Friday, April 13, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – Playing in its final tournament prior to the GNAC Championships, Concordia led the GNAC with a 10th place finish at the Mustang Intercollegiate earlier this week while Western Washington placed 12th. Saint Martin’s and Montana State Billings ended the two-day event in 15th and 18th, respectively. 

The GNAC will field just two teams next week as Montana State Billings and Northwest Nazarene finalize preparations to host its annual spring tournaments. Montana State Billings welcomes teams to the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational while the Nighthawks host the NNU Intercollegiate on Monday.

LAST WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS

Sonoma State Spring Invite (April 2-3 at Foxtail Golf Club, Rohnert Park, Calif.): Team – 1, Sonoma State, 602 (299-302). 3, Concordia, 628 (312-316). 5, Simon Fraser, 639 (317-322). 12, Northwest Nazarene, 683 (388-345). Individual – 1, Samantha Oliva, Sonoma State, 145 (73-72). 7, Kendall Freeman, Concordia, 154 (76-78). T8, Michelle Waters, Simon Fraser, 155 (74-81). 10, Cammie Decker, Concordia, 156 (81-75). T20, Erin Farner, Simon Fraser, 160 (80-80). T20, Jaya Rampuri, Simon Fraser, 160 (79-81).

Mustang Intercollegiate (April 9-10 at Palm Valley Golf Course, Goodyear, Ariz.): Team – 1, Dallas Baptist, 564 (282-282). 10, Concordia, 606 (299-307). 12, Western Washington, 614 (309-305). 17, Saint Martin’s, 635 (311-324). 18, Montana State Billings, 637 (317-320). Individuals – 1, Evelyn Arguelles, Dallas Baptist, 140 (68-72). T23, Cammie Decker, Concordia, 148 (72-76). T23, Caitlyn Villatora, Concordia, 148 (72-76). T42, Megan Billeter, Western Washington, 152 (73-79). T47, Bailee Dexter, Montana State Billings, 154 (76-78). T47, Hannah Drake, Western Washington, 154 (79-75). T47, Annie Leete, Western Washington, 154 (80-74).

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK: Sonoma State Spring Invite, 3rd of 13, 628 (312-316). Mustang Intercollegiate, 10th of 20, 606 (299-307).
NEXT TOURNAMENT: April 23-24 at GNAC Championships in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

• Freshman Kendall Freeman was named the GNAC Women’s Golf Player of the Week after she led Concordia to a third-place team finish at the Sonoma State Spring Invite last week, placing seventh with a two-day score of 10-over-par 154. She shot her tournament-low of 4-over par 76 in the opening round.

• Concordia led all GNAC teams at Tuesday’s Mustang Intercollegiate after achieving a 10th place finish.

• Sophomores Cammie Decker and Caitlyn Villatora shot an identical 4-over par 148 to tie for 23rd. The duo opened the tournament with an even-par first round and finished the final 18 holes with a 76.

• Freshman Staesha Flock rounded out the Cavaliers’ top-three scorers by shooting an 11-over par 155. Flock managed to shave a stroke off her second-round score to finish Tuesday with a 5-over par 77.

• Decker and junior Shantel Antonio are second and third in the GNAC with a 77.8 and 79 stroke average, respectively. The duo also accounts for four of the Cavaliers’ seven top-10 individual finishes this season. Villatora is third on the team with 79.6 strokes per round.

• Concordia will play its next tournament on April 23-24 when it joins the rest of the conference at the GNAC Championships at the Coeur d’Alene Resort, where it tied for third in last year’s competition.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Mustang Intercollegiate, 18th of 20, 637 (317-320).
NEXT TOURNAMENT: April 16-17 at Yellowjacket Spring Invitational in Billings, Mont. 

• One of four GNAC teams at the Mustang Intercollegiate earlier this week, Montana State Billings ended the tournament with a team score of 637 (317-320).

• The Yellowjackets were led by senior Bailee Dexter who tied for 47th with a 10-over par 154. Junior Shealyn Hafer and senior Sammy Walter ended the tournament both shooting a 16-over par 160.

• Hafer, Dexter, freshman Renae Heisler and junior Sarah Schroefel lead MSUB with 13 rounds played this season. Dexter leads the pack with an 80.2 stroke average while Hafer is at 80.8 strokes per round.

• Montana State Billings will be one of two GNAC teams in action next week as it hosts the annual Yellowjacket Spring Invitational on Monday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Sonoma State Spring Invite, 12th of 13, 683 (338-345).
NEXT TOURNAMENT: April 16-17 at NNU Intercollegiate in Nampa, Idaho.

