Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Big Ten Championship
Indiana Finishes Sixth at Big Ten Women's Golf Championship
4/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
April 26, 2009
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Making a late push in the fourth and final round, the Indiana women's golf team climbed to a sixth-place finish at the Big Ten women's golf championship at Purdue University-Kampen Course in West Lafayette, Ind.
Indiana's four-round score of 1266 (332-317-315-302) was just two strokes out of fifth place and just 11 strokes out of the top three. The Hoosiers' 302 was the third-lowest round of the day. Purdue won the title with a score of 1209 (309-300-300-300), followed by Michigan State (316-313-316-301=1246), Ohio State (317-310-322-306=1255), Northwestern (327-312-314-305=1258) and Iowa (327-317-315-305=1264). Purdue's Maria Hernandez and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc tied for medalist honors with scores of 297.
"Today was kind of an emotional day for us," said head coach Clint Wallman. "It was almost a do-or-die situation with a potential regional bid on the line, and Laura (Nochta) and Anita (Gahir) playing for All-Big Ten honors. I was pleased to see us come out swinging and play fearless golf."
Juniors Anita Gahir and Laura Nochta were named to the All-Big Ten second team, while Nochta was also named the team's Sportsmanship Award winner. It is the second-consecutive season Gahir has earned second-team honors, and marks the first league honors for Nochta.
Gahir was the top Hoosier finisher, posting a 77 on Sunday to finish ninth with a score of 310 (80-74-79-77=310). It is her best-ever finish at the Big Ten championship. Gahir was off to a fast start with birdies on 10 and 11 and followed up back-to-back bogeys on 13 and 14 with a birdie on 15 to move back to -1. A double bogey on 18 but her back at +1, with another birdie on one evening things out. The day ended with pars on seven and nine.
Junior Kellye Belcher finished on a strong note, posting pars on 13 of 16 holes and adding a birdie on eight for a 3-over 75 on Sunday, putting her tied for 32nd for the tournament (85-86-77-75=323). Belcher was +2 after nine holes with five-straight pars from 13 through 17. She had bogeys on three and four but finished the day 1-under for the final five holes with a birdie on nine.
Playing in her final Big Ten Tournament, senior Amber Lindgren saved her best for last with a 77 on Sunday to finish tied for 32nd (82-86-78-77=323). Lindgren opened the round with a birdie on 10 but had jump to +4 until another birdie on three. Four of her last six holes ended in par.
Nochta put up a 78 on Sunday and finished the tournament tied for 32nd (85-79-81-78=323). Nochta sat at +3 after nine holes, recording pars on six of the nine. Pars on one, two and three kept her three over, but a birdie on five was not enough to overcome bogey on four of the final six holes.
The round of the day belong to sophomore Cecilia Orevik. The newcomer posted a 72 and finished the tournament tied for 42nd (86-82-85-72=325). Orevik took command of the course early, beginning with three pars. After a bogey on four, she recorded birdies on 14, 17 and 18 to make the turn at -2. She added another birdie on the par-4 third hole to move to -3 with six holes to play. Bogeys on four, five and nine left her at even.
"Cecilia had a 71 earlier this year, but this was a much more difficult course, and in a championship setting," Wallman said. "I think she was a real catalyst for us as a team. They all knew she was going strong and it motivated everyone else to pick up their game."
After a slow start, sophomore Lauren Giesecke bounced back, including a birdie on the final hole to finish the day with an 81 and place tied for 61st overall (85-82-92-81=340). Giesecke was eight over after nine holes but sandwiched bogeys on one and three with a birdie on two. She put up pars on three of the next four holes before finishing the day with her second birdie of the round.
The Hoosiers will now play the waiting game with the NCAA Regional bids announced in a conference call tomorrow at 4 p.m.
"We really played strong today and were able to move up the ladder," Wallman said. "Finishing ahead of Michigan was very important because that gives us the head-to-head advantage. Right now we are on the bubble and it could go either way tomorrow."
Players Mentioned
