
Ella Overstreet
Photo by: Jordan Kruse
Recap | Women's Golf finishes eighth in MVC Championships
04/15/2025 | 8:19:00 | Women's Golf
WATERLOO, Ill. - Southern Illinois Women's Golf finished eighth in the MVC Championship tournament Tuesday in Waterloo, Ill. The Salukis entered the final round tied for second but slipped down the standings after compiling the day's highest round of 325 (+37) as a team.
First-year Head Coach Rory Weinfurther was proud of her young team's attitude and effort and believes the pressure to stay atop the standings in the final round is something the team will have to become familiar with to reach the ultimate goal.
"We weren't in contention a lot during this semester so we maybe felt some pressure to win or place well, being in the final groups," she said. "As a first-year coach, it was hard to navigate that and keep things positive and motivating but that comes with experience and me putting them in more pressure situations and tournaments that we can compete in so that we feel comfortable that we can rely on our preparation."
Despite falling in the standings, Weinfurther has only positive things to say about the team's finish.
"I'm very happy with the way they finished," she said. "We did move down the leaderboard a lot on the third day but they were all ready to go and wanted to play well and sometimes that's all I can ask for."
The team received strong performances in the first round, with all five golfers shooting in the 70s, including a season-low 75 from Morgan Gindler.
Freshman Pihla Pennanen played a key role in Southern keeping pace for a top spot, rebounding for a team-low 72 in round two.
Sophomore Kayla Sayyalinh finished off her impressive 2024-25 campaign by finishing tenth, shooting a 71-74-79 split. She has been the team's leader all season, and Coach Weinfurther believes her best days are ahead.
"I'm excited to see what she does because she is so young and still developing as a golfer."
Ella Overstreet finished second on the team and tied her season-low with a total score of 231. Her effort did not go unnoticed, and Weinfurther credits her demeanor as a big reason for her success.
"She's stayed motivated this semester and knows what to work on which makes it great to coach her," Weinfurther said. "Her attitude is also great, she's pretty even keel on the golf course which is a crucial trait when competing for a team championship."Â
Here is how the Saluki golfers fared:
See a full tournament breakdown here.
The 2024-25 season has concluded, and the Salukis will begin preparation for the next season.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
For the latest updates on the Salukis, follow the team on X (@SIU_WGolf), Facebook (@Saluki Women's Golf), and Instagram (@siu_wgolf).
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First-year Head Coach Rory Weinfurther was proud of her young team's attitude and effort and believes the pressure to stay atop the standings in the final round is something the team will have to become familiar with to reach the ultimate goal.
"We weren't in contention a lot during this semester so we maybe felt some pressure to win or place well, being in the final groups," she said. "As a first-year coach, it was hard to navigate that and keep things positive and motivating but that comes with experience and me putting them in more pressure situations and tournaments that we can compete in so that we feel comfortable that we can rely on our preparation."
Despite falling in the standings, Weinfurther has only positive things to say about the team's finish.
"I'm very happy with the way they finished," she said. "We did move down the leaderboard a lot on the third day but they were all ready to go and wanted to play well and sometimes that's all I can ask for."
The team received strong performances in the first round, with all five golfers shooting in the 70s, including a season-low 75 from Morgan Gindler.
Freshman Pihla Pennanen played a key role in Southern keeping pace for a top spot, rebounding for a team-low 72 in round two.
Sophomore Kayla Sayyalinh finished off her impressive 2024-25 campaign by finishing tenth, shooting a 71-74-79 split. She has been the team's leader all season, and Coach Weinfurther believes her best days are ahead.
"I'm excited to see what she does because she is so young and still developing as a golfer."
Ella Overstreet finished second on the team and tied her season-low with a total score of 231. Her effort did not go unnoticed, and Weinfurther credits her demeanor as a big reason for her success.
"She's stayed motivated this semester and knows what to work on which makes it great to coach her," Weinfurther said. "Her attitude is also great, she's pretty even keel on the golf course which is a crucial trait when competing for a team championship."Â
Here is how the Saluki golfers fared:
- Team: 8th, 924 (+60)
- Kayla Sayyalinh: T-10th, 224Â (+8)
- Ella Overstreet: 25th, 231Â (+15)
- Pihla Pennanen: T-36th, 237Â (+21)
- Morgan Gindler: T-40th, 238Â (+22)
- Calli Smith: T-42nd, 239Â (+23)
See a full tournament breakdown here.
The 2024-25 season has concluded, and the Salukis will begin preparation for the next season.
FOLLOW THE SALUKIS
For the latest updates on the Salukis, follow the team on X (@SIU_WGolf), Facebook (@Saluki Women's Golf), and Instagram (@siu_wgolf).
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Players Mentioned
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Wednesday, September 10
9.9.25 | Coach Nick Hill Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, September 09
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Sunday, September 07