Michigan State University Athletics
Women's Golf Wins 2005 Lady Buckeye Invitational Title
4/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
April 17, 2005
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Michigan State women's golf concluded the final day of play (April 17) at the 2005 Lady Buckeye Invitational, finishing nine strokes ahead of the rest of the 15-team field to secure its first tournament title of the season. The Spartans shot a third-round 298 Sunday, giving them an 886 (293-295-298) for the event. The tournament, which was played at Ohio State's Scarlett Golf Course on the campus of Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, featured two days of action, with 36 holes featured Saturday and the final 18 holes on Sunday.
"The girls played spectacular," commented head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll. "They have been working hard all year long, and their hard work and effort is beginning to pay off. I am really proud of them."
Big Ten rival Ohio State finished second to MSU, nine strokes back with an 895, while Iowa (293), Kent State (909) and Purdue (914) rounded out the final top-five leader board.
Sophomore Rachel Meikle (Fort Wayne, Ind.) continued to build upon her recent success at the end of the year, pacing the way for the Spartans for the second consecutive tournament. Meikle shot a 219 (72-74-73), giving her sole possession of second place overall. Her finish at the Lady Buckeye is the best of her young career and first collegiate top-10 outing.
Freshman Sara Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) also had an excellent outing at the Spartans' final regular season event. Brown shot a 225 (78-72-75) in her ninth tournament appearance of the year, good for 10th place overall. It marked the second time that Brown has broken into the top-10 individual leader board in tournament action this season, with her other showing occurring earlier this season at the Lady Paladin Invitational, where she finished ninth.
Sophomore Mandi McConnell (Grand Blanc, Mich.) shot a 226 (71-74-81) for the event, landing her in a tie for 11th place with Notre Dame's Noriko Nakazaki. The outing marked McConnell's second top-20 finish of the season and best showing since the Spartans' first event of the season, the Lady Northern Invitational (Sept. 11-12), where she finished tie for ninth.
Junior Dayna Burleigh (Horsham, Pa.) finished in a three-way tie for 13th, shooting a 227 (72-76-79). The outing was the best of Burleigh's season and second top-20 finish of the year.
Rounding out the roster for Michigan State, sophomore Heather Rose (Chillicothe, Ohio) shot a 230 (78-75-77) for the event, placing her in a six-way tie for 20th overall. Her showing was her best of the season. And playing as an individual, redshirt freshman Kristen Polanski (Livonia, Mich.) finished in a three-way tie for 31st overall, shooting a 234 for the tournament.
"Winning this tournament now is great timing for us heading into the Big Ten Championship weekend," said Slobodnik-Stoll. "It would be perfect timing for our team to peak now, late in the season. Beating three Big Ten schools this weekend can only help us mentally going into next weekend's tournament."
Michigan State hits the links this weekend (April 22-24), as they look to build upon their recent success at the 2005 Big Ten Championships hosted by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.
