Ephs hold on to 8th-place finish at NCAAs
WAVERLY, IA. — Sophomore Anne O'Leary earned par on her last three holes and completed her final round with a four-over 76 Friday to help the Williams College women's golf team to an 8th-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Div. III Championships.
It was the highest finish at nationals for the Ephs, who placed 10th last year, their first trip to the national tournament.
Williams' Round 4 total of 320 was just one stroke off its best of the season and best of the nationals. The Ephs registered a 319 in Round 3 of the NCAAs, played at Centennial Oaks Golf Club.
Williams finished one stroke ahead of Allegheny College and two strokes ahead of host Wartburg College. The Ephs were three strokes behind seventh-place St. Thomas. Their four round total was 1,288 (326-323-319-320).
"Going in to today we were tied for eighth and our team goal was to finish now lower than 8th," Ephs co-head coach Kris Herman said. "We did that by one stroke and were within striking distance of the top five. it was a good day for Williams golf -- the experience gained by these players will serve our program well moving forward."
O'Leary's four-round total of 311 put her in a tie for 13th-place on the leaderboard. Friday, she put together her second-best round, notching 11 pars, including three on the aforementioned final three holes. She also had two birdies, one on the par-five 14th hole, and one on the par-five third hole.
Junior Melissa Barton put together her best round of the tournament on Friday, entering the clubhouse with a six-over 78. She earned par on 13 of 18 holes Friday. Classmate Laura Koplik ended her tournament with an 11-over 83, notching seven pars and one birdie, it coming on the par-five 14th hole.
Sophomore Kait O'Brien and first-year Lauren Anstey each had rounds of 12-over 84s Friday. For Anstey, it was her best round of the NCAAs. She had eight pars and one birdie, it coming on the par-three 13th hole.
