The Gustavus women’s golf team shot its best round of the tournament on Monday, yet couldn’t catch a hot St. Olaf team who cruised to the 2011 MIAC Championship after recording a three-day total 939 (+75). The Gusties shot a 319 on day three, finishing the 2011 MIAC Championships in second place with a three-day total 961 (+97). The Oles win their first MIAC Championship in the program’s history, ending Gustavus’ three-year conference reign.
The 2011 MIAC Championships were held Oct. 1-3 at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids, Minn.
“We struggled on and around the greens this past weekend and couldn’t get comfortable,” said Head Coach Scott Moe after play concluded. “St. Olaf played really well. They had three of their lowest scores in the program’s history at this tournament. That’s tough to beat.”
First-year Sam Falk (Glenwood, Minn.) stayed in the hunt from start to finish, yet couldn’t catch St. Olaf’s Vanessa Kleckner on the final day. Falk shot a 78 (+6) on day three to finish with a three-day total 232 (+16). The Minnewaska High School product’s 232 is the second-best 54-hole total ever recorded in the history of the Gustavus women’s golf program. Her mark sits behind two-time MIAC Individual Medalist Katie Schenfeld’s 2010 conference-winning score of 224. Falk’s finish is also the highest by a frosh in the history of Gustavus women’s golf.
Ole Vanessa Kleckner became the 2011 MIAC Individual Medalist after shooting a 77-78-74 for a three-day total 229 (+13). Her score ranks third all-time in the history of the 54-hole MIAC Tournament. Kathryn Hauff of Saint Benedict rounded out the top-three in second with a 231 (+15).
Ann Jackson (Fargo, N.D.) fired a tournament-low 77 (+5) on the final day of the event, finishing in a three-way tie for eighth place with a weekend total of 241 (+25). With the eighth place finish, Jackson earns All-Conference honors for the second time in her career and first time since 2009.
Taylor Drenttel (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and Liz Strom (Fargo, N.D.) both finished 12th at 244 (+28). Drenttel shot a 79-82-83, while Strom shot an 82-81-81. Kayleigh Dittes (Eden Prairie, Minn.) shot an 83 on the final day to finish in 16th with a 248 (+32).
“I’m proud of the way we competed all weekend and now its time to focus on the spring and the upcoming off-season,” commented Moe.
Gustavus’ three-day team-total 961 at this season’s conference tournament is the best 54-hole score ever recorded by a Gustavus team. The previous record was 968 shot by the 2009 MIAC Championship team at the MIAC Championships.