Oct. 18, 2005
ROGERS, Ark. -
The Illinois State women's golf team wrapped up the fall season with a sixth place finish at the Tyson/Embassy Suites Invitational in Rogers, Ark. The 54-hole tournament was held over a three day period, allowing the Redbirds to jump up in the rankings from 11th place on day one to the sixth place finish. Assistant coach Pina Gentile was satisfied with the jumps in the rankings.
"We set out going into today planning to move up some spots in the field of 16," said Gentile. "We shot a 301, which is one less stroke than yesterday, and moved up two spots which reached our goals of having a better day and moving up in the rankings."
Leading her team to the finish, Samantha Richdale finished in sixth place with a final score of 219 (73,72,74). Coming back from yesterday's 39th place is senior Ashlie Rose tied for 20th place with 229 (81,75,73). Freshman Kaitlin Troop finished in a tie for 36th place with 233 (80,74,79), junior Hilary Anderson tied for 60 with 240 (83,82,75) and junior Chelsea Bach tied for 67 with a 243 (79,81,83).
"Ashlie Rose took a huge step up today," said Gentile. "Her leadership really came through, along with her low score, and the rest of her team recognized that. It was frustrating to just miss a top five finish by one stroke, but we shot a great round, and it was the toughest day of the tournament with wind factor."
The Redbirds shot a three round total of 916 (313,302,301) as a team. Gentile felt the last two days of the tournament ended on a positive note.
"They went out and posted a higher round on the first day, but later put out two lower rounds," said Gentile. I think that says something about the kind of players we have."
Host Arkansas took the tournament with a three round score of 876. Twenty strokes behind first place was Notre Dame finishing in second with 896. University of Kentucky finished ten strokes behind second with 906. Nebraska took fourth with 911 and Augusta State took fifth with 915. A trend of finishing one stroke behind developed with ISU. Iowa finished one stroke behind ISU with 917, University of Kansas finished in eighth with 918 and Kansas State took ninth with 919. Wisconsin took tenth place with 939.
Gentile felt there were great improvements throughout the season and looks forward to getting better each year.
"We've done a great job bringing our scoring average down over this past season," said Gentile. "The girls have been really consistent at shooting low and I hope next season we can come out and shoot the low scores we have been. Each season and each year we get stronger and better as a team."
