Subscribe

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — Seoul American High School senior Jiovanna Bruce finally achieved a milestone Friday that eluded her despite nine years of trying: a perfect game.

She rolled 12 straight strikes at the Yongsan Lanes bowling center.

“It was nice,” Bruce said. “It was a relief, in a way, but a good feeling that I’d accomplished something I’d worked for. It was hard to do, but I would say it’s about time I did it. I think I’ve had enough practice.”

Bruce is a seven-time Far East Military Zone youth bowling champion who has competed five times in the Young American Bowling Championships.

The multi-talented senior also has secured All-Far East tournament honors in volleyball as a setter for Seoul American and played basketball for the Falcons as a sophomore and junior.

Her previous high game on the lanes was a 289, to go with a personal high series of 738.

Bruce began her night of bowling Friday with scores of 201 and 191 before settling down to roll strike after strike in her third game.

“In the past, I’d have, like, 10 strikes in a row, then I’d ruin it in the last frame,” Bruce said, adding that sometimes she would focus on the game as a whole instead of each roll individually. “I just didn’t think about it. I went frame by frame to get a strike.”

On her last roll, Bruce said, she firmly expected the 10-pin to remain standing, as it had in the past.

“I was kind of shocked, like wow,” she said. “My hands were shaking. On my last ball, I was expecting one pin to stand up. But it went straight into the pocket and I said wow.”

Bruce, who is to graduate in June, already has been awarded a bowling scholarship at Central Missouri State.

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now