Spring Break
Women set to hit links
Beavers begin spring golf season in South Carolina at Kiawah Island Tournament
John Daly
Issue date: 2/18/09 Section: Sports
Few sports teams would relish the chance of playing their opening tournaments 3,000 miles away from home, but that is exactly what is in store for the Oregon State University women's golf team in South Carolina this weekend.
The Beavers look to jumpstart their season in Osprey Point, S.C., at the Kiawah Island Women's Intercollegiate Tournament, which opens the spring season for NCAA women's golf action.
With several strong finishes in last season's fall tournaments, the sharp-shooting Beavers head into the upcoming season with confidence.
"The fall season has prepared us for the spring in that we have been working toward improving our stats and focusing more on the process of how to achieve our goals," junior Brittany Stewart said. "We are focusing less on what we want to happen and more on what we are willing to do and sacrifice to obtain our goals. We are ready for South Carolina and will show our competitors next week."
This confidence doesn't come without justification. In three of the four tournaments played by the Beavers late last year, the team finished seventh or better, including a first place finish at the 2008 Giustina Memorial Classic in late September.
Those important fall tournaments saw powerful performances from players like OSU junior Lauren Archer, who finished T7 at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational in October, and OSU senior Martha Burkard, who finished T4 at the 2008 Giustina Memorial Classic, where the Beavers finished in first place. At that same event, OSU sophomore Cara Freeman shot a scorching three-over to finish alone in second place for the weekend.
The team itself saw wholesale changes to its lineups after last season. Several experienced seniors departed, leaving behind a very talented, but very young, team. Last year, senior players like Julianna Uhrik, Jillian Ferrante and Jessi Gebhardt routinely led the team both mentally and on the scoreboard.
"They had four years of experience and had played most of the matches," head coach Risë Lakowske said. "We lost the experience of [players accustomed to] collegiate competition."
The Beavers look to jumpstart their season in Osprey Point, S.C., at the Kiawah Island Women's Intercollegiate Tournament, which opens the spring season for NCAA women's golf action.
With several strong finishes in last season's fall tournaments, the sharp-shooting Beavers head into the upcoming season with confidence.
"The fall season has prepared us for the spring in that we have been working toward improving our stats and focusing more on the process of how to achieve our goals," junior Brittany Stewart said. "We are focusing less on what we want to happen and more on what we are willing to do and sacrifice to obtain our goals. We are ready for South Carolina and will show our competitors next week."
This confidence doesn't come without justification. In three of the four tournaments played by the Beavers late last year, the team finished seventh or better, including a first place finish at the 2008 Giustina Memorial Classic in late September.
Those important fall tournaments saw powerful performances from players like OSU junior Lauren Archer, who finished T7 at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational in October, and OSU senior Martha Burkard, who finished T4 at the 2008 Giustina Memorial Classic, where the Beavers finished in first place. At that same event, OSU sophomore Cara Freeman shot a scorching three-over to finish alone in second place for the weekend.
The team itself saw wholesale changes to its lineups after last season. Several experienced seniors departed, leaving behind a very talented, but very young, team. Last year, senior players like Julianna Uhrik, Jillian Ferrante and Jessi Gebhardt routinely led the team both mentally and on the scoreboard.
"They had four years of experience and had played most of the matches," head coach Risë Lakowske said. "We lost the experience of [players accustomed to] collegiate competition."
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