Friday, September 20, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington, the 2012-13 Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion, and Montana State Billings will travel to Goodyear, Ariz. to participate in the Western New Mexico Invitational on Monday and Tuesday.

The tournament will be the first action of the year for WWU, while MSU Billings has already participated in a pair of two-round tournaments this fall. The fall of 2013 also marks the first time the GNAC will be represented in the Western New Mexico Invitational.

Saint Martin’s and Simon Fraser will see their first action in October, and Northwest Nazarene, which fell to College of Idaho in a dual match last week, picks up again next month.

EARLY ACTION

NNU took to the course last week to get the season started with a dual match against the College of Idaho.

Haley Gochnour (So., Boise, ID – Cole Valley Christian) shot a 77 for the Crusaders, which fell to their home state rival in their only competition of the month.

MSU Billings rolled to a victory in its first event of 2013-14, winning its own Yellowjacket Fall Invitational tournament with a team score of 616 including a school record single round of 298. Katie Fish (Jr., Great Falls, MT – Charles M. Russell), named GNAC Golfer of the Week on Sept. 16, led the Yellowjackets with a two-round total of 152 and a low round of 73.

MSU Billings had less success at the Black Hills State Invitational earlier this week but still managed a fourth place finish with a team score of 669. Fish was again the Jackets’ top finisher, pacing the team with a 164 two-round mark.

“Our women’s team started the season great,” MSU Billings coach Shawn O’Brien commented with regard to the Yellowjackets’ school record round of 298. “Katie has played well, and we are hoping to see her continue her success next week in Arizona.”

THREE RETURN FROM 2013 TOP 5

Three golfers – all from different schools – who finished in the top five at last year’s GNAC Championships return for the 2013-14 season.

Anna Bourland (Jr., Bainbridge, WA – Bainbridge) of WWU and Melissa Saken (Sr., Peers, AB – Parkland Composite) of MSU Billings will both see action on Monday, while Mandy Wittmier (Sr., Ferndale, WA – Ferndale) of SMU awaits the Saint Martin’s Invite on Oct. 4 for her debut as a senior.

Saken currently sits fourth in the GNAC all time of players with 40 or more rounds with a career average of 82.85. Wittmier is sixth on the list with an average of 85.06.

FALL SCHEDULE

September – 23-24: WWU & MSUB at Western New Mexico Invitational. 29-30: MSUB at Rocky Mountain College Invitational. October – 2-3: MSUB vs. Rocky Mountain College Match Play. 4-5: WWU, SFU, NNU & SMU at Saint Martin’s Invitational. 7-8: SFU, SMU, NNU & WWU at Western Washington Invitational. 14-15: NNU & SFU at Victoria Invitational. 21-22: WWU at Sonoma State Invitational. 28-29: SMU at Dennis Rose Invitational; SFU at Hawaii Hilo Shootout.

RESULTS

NNU vs. College of Idaho Dual Match (Sept. 11, 2013 at Ridgecrest GC, Nampa, ID): Team Scores – 1. College of Idaho 306; 2. Northwest Nazarene 330. Individuals – 1. Baylee Borchers, COI 75; 4. Haley Gochnour, NNU 77; T-5. Sam Miller, NNU 80; 7. Brittney Paterson, NNU 86; 8. Carleigh Sturm, NNU 87; 11. Jessica Knight NNU 92.

Yellowjacket Fall Invitational (Sept. 12-13, 2013 at Pryor Creek GC, Billings, MT): Team Scores – 1. MSU Billings 616 (318-298); 4. MSU Billings – B 665 (349-316). Individuals – 1. Jackie Mee, Carroll 151 (78-73); 2. Katie Fish, MSUB 152 (79-73); 3. Capri Ingram, MSUB 153 (79-74); 5. Mariah Cleveland, MSUB 155 (78-77); T-7. Melissa Saken, MSUB 157 (83-74) T-9. BreAnna Cameron, MSUB-B 158 (83-75); 12. Haley Shackelford, MSUB-B 160 (82-78); 13. Cayley Fish, MSUB 162 (82-80); T-22. Carlan Campbell, MSUB-B 171 (92-79) 30. Carlee Hart, MSUB-B 176 (92-84); 40. Tess Mitchell, MSUB-B 194 (101-93).

Black Hills State Fall Invitational (Sept. 16-17, 2013 at Spearfish Canyon CC, Spearfish, SD): Team Scores – 1. Colorado State – Pueblo 623 (311-312); 4. MSU Billings 669 (335-334). Individuals – 1. Hee-Leina Kim, CSU Pueblo 148 (73-75); T-12. Katie Fish, MSUB 164 (77-87); T-17. Melissa Saken, MSUB 167 (85-82); T-19. Mariah Cleveland, MSUB 168 (88-80); T-26. Capri Ingram, MSUB 171 (86-85); 31. Cayley Fish, MSUB 175 (87-88); T-32. BreAnna Cameron, MSUB 176 (86-90).

2013 GOLFERS OF THE WEEK

Sept. 9-15 – Katie Fish, MSUB.