Release courtesy of the GVSU Sports Information Department
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Grand Valley State women's golf team continued its reign over the GLIAC on Sunday (Apr. 28), coming from behind to win the 10th GLIAC Women's Golf Championship in school history and the sixth in a row. Sophomore Kelly Hartigan (Lake Orion, Mich./Chippewa Valley) won GLIAC Medalist honors, the sixth time a Laker has finished at the top.
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Entering the final round of play three strokes behind Ferris State, GVSU put together a stellar performance, turning in a final team round of 314, the third-best round of the entire tournament, to win the team championship with a three round score of 943. Ashland, with a solid final round, finished second, 10 strokes behind the Lakers at 953. Ferris State, the leaders after two rounds, fell to third and finished at 955 for the tournament. Findlay (968), Northwood (1014), Ohio Dominican (1032), Lake Superior State (1057) and Tiffin (1114) rounded out the standings.
The story of the day, as it has been, was Hartigan. She finished her incredible tournament with her second consecutive one-over round of 73 to finish at 221 (+5) for the tournament, winning GLIAC Medalist honors by six strokes. Her rounds of 75, 73, 73, were three of the four best individual rounds in the entire tournament.
She becomes the fifth different Laker to win the individual crown at the GLIAC Championship, and it was the sixth time a Laker has won overall. She joins Sarah Hoffman (2012), Ashley Smith (2010), Kristina Langton (2009) and Melissa Sneller (2004, 2005) to top the individual standings. This coming only a year after Hartigan was named the GLIAC Women's Golf Freshman of the Year.
Freshman Gabrielle Shipley (Hastings, Mich.) matched her best round of the tournament by shooting a final round 77 (+5) to finish at 233 (+17) and in third place on the individual leaderboard.
Senior Marni Weinstein (Farmington Hills, Mich./Walled Lake Western) continued her consistent run, carding a final round 81 (+9) to finish at 241 (+25) for the tournament and in ninth place.
Senior Ashley Beard (Williston, N.D.) tied for 17th in the individual standings with a 249 (+33) total, while junior Veronica Ryan (Dallas, Texas/Ursuline Academy) finished in a tie for 21st at 253 (+37).
The Lakers will now get ready for postseason play, beginning with the NCAA Division II East Regional Championship at Joliet C.C. in Joliet, Ill., May 5th-7th.