• In its most recent tournament, the Sonoma State Spring Invite, the Nighthawks were unable to build any momentum as they finished with a team score of 683.

• Freshman Trinity McCarthy led the team with a 23-over par 167 while sophomore Natalie Beggrow finished one stroke behind her.

• Junior Stephanie Miller is among five Nighthawks that have played all 16 rounds this season. Beggrow is tied for second on the team with McCarthy at 85.8 strokes per round.

• Northwest Nazarene will be one of two GNAC teams in action next week as it hosts the annual NNU Intercollegiate on Monday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
LAST WEEK: Mustang Intercollegiate, 15th of 20, 635 (311-324).
NEXT TOURNAMENT: April 23-24 at GNAC Championships in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

• Playing in its final tournament before the GNAC Championships, Saint Martin’s earned a 15th place finish at the Mustang Intercollegiate earlier this week.

• Opening the tournament with a 4-over par 76, senior Hannah Reynolds led Saint Martin’s as she finished the event at 13-over par 159. Shooting a 5-over par 77 in the opening round, junior Celia Beyke ended the tournament tied for 64th with a 159 (78-81). Senior Hailey Warren rounded out the Saints’ top-three scorers by firing a 162 (77-85).

• Beyke leads the team with an 81.1 stroke average through 13 rounds. She is joined by junior TiAnna Ford, who has also played 13 rounds played this season. Ford is averaging 87.2 strokes per round.

• The Saints will join the rest of the conference at the GNAC Championships on April 23-24 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho. In last year’s tournament, Saint Martin’s tied for fifth place after tallying a 688 (345-343).

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Sonoma State Spring Invite, 5th of 13, 639 (317-322).
NEXT TOURNAMENT: April 23-24 at GNAC Championships in Couer d’Alene, Idaho.

• One of three GNAC teams participating in the Sonoma State Spring Invite last week, Simon Fraser ended the tournament in fifth place after carding a 52-over par 628.

• Senior Michelle Waters achieved her best finish of the season as she led the Clan in a tie for 8th. The majority of her success came in the opening round as Waters fired a 2-over par 74 to lead all GNAC players.

• Playing in her sixth event of the year, senior Erin Farner ended the invitational in a tie for 20th place (16-over par 160) with teammate sophomore Jaya Rampuri. Farner scored a pair of 80’s while Rampuri ended the tournament with a 7-over par 79.

• Despite an uncharacteristic performance at the tournament, junior Emily Leung remains the GNAC leader with a 77.6 stroke average. With her quality performance, Waters improves to second on the team with 79.3 strokes per round.

• In the latest NCAA Division II Regional Rankings released on April 12, Simon Fraser is ranked at No. 6 in the West Region Poll.

• Simon Fraser, the defending GNAC Champion, closes its regular season with the rest of the conference at the GNAC Championships on April 23-24 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Mustang Intercollegiate, 12th of 20, 614 (309-305).
NEXT WEEK: April 23-24 at GNAC Championships in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. 

• Returning to the golf course since it last featured at the Tim Tierney Shootout on Mar. 6, Western Washington came away with a 12th place finish at the Mustang Intercollegiate earlier this week after scoring a 614. The Vikings shaved four strokes off their second-round score to finish second among GNAC teams.

• Shooting a team-low 1-over par 73 in the opening round, freshman Megan Billeter paced the Vikings with a 42nd place finish after carding an 8-over par 152.

• Western Washington saw three players tie for 47th as junior Hannah Drake, junior Annie Leete and senior Jenn Paul each fired a 10-over par 154. Of the three, Leete finished the strongest by shooting a 2-over par 74 in the final round.

• Paul continues to lead the Vikings with a 79-stroke average while junior Stephanie Sewell is second on the team shooting 80 strokes per round. Drake and Leete have maintained 80.9 stroke averages.

• Western Washington will next compete at the GNAC Championships on April 23-24 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho, where it finished second in last year’s competition.

THIS WEEK’S GNAC WOMEN’S GOLF PLAYER OF THE WEEK (APRIL 3 – 9)

Kendall Freeman (Concordia, Fr., Lake Oswego, Ore. – Lakeridge): Freeman led Concordia to a third-place team finish at the Sonoma State Spring Invite, placing seventh with a two-day score of 10-over-par 154. She shot her tournament-low of 4-over par 76 in the opening round.