2007-2008
MATCH RECAPS
(Click on meet name to obtain meet
results)
OCTOBER 7-8:
NAIA REGION VII CHAMPIONSHIPS
LOCKPORT, Ill. — Junior Joanna Ward (Auburn H.S./Auburn, NY) earned a spot on the all-Region VII team with a fifth-place individual finish and University of St. Francis placed third as a team in the eight-team NAIA Region VII Championship meet at Broken Arrow Golf Club Sunday and Monday.
USF struggled on Sunday, firing a team score of 354 and falling 24 strokes behind first-round leader and eventual champion St. Ambrose. USF improved its play on Monday, carding a team total of 343 and and holding off Ashford (IA) in the race for third place.
St. Ambrose took first place with a 36-hole total of 653. Waldorf (IA) placed second at 676. USF was next at 697 and Ashford was five more strokes back at 702.
Grand View IA (748), Viterbo WI (757), Clarke IA (772) and Iowa Wesleyan (779) rounded out the team scoring.
As team champion, St. Ambrose will advance to next spring’s NAIA Championship and Valeria Cogollo of Waldorf qualifies as the region’s individual champion.
Ward carded rounds of 86 and 79 to finish fifth at 165, 12 strokes behind Region medalist Cogollo. USF freshman Rachael Anderson (Plainfield South H.S./Joliet, IL) placed in a tie for 10th with scores of 80 and 90 for a total of 170. Senior Jessica Sucich (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) was the Lady Saints’ third high finisher, recording rounds of 93 and 85 for a 36-hole score of 178. Freshman Vicky McGowan (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Mokena, IL) shot rounds of 100 and 89 (189) and frosh Ariel Jagmin (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Frankfort, IL) posted scores of 95 and 96 (191).
The Region VII meet concluded the fall portion of the Lady Saints’ season.
NOTES: The two-day scores for USF were 42 strokes higher than the Saints shot just one weekend earlier at the Indiana-Michigan-Illinois Conference meet at Broken Arrow. USF had rounds of 331 and 324 in that meet ... Two Saints shot their highest rounds of the season on Sunday but each of them -- Sucich and McGowan -- came back Monday to improve their scores by eight and 11 strokes, respectively ... Three USF players lowered their scores in round two. Ward went from an 86 to 79, Sucich from 93 to 85 and McGowan from 100 to 89 ... Ward’s 79 on Monday gives USF four sub-80 rounds on the fall season. Ward and Sucich each had 78’s on the first day of the IMI Conference meet and Sucich also had a 79 on day two at the IMI.
SEPTEMBER 28-29:
ILLINOIS-MICHIGAN-INDIANA CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
LOCKPORT, Ill. — Senior Jessica Sucich (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) and junior Joanna Ward (Auburn H.S./Auburn, NY) earned all-conference honors -- placing third and fourth, respectively -- to lead University of St. Francis to a second-place finish behind Bethel (IN) in the four-team Illinois-Michigan-Indiana Conference Championship tournament Friday and Saturday at Broken Arrow Golf Club.
The Lady Saints rewrote several school records over the two days. USF’s team total of 655 was the program’s lowest 36-hole score in school history. Saturday’s team effort of 324 was also the best 18-hole aggregate for a Lady Saints golf squad.
Sucich and Ward both fired rounds of 78 on Friday which matched the school record established by Sierra Summers back in the fall of 2005 at the Illinois College Invitational. Sucich and Ward also bettered the previous best 36-hole total which was a mark of 159 established by Devin Torii in the spring of 2005.
Sucich and Ward, though, were not the entire story for the Saints on this breakthrough weekend as four USF freshmen came through for head coach Tom O’Connor.
Rachael Anderson (Plainfield South H.S./Joliet, IL) carded rounds of 84 and 83 to finish at 167 and missed the top 10 and a spot on the all-conference team by just three strokes.
Vicky McGowan (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Mokena, IL) shot a 91 on Friday but was easily the most improved Saints player on Saturday with a career-best 82 and a two-day total of 173.
Liz Eldridge (Wheaton St. Francis H.S./Glen Ellyn, IL) played in her third straight varsity tournament and fired consistent rounds of 91 and 90 to post a 181 total, and Ariel Jagmin (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Frankfort, IL) notched scores of 93 and 90 for a 36-hole figure of 183.
Five other Saints — one sophomore and four freshmen — played in the tournament as individuals.
The best score among the group was turned in by freshman Katy Doolan (Downers Grove South H.S./Downers Grove, IL) who posted the fifth-best total among all the Lady Saints with a 174 (86-88).
The other four Saints that participated were sophomore Raquel De Bartolo (Rosary H.S./Aurora, IL) who finished with a 179 (90-89) and freshmen Michala Mika (Queen of Peace H.S./Palos Hills, IL) who shot 187 (93-94), Cindy Dowell (Queen of Peace H.S./Burbank, IL) who logged a 203 (109-94) and Lindsey Karlson (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) who turned in a 213 (108-105).
