Illinois State hung on for a one-stroke win over the field to take its first Missouri Valley Conference Women's Golf Championship title since 2013.
The championship was played at the par-71, 5,830-yard Greenbriar Hills Country Club in St. Louis, Mo.
ISU junior Ali Schrock was named the MVC Golfer of the Year and placed second in the field, as Illinois State head coach Breanne Hall was named the MVC Coach of the Year. Freshman Maria Perakis of Bradley was selected as Newcomer of the Year. Kristen Giles of Drake became just the second Bulldog to win the MVC championship (joining Olivia Lansing who won both in 2008 and 2010). Giles highlighted the league's all-tournament team.
The Redbirds finished the three-day tournament with a team total of 911 with rounds of 309, 295, and 307. Missouri State took second with a 912, with Drake (935), Bradley (945), Evansville (949), Indiana State (950), Southern Illinois (950), Loyola (957), Northern Iowa (970), and Valparaiso (1005) rounding out the 10 schools in the field. The Redbirds' one-stroke team win marked the second-straight MVC championship that was decided on the final hole. Last year, Evansville and UNI tied after 54 holes and the Aces won the title on the first playoff hole. The last MVC championship decided by a single stroke was in 2014 as Wichita State (900) edged Indiana State (901) for the crown.
The NCAA selection show will be on April 27, as the Redbirds will find out where they will be placed in the NCAA Regional.
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Hannah Bermel, UNI
Abby Cavaiani, Missouri State
Lauren Green, Indiana State
Kehler Koss, Illinois State
Haeri Lee, Drake
Kayla Pfitzner, Missouri State
Ali Schrock, Illinois State
Abby Thielbar, Loyola
Megan Welch, Bradley
Avalon Woodward, Illinois State
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM (top-five finishers, plus ties)
Kristen Giles, Drake (medalist)
Abby Cavaiani, Missouri State
Arielle Keating, Missouri State
Kehler Koss, Illinois State
Lorenza Martinez, Loyola
Mallory Russell, Evansville
Ali Schrock, Illinois State
Newcomer of the Year -- Maria Perakis, Bradley
Golfer of the Year - Ali Schrock, Illinois State
Coach of the Year – Breanne Hall, Illinois State
Elite 17 Award- Ali Schrock, Illinois State
DAY TWO (Monday, April 18) RECAP
Illinois State holds the 36-hole lead at the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Golf Championship after shooting an impressive second-round team score of 295 to take a seven-stroke lead into tomorrow's final round.
Kehler Koss of Illinois State fired a tournament-low 71 on Monday to take the individual lead after 36 holes. She leads the field with a two-round 77-71--148. Hannah Bermel of UNI and Ali Schrock of Illinois State are one stroke back as each sport a two-round 149. Missouri State's Arielle Keating is fourth with a 150 after 36 holes.
In the team standings, Illinois State (309-295--604) is followed by Missouri State (308-303--611) and Drake (309-316--625). The next six teams are tightly bunched with 10 strokes separating fourth and ninth place.
Monday featured windy (20 mph wind gusts) conditions and cold temperatures. The championship will conclude Tuesday with 18 holes beginning with tee times at 9 a.m. CT (moved back one hour from the originally scheduled time due to potential frost).
DAY ONE (Sunday, April 17) RECAP
Eleven strokes separate the top eight teams after the first 18 holes of the Missouri Valley Conference women's golf championship, contested at the par-71, 5,830-yard layout at Greenbriar Hills Country Club in St. Louis, Mo.
Indiana State enters Monday's second round with the team lead after shooting 304 on Sunday. Missouri State is four strokes back (308), followed by four teams tied for third at 309 (Drake, Evansville, Illinois State, and UNI). The Sycamores were powered to their first-place showing by four golfers who are in the Top 10 individually.
Hannah Bermel of UNI and Mallory Russell of Evansville shot a two-over 73 for the individual lead after 18 holes of play. Three others (Kathryn McNease of Bradley; Chelsea Morrow of Indiana State, and Aayushi Sarkar of Drake were two strokes behind the leaders as the three golfers tied for third with a 75 on Sunday.
Temperatures on Monday were in the low 50s, while golfers battled a steady rain, which started in the afternoon. Sunday's round featured one eagle as Kristen Giles of Drake did so on the par-5, 515-yard Hole No. 3. The final hole played the toughest, the par-4, 362-yard 18th hole. The easiest hole was Hole 9 (par-4, 300-yards).