April 4, 2006
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -
Moving up one place from yesterday and passing up six other Missouri Valley Conference teams, the Illinois State women's golf team took second place at the Missouri State Payne Stewart Memorial Invitational. With a final score of 961 (333,318,310), the Redbirds shot their lowest round of the tournament in the final round and topped all other Valley schools.
Assistant coach Pina Gentile looked at this final tournament before the Missouri Valley Conference championships as a big deal.
"This event was huge for our conference," said Gentile. "Everybody went out and played the way we needed to play. We are closer to having a more collective team score, rather than scattered scores."
Senior Samantha Richdale tied for third place with Oral Roberts' Christy Carter with a three-round total of 228 (80,75,73). Moving up three places from yesterday, was junior Hilary Anderson tied for seventh place with 233 (79,80,74) and senior Ashlie Rose in 24th place with 247 (90,78,79). Freshman Marci Hill landed a spot tied for 47th place with 258 (89,85,84) and junior Olivia Campos tied for 71 with 269 (85,90,94).
Gentile was proud of the steps the team took to bring home second place.
"We gained six shots on Missouri State and passed them by," said Gentile. "Marci came really close to having a low round in the 70s, but had one bad hole to set her off. Throughout the day everybody handled highs and lows very well. It was a different feel from yesterday, in the sense that everyone went out and did what they needed to do."
Arkansas-Little Rock took a 24 stroke lead yesterday and finished with a 37 stroke lead in first place with 924 (315,306,303). Behind Illinois State in third place was Bradley with 964. In fourth place was Oral Roberts, Missouri State took fifth and Drury University took sixth. Southern Illinois had 994, only one stroke ahead of eighth place team Northern Iowa. Northeastern State took ninth, Creighton took tenth, UMKC was in 11th place, and Evansville landed 12th place.
Gentile is confident her team will continue to improve as they head into the Valley tournament.
"From the start of this season we set out to continue to get better scores and continue to get better overall," said Gentile. "Everybody will continue to evaluate their game to improve and get better for the Valley tournament, but it feels good to go into the Valley with victory over the other Valley schools."
The Redbirds return to action at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship April 17-18 in Wichita, Kan.