USF completes its fall schedule next weekend with the most important meet of its entire season. The Lady Saints play host to the NAIA Region VII Championships at Broken Arrow on Sunday, Oct. 7 and Monday, Oct. 8.
NOTES: The Lady Saints’ previous low team score for 36 holes was a 658 at the Illinois Wesleyan Spring Fling in the spring of 2005. The best 18-hole team score had been a 327 on the second day of that IWU tournamant ... The Saints lowered their team score on Saturday by seven strokes (324 after shooting a 331 on Friday), with four of the six players bettering their first-round efforts. McGowan’s nine-stroke improvement was clearly the best with Jagmin knocking three strokes off her Friday round and Anderson and Eldridge each shooting one stroke better ... Friday’s four counting scores came from Ward (78), Sucich (78), Anderson (84) and Eldridge (91). Saturday’s four counters included Sucich (79), Ward (80), McGowan (82) and Anderson (83) ... The Region VII meet will be the third tourney USF has hosted at Broken Arrow in the last month. The Saints held their annual Fall Classic back on Sept. 14 and the IMI Conference tourney this weekend ... In addition to McGowan, Sucich (78), Ward (78), Anderson (83), Mika (93), Doolan (86) and Dowell (94) all fired collegiate career-low rounds over the course of the two days and Karlson (105) matched hers.
SEPTEMBER 22:
FIGHTING BEE CLASSIC
ELDRIDGE, Iowa --- Junior Joanna Ward (Auburn H.S./Auburn, NY) shot an 85 and finished in 19th place among 72 golfers to lead University of St. Francis to a fifth-place finish at the 12-team St. Ambrose Fighting Bee Classic.
Ward’s 85 was closely followed by senior Jessica Sucich (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) who carded an 87.
Freshman Ariel Jagmin (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Frankfort, IL) bounced back from Friday’s round of 101 at the Iowa Wesleyan tourney to shoot an 89.
Two more freshmen rounded out the Lady Saints’ scoring with Rachael Anderson (Plainfield South H.S./Joliet, IL) notching a 90 and Vicky McGowan (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Mokena, IL) posting a 94.
Liz Eldridge (Wheaton St. Francis H.S./Glen Ellyn, IL) finished Saturday’s round with a 96 and Michala Mika (Queen of Peace H.S./Palos Hills, IL) turned in a round of 98. Both Eldridge and Mika are freshmen.
The Saints’ team total of 351 placed them behind Wheaton (310), host St. Ambrose (324), Waldorf (332) and Ashford (342).
NOTES: USF placed fifth in both tournaments in Iowa over the weekend. The Lady Saints also were fifth in Friday’s Iowa Wesleyan Invitational in Muscatine ... Five of the six players who competed at Iowa Wesleyan on Friday improved their scores on Saturday. Jagmin had the biggest jump of 12 strokes (89 Saturday, 101 Friday). Ward improved five strokes (85 Saturday, 90 Friday). McGowan was three strokes better (94 after a 97), Sucich improved by two shots (87 after an 89) and Anderson lowered her score by one stroke (90 from 91). Eldridge was the lone Saint to shoot higher on Saturday (96 after an 89). Mika did not play on Friday.
SEPTEMBER 21:
IOWA WESLEYAN INVITATIONAL
MUSCATINE, Iowa --- Freshman Liz Eldridge (Wheaton St. Francis H.S./Glen Ellyn, IL) and senior Jessica Sucich (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) led University of St. Francis with rounds of 89 as the Lady Saints placed fifth among nine teams at the Iowa Wesleyan Invitational.
Eldridge was participating in her first varsity competition after playing for the junior varsity in last week’s USF Fall Classic at Broken Arrow, the Lady Saints’ home course.
Junior Joanna Ward (Auburn H.S./Auburn, NY) followed Eldridge and Sucich with a 90. Freshman Rachael Anderson (Plainfield South H.S./Joliet, IL) carded a 91 to complete the Saints’ scoring. Freshmen Vicky McGowan (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Mokena, IL) and Ariel Jagmin (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Frankfort, IL) finished with rounds of 97 and 101, respectively.
St. Ambrose (IA) won the team title with a score of 324, five strokes ahead of NCAA Division III Wheaton. Waldorf (IA) was third at 336 and Ashford (IA) was fourth at 349.
USF continues the weekend trip to Iowa on Saturday when they tee it up at the Fighting Bee Classic hosted by St. Ambrose.
NOTES: Eldridge got her opportunity to move up to the varsity team when fellow freshman Michala Mika (Queen of Peace H.S./Palos Hills, IL) could not make the trip on Friday due to a class conflict. Eldridge made the most of her opportunity, sharing the team’s low round and finishing in a tie for 21st out of 50 total golfers ... The 359 team score for USF was its second highest in four tournaments this fall. USF fired a 362 in wet conditions in the season-opening meet at Tri-State (IN) back on August 25. That was also the only other time USF had just two players shoot less than 90.
SEPTEMBER 14:
USF LADY SAINTS FALL CLASSIC
LOCKPORT, Ill. --- University of St. Francis finished in fifth place but was only 11 strokes behind the second-place team as the Lady Saints played host to the first of three tournaments scheduled at Broken Arrow Golf Club this fall in the 12-team Lady Saints Fall Classic.
