Eau Claire, Wis. – The Gustavus women’s golf team kicked off the 2012 fall season with a strong showing at the Georgianni Memorial UW-Eau Claire Invitational held Saturday and Sunday at Mill Run and Wild Ridge Golf Courses. The Gusties matched their first day 324 with another 324 on day two to finish the tournament in second place with a two-day total 648 (+68). Washington University (Mo.) edged the black and gold by just two strokes to take first place, finishing with a 646 (+66). St. Olaf College rounded out the top three in third with a 658 (+78).
“I thought we played well. It was just one of those days that your opponent plays a little better. Wash U was solid, but I’m happy with the way our ladies competed,” said Head Coach Scott Moe. “A 324 was a good number for us today. That shows the consistency I like to see, especially this early in the year.”
Leading the Gusties with a third place finish was sophomore Sam Falk (Glenwood, Minn.). Falk shot a 75 (+3) on day one and an 81 (+8) on day two to finish in third place with a 156 (+11). Senior Kayleigh Dittes (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and sophomore Liz Strom (Fargo, N.D.) also cracked the top-10 out of 110 competing golfers. Dittes recorded Gustavus’ best round of day two with an 80 (+7) to finish in seventh place with a 159 (+14). Strom recorded an 81 (+8) on day two to place 10th with a 164 (+19).
Rounding out Gustavus’ first team was Holly Karkela (So., Perham, Minn.) in 26th with a 169 (+24) and Olivia Tusa (Fy., Hermantown, Minn.) in 37th with a 174 (+29).
Gustavus’ second team also had a strong showing in the season-opener, placing 10th with a two-day team total of 688 (+108). Rookie Chloe Altmann (Fy., Olivia, Minn.) fired a 167 (+22) to place 20th and lead the group.
By way of shooting a lower second round, Olivia Lugar of Washington U. claimed medalist honors over Kate Engler of UW-Eau Claire. Lugar shot a 77-78-155 (+10) and Engler shot a 76-79-155 (+10).
The Gustavus women’s golf team will be back on the links next weekend, Sept. 8-9 at the Wartburg College Invitational held in Waverly, Iowa.