Spartan Women’s Golf Places 10th at NCAA Central Regional

 COLUMBUS, Ind. – The Michigan State women’s golf team’s season ended Saturday afternoon, as the Spartans fell two strokes short of a qualifying

 

Senior Laura Kueny closes out her career with the best scoring average in school history (74.60). Photo courtesy of MSU SID

COLUMBUS, Ind. – The Michigan State women’s golf team’s season ended Saturday afternoon, as the Spartans fell two strokes short of a qualifying position for the 2010 NCAA Championship. MSU finished in 10th place at the NCAA Central Regional with a team score of 942 (310-316-316), just two strokes back of eighth-place Kent State . The top eight teams in the 24-team field earn a spot in the NCAA Championship.

 

Teams had to fight off windy conditions for the second straight day at Otter Creek Golf Course on Saturday. MSU began the day tied for eighth place, and ended only six strokes out of fourth place – but the third-round team score of 316 left the Spartans out of the NCAA Championship, as seven teams on the leaderboard from places No. 4 – No. 10 were separated by just six strokes.

 

USC claimed first place with a team score of 907, while Arizona State , Purdue , New Mexico , Oklahoma State , Florida State, Oregon and Kent State also advanced to the NCAA Championship.

 

Junior Aimee Neff led the Spartans by tying for 22nd place. Neff carded a three-round total of 17-over 233, including a 79 on Saturday.

 

Playing in her first NCAA Regional, freshman Caroline Powers tied for 26th with a score of 234 (80-75-79).

 

In the final tournament of her storied career, senior Laura Kueny finished at 235 (77-80-78) to tie for 31st place. Kueny closes out her career with a scoring average of 74.60, which surpasses Sara Brown’s previous record of 75.27 as the best in school history.

 

Kueny also set an MSU single-season scoring average record with a 73.85, again topping Brown (74.09 in 2007-08). Kueny leaves Michigan State with three of the top seven single-season scoring averages in program history, as her 74.50 average in 2008-09 ranks fourth and her 75.03 in 2007-08 ranks seventh. The Whitehall , Mich. , native is also the only player at MSU to shoot two rounds of 68, which is tied for the school single-round record.

 

Sophomore Lindsey Solberg rounded out the team’s scoring on Saturday by compiling an 80. She closed the tournament with a 24-over 240 (78-82-80).

 

Fellow sophomore Shannon Warner shot a 248 (82-84-82) over three rounds.

 

Although the Spartans will not be playing in the NCAA Championship, the team posted one of the best overall seasons in school history. MSU claimed three tournament titles (Mary Fossum Invitational, Tar Heel Invitational, Gator Invitational), set numerous team records, including the best overall 54-hole tournament score, and earned a berth to the NCAA Regionals for the 12th straight year. The Spartans will return four of their five starters for the 2010-11 season, which begins in September.