Bethel (IN) ran away with the team title, posting a score of 308 that beat second-place Lewis (332) by 24 strokes. St. Ambrose (IA) was third at 334 and Wheaton came in fourth at 339, just four strokes ahead of USF’s season-low total of 343.
Senior Jessica Sucich (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) led the Lady Saints with an 82 and tied for seventh place overall. Junior Joanna Ward (Auburn H.S./Auburn, NY) followed with an 84 which put her in a tie for 13th in the field. Freshman Rachael Anderson (Plainfield South H.S./Joliet, IL) carded an 85 and tied for 17th.
A pair of freshmen from Lincoln-Way East High School -- Ariel Jagmin and Vicky McGowan -- each shot 92s and tied for 37th to round out the USF scoring.
Freshman Michala Mika (Queen of Peace H.S./Palos Hills, IL) was USF’s sixth player and she recorded a round of 95.
USF also entered a junior varsity team in the field and it placed 10th among the 12 squads entered. Freshman Liz Eldridge (Wheaton St. Francis H.S./Glen Ellyn, IL) led that Saints unit with a round of 96 and fellow freshman Katy Doolan (Downers Grove South H.S./Downers Grove, IL) notched a 97. Freshmen Lindsey Karlson (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) and Cindy Dowell (Queen of Peace H.S./Burbank, IL) completed the USF scoring with rounds of 105 and 110, respectively. Sophomore Raquel DeBartolo (Rosary H.S./Aurora, IL) was disqualified for playing an improper drop after hitting her ball into a hazard.
Bethel’s Shanna Page was medalist with a one-under round of 71.
NOTES: Sucich’s round of 82 was her best since recording two rounds of 81 during her freshman year in the 2004-05 season ... The Saints’ team total of 343 was two shots better than their effort at the Robert Morris tourney two weekends ago. It also marked the Saints’ best 18-hole team score since shooting a 338 at the Robert Morris Fall Classic on Sept. 2, 2005 ... The other two tournaments slated for Broken Arrow this fall are the IMI (Illinois-Michigan-Indiana) Conference meet on Sept. 28-29 and the NAIA Region VII Championship on Oct. 7-8.
AUGUST 31:
ROBERT MORRIS COLLEGE FALL CLASSIC
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. --- University of St. Francis had five players shoot under 90 for the first time in school history and captured third place out of eight teams at the Robert Morris Fall Classic at Foss Park Golf Course Friday.
The Saints brought home the third-place trophy with a score of 345 which was just two strokes shy of second-place Wheaton College (IL). Bethel College (IN) easily captured first place with a team total of 318.
Freshman Rachael Anderson (Plainfield South H.S./Joliet, IL) led the Lady Saints with a round of 84 that tied her for ninth in the 58-player field. Anderson shot nines of 44 and 40 to pace the Saints.
Junior Joanna Ward (Auburn H.S./Auburn, NY) and freshman Vicky MoGowan (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Mokena, IL) were right behind Anderson, posting rounds of 86 and tying for 16th place. Senior Jessica Sucich (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) and freshman Ariel Jagmin (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Frankfort, IL) both carded rounds of 89 to complete the Lady Saints’ scoring.
NOTES: USF’s total of 345 matched the team’s low score from last season. The Lady Saints shot a 345 in their own USF Fall Invitational on Sept. 15, 2006 at Broken Arrow Golf Club in Lockport ... Anderson’s low round for the Saints marked the first time since last fall’s NAIA Region VII meet that someone other than Ward fired the Saints’ low score.
AUGUST 25:
TRI-STATE UNIVERSITY FALL INVITATIONAL
ANGOLA, Ind. --- Junior Joanna Ward (Auburn H.S./Auburn, NY) fired an 84 in extremely wet and soggy conditions to lead University of St. Francis to a sixth-place finish in the nine-team Tri-State University Fall Invitational.
Ward shot 43 on the front nine and 41 on the back and finished in 14th overall among 52 competitors.
Senior Jessica Sucich (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) fired USF’s second-lowest round with an 88, which included a 41 on the back nine. Three freshmen rounded out the Lady Saints’ scoring with Ariel Jagmin (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Frankfort, IL) shooting a 94, Rachael Anderson (Plainfield South H.S./Joliet, IL) a 96 and Vicky MoGowan (Lincoln-Way East H.S./Mokena, IL) a 99.
NCAA Division I Ball State (IN) captured the team title with a score of 315. NCAA Division II University of Indianapolis (INO) was second at 321, followed by University of Saint Francis (IN) at 348, Marian College (IN) at 349 and host Tri-State University at 356.
The Lady Saints finished with a team total of 362 and placed third among six NAIA schools that were entered.
NOTES: Three Saints -- Jagmin, Anderson and McGowan -- made their collegiate debuts ... USF;s team total of 362 was three strokes better than its performance in the same tourney on the same course one year ago. That improvement came in spite of the difficult course conditions due to heavy rains in northeast Indiana all week.
