Women's Golf prepares for State Farm MVC Championship
04/14/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Golf
April 14, 2006
By Lacole Hook
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Wichita State will host the 2006 State Farm MVC Women's Golf Championship April 17-18, at Reflection Ridge Golf Club. SIU looks to win its seventh conference title in school history. The Salukis last won a league crown in 2000, where they beat MSU by 11 strokes in Evansville, Ind. Before that, SIU won MVC championships in 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1998.
The Salukis were picked fourth in the pre-championship coaches poll, two spots down from where they finished in 2005 behind Illinois State. Bradley picked up six first-place votes and 61 points to edge Illinois State (50) and Missouri State (50) in the poll. SIU (44) was picked fourth by the coaches, while host Wichita State (44) rounded out the top five. Creighton (23), Northern Iowa (19) and Evansville (9) finished sixth, seventh and eighth in the voting.
"I think that is where we belong," Saluki golf coach Diane Daugherty said. "I am actually glad we are ahead of Northern Iowa and Wichita State. There is a lot of parody and it's pretty close."
Sophomore Christine Zoerlein finished second individually at the tournament last year with a 221, the second all-time low 54-hole score in SIU history. This season Zoerlein leads the team, along with junior Josie Lowder, with a 79.4 low stroke average.
Freshman Braidy Hood is entering her first MVC tournament. Hood's stroke average is 80.3 and her best finish of the year was placing 14th at the NIU Snowbird.
Other Saluki golfers include juniors Samantha Sutzer and Abbigail Johnson, as well as redshirt sophomore Kate Laegeler. Sutzer has shot 10 rounds in the 70s this season, and put her two best rounds together when she finished ninth at the Saluki Invitational (74, 79=153). Johnson has played in 13 rounds of golf this spring while Laegeler has played in eight. They are averaging 83.1 and 84.4 strokes respectively.
"I think that we are ready," said Daugherty. "We've said all along that we have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
The Salukis have mixed things up during practice this week playing at courses other than home course Hickory Ridge.
"We've gone to Jackson and Stone Creek to play just to get different looks," Daugherty said. "The courses have been very accommodating to us. We've had great practice this week. It's one of these things where in golf, anybody can beat anybody on any given day. Without pressure maybe we'll play."
Teams will play 54 holes over two days, with 36 holes the first day. Results can be found following each day of competition at www.siusalukis.com.
2006 State Farm MVC Women's Golf Poll
1. Bradley (6) -- 61
2. Illinois State (1) -- 50
2. Missouri State (1) -- 50
4. Southern Illinois -- 44
5. Wichita State -- 32
6. Creighton -- 23
7. UNI -- 19
8. Evansville -- 9