Michigan
Lady Paladin Invitational
Season Bests Help Wolverines Finish Ninth at Furman
10/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- With a pair of 74s from junior Laura Olin (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) and sophomore Amy Schmucker (Cold Springs, Minn./Rocori HS), the University of Michigan women's golf team tallied a season-best 303 final-round team total to move up one spot and finish ninth at the Lady Paladin Invitational, held Friday through Sunday (Oct. 24-26) at the Furman University Golf Course. The Wolverines finished with a new season-best total of 925 after rounds of 318, 306 and 303.
Georgia led from start to finish and walked away with the team title, winning by 20 strokes with a two-over 866 team total (291-283-292). Tulsa was the runner-up with an 892 total (291-298-303) and TCU was third (305-291-303/899). Using a final-round, two-under 70, Georgia's Natalia Nicholls vaulted four spots to take home medalist honors with a one-under 215 total (73-72-70). TCU's Brooke Tull (72-70-74) and Georgia's Whitney Wade (72-68-76) shared runner-up honors at 216.
As for the Wolverines, Olin and Schmucker continued to be the Wolverines' 1-2 punch as they both finished in the top 20. Olin tied for 12th, leading the Wolverines for the fourth straight tournament, with a season-best-tying 224 tournament total. After opening with a six-over 78 in the first round, she rallied with an even-par 72 in the second and closed with a 74. Schmucker tied for 18th, her third top 20 finish of the fall, posting a season-best 226 tournament total. She fired back-to-back 76s before closing with a 74, lowering her best 54-hole tournament total by nine strokes.
Freshman Ali Stinson (Penticton, B.C./Penticton Secondary) tied her career-best tournament score with a 237 total, tying her for 46th. She carded an 82 in the first round but rallied with a 77 Saturday and a 78 Sunday.
Other Michigan finishes include: freshman Brianna Broderick (Richmond, Mo./Richmond HS), tied for 59th (84-81-77/242); sophomore Brandi Zielinski (Sylvania, Ohio/ St. Ursula Academy), tied for 65th (82-83-80/245); and sophomore Molly Spalding (Monroe, Mich./Monroe), 82nd (89-84-85/258) playing as an individual.
The Wolverines have now completed their fall season and will not hit the links until February.
Team Standings
1. Georgia 291-283-292 = 866 (+2) 2. Tulsa 291-298-303 = 892 3. TCU 305-291-303 = 899 4. LSU 304-293-303 = 900 5. Furman 308-298-301 = 907 6. East Carolina 306-309-304 = 919 7. Mississippi 305-319-301 = 925 College of Charleston 308-306-311 = 925 9. MICHIGAN 318-306-303 = 927 10. UNC-Wilmington 312-309-315 = 936 Coastal Carolina 314-309-313 = 936 12. Minnesota 320-321-312 = 953 13. UNC-Greensboro 315-322-318 = 955 14. Winthrop 328-327-311 = 966 15. Memphis 335-343-322 = 1000 16. Appalachian State 347-336-323 = 1006 17. Louisville 337-344-338 = 1019
Top Individuals
1. Natalia Nicholls, Georgia 73-72-70 = 215 (-1) 2. Brooke Tull, TCU 72-70-74 = 216 Whitney Wade, Georgia 72-68-76 = 216 4. Cas Bridge, Tulsa 72-72-75 = 219 Kelly Froelich, Georgia 75-72-72 = 219 6. Jenny Suh, Furman 75-75-71 = 221 Brooke Shelton, LSU 75-72-74 = 221 Allison Martin, Georgia 74-73-74 = 221 9. Julie Tvede, Tulsa 71-73-78 = 222 Lisa Tyler, Georgia 72-71-79 = 222 11. Amber Kuss, Charleston 73-74-76 = 223 12. LAURA OLIN, U-M 78-72-74 = 224 Jessica Krasny, East Carolina 74-79-71 = 224 Jutta Degerman, Winthrop 74-78-72 = 224 Alexis Rather, LSU 75-75-74 = 224 Courtney Jones, Tulsa 74-75-75 = 224
Other Michigan Individuals
T18. Amy Schmucker 76-76-74 = 226 T46. Ali Stinson 82-77-78 = 237 T59. Brianna Broderick 84-81-77 = 242 T65. Brandi Zielinski 82-83-80 = 245 82. Molly Spalding* 89-84-85 = 258 * played as an individual
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Kathy Teichert
On the Wolverines' weekend performance ... "The first round we had a really slow start, but after that I was very pleased with the performance. We came back in the second and third rounds and really hung in there. We still had a few mistakes toward the end, but overall I am happy with the way we came back and finished, closing out the final round of 303, which was the third best team total of the day, so I was pleased to finish that strong."
On her thoughts of the fall season ... "I really haven't thought about it as a whole yet, but I think we had a lot of improvement throughout the entire fall season. We learned a lot with each tournament and we need to keep getting that experience to help us come springtime. We still need to put things all together, but we have the tools and I am excited about the direction we are headed for the spring."
Junior Laura Olin
On the Lady Paladin Invitational ... "As a whole we were happy to come and play well in the second and third rounds after getting off to such a bad start. We just told ourselves that we needed to come out and shoot in the low 300s after the first day and that is what we did. It was good to end the fall season on a positive note."
On the fall season ... "We had our share of ups and downs during the fall season, but I think the most important thing was that we learned each and every time we teed it up. We played solid, but we still have some improving to do. We know what we need to work on. We played against some really good teams this fall and we need to use some of the things we saw them improve on in our games for the spring season."
On the upcoming winter break ... "It is important for us to keep in some of the things we need to improve on all winter. We need to work on our swings and our games from 100 yards and in. We will be able to do that this winter. After that, we just need to come out strong in the spring to make sure our ranking is good enough to get back the (NCAA) regional, one of our main goals."
N O T E S
Michigan's 925 54-hole tournament finish at the Lady Paladin Invitational bettered the season best by a single stroke. The Maize and Blue tallied a 926 at the Lady Northern Intercollegiate (Sept. 27-28).
Michigan's final-round team tally of 303 at the Lady Paladin Invitational is a season best by two strokes. It topped the 305 the Wolverines had in the final round of the Lady Northern Intercollegiate.
With her tie for 12th at the Lady Paladin Invitational, Laura Olin finished as the top Wolverine in four the five fall tournaments this season. The finish also gave her four top 20 finishes in the fall, tops among the Maize and Blue.
Laura Olin's 224 Lady Paladin Invitational total tied her season best for a 54-hole tournament. She also posted a 224 at the Wolverine Invitational (Oct. 4-5), her first collegiate medalist performance.
Amy Schmucker set a new season-best tournament total with her 226 tally at the Lady Paladin Invitational. She lowered her previous best by nine strokes after totaling a 235 at the Lady Northern Intercollegiate.
Ali Stinson tied her career-best 54-hole tournament total with her 237 at the Lady Paladin Invitational. She also had a 237 total at the Mary Fossum Invitational (Sept. 20-21), her first collegiate tournament.
Laura Olin extended her consecutive tournament streak to 30 by playing at the Lady Paladin Invitational. She has not missed a tournament in her three seasons. Amy Schmucker also added to her streak as she sits at 18 straight tournaments.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
