Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Golf Kicks Off Spring Season in Arizona
03/01/2005 | 12:00:00 | Women's Golf
March 1, 2005
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Following a four-month break for the Southern Illinois women's golf team, the Salukis are back in action when they travel to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the third annual East/West Rio Verde Invitational, Mar. 3-5.
The Salukis will take on the 18-team field at the White Wing Golf Course at the Rio Verde Country Club. Fellow Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley, along with Big 10 schools Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota will be competing.
Southern completed a successful fall, placing in the top seven in three of four tournaments. Kelly Gerlach, the 2004 Missouri Valley Conference co-champion, led the Salukis with a 76.20 average through ten rounds. The sophomore finished second at the Arkansas State Lady Indian Classic, helping her team to a third place finish. Samantha Sutzer (79.70) and Josie Lowder (79.90) finished third and fourth on the team through 10 rounds in the fall.
Sophomores Gerlach, Sutzer and Lowder will be joined by senior Stefanie Pate, freshman Christine Zoerlein and sophomore Natalie Parker as the Salukis' top six golfers.
The first round of the 54-hole tournament will begin Thursday at 1 p.m. with a shotgun start. Results can be found at www.golfstat.com or at www.siusalukis.com following each day of competition.
