nepomuceno fell three pins short of earning a quarterfinal slot in the men?s division, landing 25th at 4960 pins for a 24-game average of 206.67 and failing in his bid to bag a fifth crown in the world?s toughest, most prestigious individual bowling competition.

The 30-year-old Del Rosario, a four-time international finalist, did much better, but she, too, failed to make it to the top of the women?s division. Del Rosario reached the semifinals but won only two of eight head-to-head matches and wound up sixth with 8575, including bonus pins.

?Paeng had difficulty stringing strikes. But he still managed to finish his third qualifying block with games of 207, 187, 238, 190, 195, 213, 192 and 227.

New Zealand?s Sonny Reguerra matched Nepomuceno?s 24th game to hold on to 24th place.

Del Rosario sparkled after she rallied from 11th place in the first right-game block, advancing to the semis in seventh spot. But her game soured in the head-to-head semifinal contests.

Canada?s Caroline Lagrange showed the way among the women.