Thursday, March 22, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – Montana State Billings and Simon Fraser had its tournament come to an unexpected halt earlier this week after the Otter Invitational, hosted by Cal State Monterey Bay, was suspended in the second round due to excessive rainfall. Officially, the tournament will stand as an 18-hole, single-round event. The Clan ended the opening day in 11th place (313) while the Yellowjackets finished in 20th.

The wait to return to the golf course has reached nearly a month for a few GNAC teams as Concordia last played in the Lancer Joust on Feb. 26, while Northwest Nazarene and Western Washington last featured at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout on Mar. 6.

Northwest Nazarene does, however, return to action next week as it is the only GNAC team participating in the Bulldog Classic held in Indio, Calif. Montana State Billings, meanwhile, will host its annual Yellowjacket Spring Invitational on Mar. 26.

Speaking of the Yellowjackets, its was MSUB senior Bailee Dexter who snagged golf headlines this week. On Monday, Dexter was named the GNAC Golf Player of the Week following a top-five finish at the Warrior Invitational (Mar. 12-13), helping the Yellowjackets take second place in the team’s first spring tournament. Dexter tied for fifth place with a two-round score of 13-over-par 157, which included a low-round of 78 on the opening day.

LAST WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS

Warrior Invitational (Mar. 12-13 at Stallion Mountain GC, Las Vegas, Nev.): Team – 1, West Alabama, 614 (308-306). 2, Montana State Billings, 633 (319-314). Individuals – 1, Jin Ye Eun, West Alabama, 141 (70-71). T5, Bailee Dexter, Montana State Billings, 157 (78-79). T7, Renae Heisler, Montana State Billings, 159 (78-81). T9, Shealyn Hafer, Montana State Billings, 160 (81-79). T17, Sammy Walter, Montana State Billings, 163 (88-75). T24, Sarah Schroefel, Montana State Billings, 168 (82-86).

Augustana Spring Fling (Mar. 15-16 at Classic Club, Palm Desert, Calif.): Team – 1, Univ. Of Indianapolis, 606 (311-295). 10, Saint Martin’s, 696 (338-358). Individuals – 1, Jamie Jacob, Cal State San Marcos, 148 (73-75). T14, Hannah Reynolds, Saint Martin’s, 159 (80-79). T34, Celia Beyke, Saint Martin’s, 170 (79-91). 44, Lisa Zelasko, Saint Martin’s, 176 (86-90). 55, TiAnna Ford, Saint Martin’s, 191 (93-98). 56, Maddie Prigge, Saint Martin’s, 205 (99-106).

Otter Invitational (Mar. 19-20 at Poppy Hills GC, Pebble Beach, Calif.): Team – 1, Dallas Baptist, 291. 11, Simon Fraser, 313. 20, Montana State Billings, 338. Individuals – 1, Hannah Harrison, Dallas Baptist, 68. T24, Estee Leung, Simon Fraser, 76. T41, Bailee Dexter, Montana State Billings, 78. T54, Emily Leung, Simon Fraser, 79. T54, Belinda Lin, Simon Fraser, 79. T54, Michelle Waters, Simon Fraser, 79.

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK:Idle
NEXT WEEK: Idle
• Concordia last played on Feb. 26-27 and came away with a tie for 12th place at the Lancer Joust.

• Junior Shantel Antonio and sophomore Cammie Decker have been superb for the Cavaliers this season as the duo is ranked second and third in the GNAC with a 78.2 and 78.5 stroke average, respectively.

• Concordia will visit Rohnert Park, Calif., on April 2 to play in the Sonoma State Spring Invitational.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Warrior Invitational, 2nd of 9, 633 (319-314), Otter Invitational, 20th of 20, 338.
THIS WEEK: Mar. 26-27 at Yellowjacket Spring Invitational, Billings, Mont.
• Dexter was named the GNAC Women’s Golf Player of the Week after she posted a top-five finish at the Warrior Invitational, helping the Yellowjackets take second place in the team’s first spring tournament. Dexter tied for fifth place with a two-round score of 13-over-par 157, which included a low-round of 78 on the opening day.

• Suspended in the second round due to heavy rainfall on Tuesday, the Otter Invitational was officially scored as an 18-hole, one-day event. Montana State Billings finished with a team score of 338.

