Michigan
Lady Boilermaker Invitational
Michigan Ties for Eighth Spot at Lady Boilermaker Invite
4/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's golf team maintained its standing at the Lady Boilermaker Invitational today (Sunday, April 13) as the Wolverines tied for the eighth spot with Wisconsin at the Kampen Course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex. The Maize and Blue finished with a 940 total after descending round totals of 317 and 313 on Saturday and a final 310 Sunday.
Sophomore Laura Olin (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) led the Wolverines for the seventh time this season as she tied for 11th with a 228 54-hole total. After opening with a five-over-par 77, Olin followed with a 74 to put her in a tie for eighth after the first day of play. She closed with another 77 after missing a few up-and-downs to drop her to the 11th-place showing.
Senior Kim Benedict (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) finished four strokes behind Olin in a tie for 21st. After opening with an 80, she recovered with back-to-back 76s to give her a 232 total. Freshman Amy Schmucker (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori HS) tied for 38th with a 238 total after carding rounds of 77, 81 and 80.
Junior/sophomore Courtney Goebel (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina HS) tied for 54th (83-84-79/246), fifth-year senior Stephanie Stasik (Lubbock, Texas/Coronado HS) tied for 61st (86-86-78/250), and freshman Kelly Easton (Port Huron, Mich./Northern HS) tied for 67th (85-82-86/253).
Tennessee held off a late charge from host Purdue to win the invitational by a single stroke with a 904 total (298-307-299). The Boilermakers finished at 905 (300-308-297). Illinois (316-305-300) and Kent State (311-308-302) were third with 921 totals. South Carolina's Kristy McPherson, playing as an individual, took home the medalist honors with a 218 total (70-78-70). Purdue's Kari Damron was the runner-up at 220 (74-75-71).
The Wolverines will have two weeks to prepare for the 2003 Big Ten Championships. Hosted by Iowa, the conference tournament will be held Friday through Sunday, April 25-27, at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City, Iowa. The 72-hole championship will consist of 36 holes on Friday, 18 holes Saturday and a final 18. Last year, the Wolverines posted their best finish ever in the conference championships with a third-place showing.
Team Standings
1. Tennessee 298-307-299 = 904 2. Purdue 300-308-297 = 905 3. Illinois 316-305-300 = 921 Kent State 311-308-302 = 921 5. Nebraska 311-320-306 = 937 Michigan State 305-318-314 = 937 7. N.C. State 313-315-310 = 938 8. MICHIGAN 317-313-310 = 940 Wisconsin 316-313-311 = 940 10. Iowa 319-316-308 = 943 11. Penn State 317-321-312 = 950 12. Iowa State 318-323-315 = 956 13. Northwestern 313-332-315 = 960
Top Individuals
1. Kristy McPherson, S. Carolina* 70-78-70 = 218 2. Kari Damron, Purdue 74-75-71 = 220 3. Jessica Shepley, Tennessee 72-76-74 = 222 4. Sarah Sasse, Nebraska 74-76-73 = 223 5. Heather Suhr, Purdue 76-75-73 = 224 Tai Perry, Tennessee 73-77-74 = 224 7. Violeta Retamoza, Tennessee 76-76-73 = 225 8. Laura Holmes, Iowa 80-73-73 = 226 Louise Kenney, Iowa State 73-79-74 = 226 10. Gabby Wedding, Kent State 76-77-74 = 227 11. LAURA OLIN, U-M 77-74-77 = 228 Katie Futcher, Penn State 76-76-76 = 228 Beth Hermes, Purdue 75-75-78 = 228 * played as an individual
Other Michigan Individuals
T21. Kim Benedict 80-76-76 = 232 T38. Amy Schmucker 77-81-80 = 238 T54. Courtney Goebel 83-84-79 = 246 T61. Stephanie Stasik 86-86-78 = 250 T67. Kelly Easton 85-82-86 = 253
N O T E S
Laura Olin has finished as the top Wolverine in seven of the 11 tournaments this season.
Kim Benedict extended her consecutive tournament streak to 48; she has not missed a single tournament in her four-year career. Laura Olin extended her streak to 23 straight tournaments for the Wolverines. Amy Schmucker and Stephanie Stasik, along with Benedict and Olin, have played in all 11 tournaments this season.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Kathy Teichert
On the Lady Boilermaker Invitational ... "We put ourselves in a decent position yesterday to be able to beat some teams. Today we had four counting scores in the 70s, which I was very pleased with. We just kept getting better and better as each round went on. To have the four scores in the final round was just great. It has been a nemesis for us all season long, but to get a really good fourth score in and count can make a huge difference. This was a great tournament for us. It was a great course and great conditions. We really haven't been able to get out on a course that much lately, so this was a nice tuneup heading into Big Tens."
On the improving weather helping U-M's games ... "We are looking forward to it. This past tournament we were hitting the ball pretty good. We really haven't had a chance to work on our putting and our chipping -- areas where we have struggled. We really haven't had that opportunity to get some really good practice time in, which now it looks like we will be able to get focused."
Sophomore Laura Olin
On her performance at the Lady Boilermaker ... "The biggest difference for me was that I just better mentally prepared for this tournament. I was striking the ball really well all three days, but I know that I still could have played better. I was right there on some holes, but just didn't get the up and downs that I needed to. But overall I am happy with the way I played."
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
