Nov. 9, 2009
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State women's golf completed its fall season with a first place ranking in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Redbirds finished in the top-six at all five of the tournaments they competed in during the fall. Senior Stacey Miller led the `Birds, capturing the individual title at the Hawkeye Invitational and placing second at the Napa River Grill Cardinal Cup.
"I am very proud of the way the girls played this fall," said head coach Darby Sligh. "The seniors really stepped up and lead the way. We had many close calls of breaking into the national spotlight and fell just short. I believe that those moments taught us a lot as a team and have shown everyone just how much we can accomplish when we put all the pieces together."
The `Birds fall season began Sept. 14-15 at the Chip-N-Club Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. at the Wilderness Ridge Golf Course. The team finished in sixth place in the 14-team playing field with a three-round score of 909 (306-307-296). Seniors Laura Harris and Miller tied for ninth place individually, each firing a 221. After carding three birdies and an eagle on a par-5, Harris received the MVC Golfer of the Week award for her performance.
On Sept. 21-22, the `Birds headed to Louisville, Ky. to compete in the two-day, three-round Napa River Grill Cardinal Cup at the Cardinal Club. ISU placed fifth of the 12-team field, carding a 904 (298-297-309). Miller finished in second place individually with an even-par 216 (72-69-75) to earn her a co-MVC Golfer of the Week accolade.
Staying strong for the third invitational in a row, the Redbirds placed in fourth in the 12-team field at the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational at the Colbert Hills Golf Club in Manhattan, Kan. The `Birds posted a 948 (329-309-310), with senior Britt Knutson leading individually. Knutson carded a 235 (79-81-75) to finish in 16th place.
The next stop for the `Birds was Columbia, Mo., to attend the Johnie Imes Invitational at the Club at Old Hawthorne Oct. 5-6. ISU ended the first day of the tournament in second place in the 17-team field, after Miller fired an even-par 72. Due to darkness, the second round was postponed and completed on Tuesday. Even with seniors Miller, Harris, Knutson and Marisa Milligan shooting in the 70's in all three rounds, the Redbirds still fell three spots to end the tournament in fifth place with a team score of 918 (305-306-307). Miller earned her second co-MVC Golfer of the Week award for the fall season at the Johnie Imes Invitational, placing in seventh individually with a three-round score of 226.
The Hawkeye Invitational, held in Iowa City, Iowa at the Finkbine Golf Club on Oct. 17-18, concluded the fall season for the `Birds. Miller ended the season with a win, capturing the individual title with a three-round score of 224 (77-73-74). The team placed sixth in the 13-team playing field, firing a 938 (313-314-311). For the third time this season, Miller earned MVC Golfer of the Week honors, and ended the fall ranked second in the MVC and 130th in the nation as an individual.
The team hopes that the offseason is what it needs to fire lower scores in the spring. With the necessary training and preparation, the `Birds will do everything in their power to improve and end the year on a strong note.
"As for the spring, I'm looking for the senior class to continue stepping up and showing leadership both on and off the course," Sligh said. "We need to show some depth in the 4th and 5th spot to really accomplish the goals we set out to reach at the beginning of the season. We have a great and highly competitive schedule this spring which should help prepare us for the conference championship in April. It is my hope that this fall was just the beginning of something great."
The spring season will kick off January 30, 2010 at the Illinois Challenge in Venice, Fla. The tournament will be held at the Sarasota National Golf Club.
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