• The Yellowjackets were led by Dexter who tied for 41st with a 78. Junior Shealyn Hafer was the second-high MSUB finisher at 13-over par while senior Sammy Walter ended the tournament with an 86.

• Hafer, Dexter, freshman Renae Heisler and junior Sarah Schroefel lead MSUB with 11 rounds played this season. Dexter leads the pack with an 80.7 stroke average while Hafer is at 80.9 strokes per round.

• Montana State Billings will play in its third spring tournament next week as it hosts the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational in Billings, Mont.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Idle
NEXT WEEK: Mar. 26-27 at Bulldog Classic, Indio, Calif.
• Northwest Nazarene last played on Mar. 6 at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout where it finished in 15th place.

• In the final round of the shootout, junior Stephanie Miller led NNU’s second-round efforts after carding an 89 and 82 for a two-day total of 171 to finish 61st. She leads the team with an 84.9 stroke average.

• Miller is among five Nighthawks that have played all 10 rounds this season. Freshman Trinity McCarthy is second on the team with 86.8 strokes per round while freshman Ragan McGilvery is at an 89.9 stroke average.

• Northwest Nazarene returns to action on Mar. 26 at the Bulldog Classic hosted by the Univ. of Redlands in Indio, Calif.

SAINT MARTIN’S
LAST WEEK: Augustana Spring Fling, 10th of 12, 696 (338-358).
NEXT WEEK: Idle
• The only team participating in the Augustana Spring Fling last week, Saint Martin’s earned a 10th-place finish after carding a 696 (338-358).

• Senior Hannah Reynolds led Saint Martin’s by finishing in a four-way tie for 14th with a 159 (80-79). Shooting a team-low 7-over par 79 in the opening round, junior Celia Beyke ended the tournament tied for 34th with a 170 (79-80). Senior Lisa Zelasko rounded out the Saints’ top-three scorers in 44th after shooting a 176 (86-90).

• Beyke leads the team with an 81.4 stroke average through 11 rounds. She is joined by junior TiAnna Ford with 11 rounds played this season. Ford is averaging 88.1 strokes per round.

• The Saints return to the golf course on April 9 where will be one of four GNAC teams playing in the Mustang Intercollegiate in Goodyear, Ariz.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Otter Invitational, 11th of 20, 313.
THIS WEEK:Idle
• Despite the Otter Invitational being rained out in the second round, Simon Fraser ended the event with an 11th place finish (25-over par 313). The tournament was officially scored as an 18-hole, one-day affair.

• Freshman Estee Leung was the top-GNAC finisher after tying for 24th with a 5-over par 76. Finishing two strokes behind her for a 12-way tie for 54th were teammates Emily Leung, senior Michelle Waters and junior Belinda Lin. Senior Erin Farner rounded out the Clan’s scoring five with an 88.

• Lin is fourth in the league shooting 79.1 strokes per round. Emily Leung and Waters lead the Clan with 15 rounds played this season. Leung is averaging a league-best 76.5 stroke average while Waters is sixth in the GNAC shooting 79.5 strokes per round.

• Simon Fraser is back in action on April 2 when it takes part in the Sonoma State Spring Invitational in Rohnert Park, Calif.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Idle
NEXT WEEK: Idle.
• In its last competition, the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout on Mar. 6, senior Jenn Paul carded back-to-back rounds of 6-over par to finish with a two-round total of 156. In addition to Paul’s top-15 finish, junior Stephanie Sewell tied for 44th at 21-over par while junior Annie Leete tied for 52nd at 168.

• Paul is among GNAC leaders with a 79.3 stroke average and is one of four Vikings to play more than 12 rounds this season. Sewell is second on the team shooting 80 strokes per round.

• The Vikings have the rest of March off and will next feature in the Mustang Invitational in Goodyear, Ariz., on April 9.

GNAC Women’s Golf Player of the Week (Mar. 19, 2018)

Bailee Dexter (Montana State Billings, Sr., Townsend, Mont. – Broadwater): Dexter posted a top-five finish at the Warrior Invitational, helping the Yellowjackets take second place in the team’s first spring tournament. Dexter tied for fifth place with a two-round score of 13-over-par 157, which included a low-round of 78 on the opening day.

Also Nominated: Jenn Paul (Western Washington).