Bowling Green State University
MAC Championship
Falcons Finish Eighth at MAC Championships; Grunden Sets School Record
April 25, 2010 | Women's Golf
The Bowling Green State University women's golf team battled wet conditions all afternoon en route to an eighth-place finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships in Fishers, Ind., with a score of 983 (335-321-327).
Kent State won the tournament by 19 shots, finishing with a score of 892. Ball State finished second with a score of 911, followed by Toledo (912), Eastern Michigan (926), Akron (929), Western Michigan (931), Ohio (959), BGSU (983) and Northern Illinois (989).
Highlight of the afternoon was freshman Susy Grunden, who entered Sunday's final round needing to card a 76 (+4) or better to post a new BGSU single season scoring record. The Krum, Texas, native fired a 38 (+2) on the opening nine, but a bogey on the 11th, followed by double bogey on the 13th and a bogey on the 15th put the freshman at 6-over-par with three holes remaining.
After posting a five on the par-5 16th the freshman needed to play the last two holes at 2-under par to set a new BGSU record.
Flash back to Saturday's round when Grunden entered the 17th hole at one-under par, but after a double bogey on 17 and a triple bogey on the last hole, Grunden's round ended in major disappointment, carding a 76. Those same two holes would now tell a different story on Sunday.
Grunden would birdie the 17th, a par-3, and would then birdie the 18th, a par-4, to give her a final round score of 76, and a 230 (78-76-76) for the tournament (finished tied for 15th). On the year she averaged 78.53, just passing Jenny Schnipke's average of 78.54 set is 2003-04.
For a quick comparison, Schnipke competed in 24 rounds, recording 1,885 strokes (78.542 avg.), while Grunden finished the year competing in 26 rounds. recording 2,042 strokes (78.538 avg.).
Lauren Glew finished 35th with a 54-hole score of 250. After opening with an 86 on Friday, the junior carded back-to-back 82's on Saturday and Sunday.
Also competing for the Falcons were Amy Ruthenberg (86-81-86 -- 253, T-39th), Hannah Lambert (90-82-83 -- 255, 42nd) and Marisa Glew (85-84-89 -- 258, 43rd).
All-MAC First Team
Kristen Hill, Akron
Brittany Kelly, Ball State
Darby Peters, Eastern Michigan
Mercedes Germino, Kent State
Martina Gavier, Kent State
Elise Swartout, Western Michigan
* First team was extended due to ties
All-MAC Second Team
Emily Podzielinski, Eastern Michigan
Robyn Scott, Eastern Michigan
Sarah Bradley, Kent State
Michelle Hui, Toledo
Britney Hamilton, Western Michigan
All-Tournament Team
Martina Gavier (KSU)
Brittany Kelly (BSU)
Robyn Scott (EMU)
Shamira Marshall (KSU)
Rachael Pruett (BSU)
Coach of the Year
Katherine Mowat, Ball State
Golfer of the Year
Martina Gavier, Kent State
Freshman of the Year
Emily Podzielinski, Eastern Michigan
MAC Sportsmanship Award
Kirsty O'Connor, Ball State
Team Scores
1 Kent State +28 F +12 297 295 300 892
2 Ball State +47 F +18 301 304 306 911
3 Toledo +48 F +14 307 303 302 912
4 Eastern Michigan +62 F +36 306 296 324 926
5 Akron +65 F +21 310 310 309 929
6 Western Michigan +67 F +36 305 302 324 931
7 Ohio +95 F +31 326 314 319 959
8 Bowling Green +119 F +39 335 321 327 983
9 Northern Illinois +125 F +45 338 318 333 989
