Souvannasing leads UCO to conference championship, NSU’s Price second

LAWRENCE, Kan. (April 22) – Marla Souvannasing continued a fabulous freshman campaign and Central Oklahoma maintained its dominating ways at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Women’s Golf Championships here Wednesday.

Souvannasing fired a final-round 1-under-par 71 to rally for the individual championship in leading UCO to its third straight league team title in overwhelming fashion at the 6,012-yard, par-72 Alvamar Golf Club (Championship Course).

The Bronchos closed with a 303 to finish the three-day, 54-hole tourney at 934, a staggering 32 shots ahead of runner-up Lindenwood.  Northeastern State was third in the 10-team tourney at 970, followed by Nebraska-Kearney (1,005) and Central Missouri (1,006).

"This is just a very mature team and they make my job easy," head coach Michael Bond said.  "We got off to a poor start today and they just kind of righted the ship, just like we did the first two days.  We’re thrilled to be conference champions again, but we’re not done yet."

Souvannasing’s 71 was low round of the tournament by three shots, with the Bronchos also getting a 75 from Bethany Darrough, a 77 from Katie Bensch, an 80 from Daniela Martinez and an 83 from Lindsey Bensch.

UCO had four of the top five individual finishers in winning its ninth tournament in 11 outings this year.

Souvannasing vaulted from third to first with her brilliant finish and ended with a 228 total for a two-stroke victory.  Darrough ended up third at 235, while K. Bensch and Martinez tied for fourth at 236.

It was the fourth title of the year for Souvannasing, who has placed in the top five in nine of UCO’s 11 tournaments.  The rookie sensation had two birdies and one bogey in making the turn at one-under 35 and birdied Nos. 11 and 13 in getting to three-under before double bogeying the final hole.

Darrough opened the day with a double bogey and struggled to a front-nine 41 before turning it on.  She birdied two of the first three holes on the back nine en route to a two-under 34 for the 75.

K. Bensch’s round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-4 sixth hole when she holed a 4-iron from 162 yards out.

The Bronchos will look to continue their amazing year May 3-5 when they go to Bartlesville, Okla. For the NCAA Division II Central Regional.

Northeastern State finished third after a final-round 326. NSU finished at 106-over-par 970 (321-323-326). Sophomore Baylee Price, the defending individual champion, held a one-stroke lead with nine holes to play but finished second at 14-over 230 (74-80-76). Price was named to the All-Tournament Team after finishing runner-up.

Junior Kayla Schroeder finished in solo ninth at 25-over 241 (78-79-84), while freshman Alexis Armon tied for 17th at 33-over 249 (84-81-84). Junior Charter Lawson placed solo 19th at 34-over 250 (85-83-82), while freshman Fiona Hakanen landed in a tie for 35th at 56-over 272 (93-89-90).

NSU has finished inside the top three at the conference event each of the last three years.

 The RiverHawks will now await word from the NCAA on their potential selection to the NCAA Central Region Championship. NSU will serve as hosts of the event, which will be contested May 3-5 at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville.

The next set of regional rankings will be released April 23, and the final NCAA Selections Announcement will be made at 2 p.m. April 27 on www.ncaa.com.

2015 MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS – Final Results
April 22, 2015 at Lawrence, Kan.

(par-72, 6,012-yard Alvamar Golf Club Championship Course)

Team Standings

1.        Central Oklahoma                             320-311-303=934 (+70)

2.        Lindenwood                                      331-313-322=966 (+102)

3.       Northeastern State                         321-323-326=970 (+106)

4.        Nebraska-Kearney                            338-333-334=1005 (+141)

5.        Central Missouri                                347-326-333=1006 (+142)

6.        Northwest Missouri State                358-339-322=1019 (+155)

7.        Missouri Western State                    348-335-339=1022 (+158)

8.        Fort Hays State                                  378-360-369=1107 (+243)

9.        Southwest Baptist                             388-363-370=1121 (+257)

10.     Lincoln                                               375-378-385=1138 (+274)

Top-5 Standings

1.        Marla Souvannasing (Central Oklahoma)    81-76-71=228 (+12)

2.       Baylee Price (Northeastern State)          74-80-76=230 (+14)

3.        Bethany Darrough (Central Oklahoma)       84-76-75=235 (+19)

T4.     Katie Bensch (Central Oklahoma)                 79-80-77=236 (+20)

           Daniela Martinez (Central Oklahoma)          76-80-80=236 (+20)

 

LAWRENCE, Kan. (April 22) – Eric Kline birdied the first playoff hole to capture the individual championship and lead Central Oklahoma to a runner-up finish in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Men’s Golf Championships here Wednesday.

Kline shot a final-round 74 to end up tied with Central Missouri’s Travis Mayes with a three-round total of 221 at the 6,829-yard, par-72 Alvamar Golf Club (Member’s Course) before winning the title with a birdie on the par-4 10th hole.

The Bronchos closed with a 309 to finish with a 924 total, 27 shots behind Central Missouri.  Lindenwood was third in the 11-team field at 943, followed by Washburn (944) and Northeastern State (957).

Logan Gray also had a 74 for UCO, while Russ Purser shot 78, Wesley Jackson 83 and Alexander Hughes 84.

Gray ended up tied for fourth in the medalist standings at 225.

Kline had two birdies and two bogeys in making the turn at even-par 36, but dropped to three-over with a double bogey on No. 13 and a bogey on No. 15.  He birdied the par-5 17th hole to get back to two-over in finishing with the 74 to get in the playoff.

Gray had a steady day with 16 pars and two bogeys in shooting 37-37.