Tommie Sports - Women's Golf
Heck, Noble power Women's Golf to 7th straight MIAC title
1st of 9MIAC Women's Meet, October 08, 2007
Sophomore Laura Heck won the medalist chase by a whopping eight strokes and the St. Thomas women's golf team put three other players in the top seven en route to an unprecedented seventh consecutive MIAC team title.
In the process, UST coach Sara Evens' team claimed the MIAC's automatic berth into the May 2008 Division III national tournament in Waverly, Iowa.
The Tommies started the final round with a six-shot advantage then pulled away for a 19-stroke victory over runner-up Gustavus. The 54-hole, three-day event concluded Monday at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids.
St. Thomas, which placed fifth at nationals last May, had finished behind Gustavus in three consecutive fall tournaments. In fact the Gusties, who took third at nationals last May, outscored UST by 32 strokes the previous weekend. But the Tommies used another solid 54-hole performance and had four players earn All-MIAC honors.
Heck is the Tommies' fifth MIAC meet medalist in the last six seasons.
UST's seventh consecutive title is the fifth longest current team title streak in the conference after St. Thomas men's indoor track (23), Gustavus men's tennis (19), Gustavus women's tennis (16), and St. Thomas women's indoor track (eight).
Heck, a sophomore from Chisholm and Hibbing High School, had rounds of 76-77-77/230. That was just two shots off the MIAC meet 54-hole record score of 228 set in 2006 by Noble. There were only four rounds under 78 all weekend -- three by Heck and one by Noble. Heck placed 14th at the MIAC Championships as a freshman in 2006, but came back last May to tie for 10th at nationals and earn honorable-mention All-America honors.
Noble, a native of Owatonna, joined a select group of golfers to score on four MIAC title teams as she had rounds of 81-76-81/238 for second place. In claiming her third All-MIAC honor, Noble topped third-place Rachel Roberg of Gustavus by four shots.
Amy Anderson, a sophomore from Detroit Lakes, earned her first All-MIAC honor as she tied for fifth at 82-80-86/248. Senior Laura Klatt of St. Paul Academy repeated as All-MIAC as she tied for seventh with consistent scores of 83-83-85/251. Senior Katie Potts of Dubquue, Iowa, tied for 17th at 84-89-86/259.
Click here for MIAC Golf Recap:
http://www.miac-online.org/News/MIAC/2007/10/8/golf100207.asp?path=miac
Tourney photos by Greg Smith available for online purchase here in the coming days:
Sunday Results
St. Thomas (322-316/638) tied a conference tourtnament record with a 316 and extended its team lead at the MIAC Championships. UST, in search of an unprecedented seventh consecutive team crown, started Sunday with a four-stroke lead and pushed the margin to six after 36 holes. The 316 equals the Tommies' MIAC meet record total on the last round in 2006.
Gustavus (326-318/644), St. Olaf (343-337/680), Concordia (341-344/695) and St. Benedict (360-337/697) hold the 2-5 spots in the nine-team competition.
Laura Heck (76-77/153) holds a four-stroke lead over teammate Holly Noble (81-76/157) in the 45-player medalist competition. Gustavus' Rachel Roberg (81-79/160) sits in third place. Amy Anderson (82-80/162) is sixth, Laura Klatt (83-83/166) is tied for 10th, and Katie Potts (84-89/173) is tied for 19th place.
Saturday's Results
Sophomore Laura Heck shot 76 in Saturday's opening round to help the St. Thomas women's golf team take a four-stroke lead over second-place Gustavus in the MIAC Championships.
The 54-hole, three-day event continues Sunday at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids.
St. Thomas (322) is trying to win an unprecedented seventh consecutive team title. Gustavus (326), St. Olaf (343), Concordia (341) and Macalester (356) hold the top five spots in the nine-team competition.
Heck holds a four-stroke lead over Macalester's Jordan Mathison (80) in the 45-player medalist competition. Holly Noble (81) is tied for third, Amy Anderson (82) is tied for seventh, Laura Klatt (83) is tied for 10th and Katie Potts (84) sits in 14th place.
Click here for link to results:
http://www.miac-online.org/News/MIAC/2007/10/2/golf100207.asp?path=miac
2007 MIAC Women's Golf Champions -- St. Thomas
Front (L-R): Holly Noble, Katie Potts; Back (L-R) Coach Sara Evens, Amy Anderson, Laura Heck, Laura Klatt. (Greg Smith photo)
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