Tuesday, April 21, 2015
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For the second-straight year, Wichita State will represent the MVC in the NCAA Regionals as the Shockers claimed the 2015 MVC Women's Golf Championship with a three-round 924, outdistancing second-place Missouri State by 13 strokes.
TUESDAY (Day 3) RECAP -- Wichita State fired a final round 312 on Tuesday to claim the 2015 title with a 13-stroke win over second-place Missouri State. Three Shockers fired scores in the 70s on the final day, including medalist Alejandra Arellano who finished with a 72-74-76=222 to win by six strokes over Brooke Cusumano of Southern Illinois (75-79-74=228). The Shockers will represent the MVC in the NCAA Regionals and will learn of their site on Monday during a selection show on the Golf Channel, beginning at 5 pm CT. The team title for Wichita State marked its fourth in school history but marked the first time WSU had won back-to-back MVC championships.
Cusumano, who earned all-conference honors and the league's Elite 18 Award, fired a third-round low 74 on Tuesday to earn runnerup honors. Fifteen different golfers broke 80 on the tournament's final day, with Wichita State and Illinois State the only teams to have three players in the 70s. The Redbirds had the best round of the day, with their third-round 311.
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Danielle Lemek, Bradley
Jenna Roadley, Bradley
Stine Pettersen, Missouri State
Chiara Citterio, Missouri State
Verena Gimmy, Missouri State
Brianna Cooper, Illinois State
Kayla Katterhenry, Evansville
Marissa Uradomo, Indiana State
Brooke Cusumano, Southern Illinois
Alejandra Arellano, Wichita State
Maria Alejandra Villalobos, Wichita State
Golfer of the Year: Danielle Lemek, Bradley
Newcomer of the Year: Stine Pettersen, Missouri State
Elite 18 Award Winner: Brooke Cusumano, Southern Illinois
Coach of the Year: Kevin Kane, Missouri State
MONDAY (Day 2) RECAP -- Wichita State fired a second-round 311 and enters Tuesday's final round with an 11-stroke lead over second-place Missouri State at the 2015 MVC Women's Golf Championship at Spirit Hollow Golf Club in Burlington, Iowa. The 6,024-yard, par-72 layout played more difficult today with temperatures in the mid-40s and 20+ mph winds affecting play. No team matched Sunday's opening-round scores, but the Shockers again had the best day of any team with their 311. Pre-championship favorite jumped into second place with a 313 today. Illinois State also enjoyed a big jump in the standings from yesterday as the Redbirds find themselves in 5th place after firing a 321 today (third best).
Wichita State's Alejandra Arellano again had the best round of the day and leads the field by 5 strokes after recording a two-round total of 72-74=146. Teammate Maria Alejandra Villalobos also shot 74 today to match the day's best 18-hole score. Only 10 players broke 80 today, while Missouri State's Megan Thompson had a 76, which represented the third-lowest score Monday. She and teammate Chiara Citterio both had scores in the 70s to help the Bears climb from fifth place to second place. Illinois State's Brianna Cooper finds herself in second place overall after she carded an 18-hole 77 today to give her a 151 for the tournament. Citterio is in third with a two-round 152. Villalobos and Southern Illinois' Brooke Cusamano are tied for fourth entering tomorrow's final round as each have a 154.
SUNDAY (Day 1) RECAP -- Defending champion Wichita State holds a one-stroke lead after the first 18 holes of the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference women’s golf championship, which is being played at the par-72, 6,024-yard Spirit Hollow Golf Course in Burlington, Iowa. The Shockers fired a team score of 301 to narrowly edge Southern Illinois (302) after Monday’s round. The 10-team tournament field is tightly bunched with five teams within 10 strokes of the lead. The Salukis, who were tabbed sixth in the pre-championship coaches poll, got a boost from two individuals in the Top 10, including Kris Grimes, who recorded today’s only eagle (on the par-5 483-yard No. 18 hole). Pre-championship favorite Missouri State is sitting in fifth place with a team score of 310.
Alejandra Arellano of Wichita State fired the low round of the day, shooting an even-par 72, while teammate Taryn Torgerson also is in the Top 10 after carding a 73 today. Jessie Staed of Loyola also is tied for second with her 73. Notably, eight of the league’s 10 teams have one or more players among the Top 10, with Wichita State, Southern Illinois and Drake the only schools with multiple golfers in the Top 10.
COURSE INFORMATION -- Spirit Hollow continues to be ranked by Golf Digest and Golf Week as one of the top courses in the state each year. Spirit Hollow has hosted the 2012 Iowa Amateur Championship, 2013 and 2014 Golf Week Conference Challenge and the 2014 NJCAA Division I Men's Championship.
MVC Golf Information
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