No. 22 Spartan Women’s Golf Wins Lady Buckeye Invitational, Powers Claims Medalist Honors

 

Sophomore Caroline Powers wins her first collegiate tournament to lead the Spartans to their first tournament victory of the season. Photo courtesy of MSU SID.

 

  

COMPLETE RESULTS: http://www.golfstatresults.com//public/index.cfm?tournament_id=2617

  

COLUMBUS, Ohio – It was quite a day for the Michigan State women’s golf team.

The No. 22 Spartans won the 12-team Lady Buckeye Invitational by 17 strokes on Sunday and sophomore Caroline Powers led the way by capturing medalist honors for the first time in her career.

MSU shot a 54-hole total of 918 (303-300-315), 17 shots ahead of second-place Kent State (312-309-314—935). The entire tournament was played in windy conditions at the par 72, 6,275-yard Scarlet Course, with gusts on Sunday ranging from 24 to 38 mph.

It marked the 27th career tournament victory for 14th-year MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, and the first of the 2010-11 season for Michigan State. The Spartans have played a demanding tournament schedule all season long, one that ranks the 11th-toughest in the nation by Golfweek.

“I was proud of the team because they were so resilient and tough all weekend playing in such bad weather,” said Slobodnik-Stoll. “Today was even windier than yesterday, but they stuck together and found a way to get it done and maintain the 17-stroke lead. This will definitely give us some momentum as we prepare for the Big Ten Championships next week.”

Powers entered the final round leading the field by three strokes and held off Wisconsin’s Lindsay Danielson by one shot to claim medalist honors. A product of Bowling Green, Ohio, Powers carded a 10-over 226 (75-72-79) to win the tournament.

“Caroline is such a talented player,” remarked Slobodnik-Stoll. “She said afterward she always wanted to win at Ohio State’s course, because that’s where her high school championships were, but never got the chance to hold up the first-place trophy. After today, she said it was better than winning it in high school.”

Senior Aimee Neff and freshman Christine Meier also posted a top-five finish, tying for fourth at 230, just four shots behind Powers. Neff finished with a 78 in Sunday’s final round, while Meier shot a 79. It marked a season-high finish for both Neff and Meier.

Junior Lindsey Solberg posted her second top-20 finish of the season by tying for 11th with a 234 (77-78-79), and freshman Allyssa Ferrell delivered the best finish of her young career, tying for 17th with a three-round total of 238 (79-76-83).

Senior Natalie Brehm fired a 248 (82-81-85) to tie for 52nd.

The Spartans return to action next weekend (April 22-24) for the Big Ten Championships in Glencoe, lll.