Falcons Fly Past the Flyers & Draw with the Eagles in Match Play on Monday

Monday, February 8

Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

All Day

Bowling Green State University

Women's Mid-American Match Play Challenge

Freshman Erin Fahey posted two wins in match play on Monday at the Women's Mid-American Match Play Challenge in Florida.

Photo by: BGSU Strategic Communications

Falcons Fly Past the Flyers & Draw with the Eagles in Match Play on Monday

February 08, 2016 | Women's Golf

By: by Kevin Davis, Assistant Director for Athletic Communications

Live Results: Day One Results at www.Golfstat.com
Bracket: Updated Tournament Bracket (PDF)

Lakewood Ranch, Fla. – In its first action of the 2016 spring season, the Bowling Green State University women's golf team went 1-0-1 overall on day one of the 2016 Women's Mid-American Match Play Challenge on the par 72, 6,068-yards Royal Lakes Golf Course at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

BGSU defeated Dayton 4-1 in the first round to advance to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals round, the Falcons played Eastern Michigan to a 1-1-3 draw. However, the Eagles were able to advance on a margin of victory tiebreaker by posting a 5&4 win in the dual.

"We played great golf all day today. This morning we got off to a hot start and never let up. In the afternoon match, we continued to play great against a tough opponent. Unfortunately, the tiebreaker had to determine who moved on, but I was proud of the way we played," stated assistant coach John Powers. "We are looking forward to another good test tomorrow and to finish strong."

In BGSU's first match of the day, the Falcons picked up wins from Hannah Lewis, Lily Bartell, Erin Fahey and Fran Rodriguez to fly past the Dayton Flyers.

Rodriguez opened the bout up with a 5&3 win over Jacki Berardi at the No. 5 spot. The junior jumped out to a one-hole lead with a win at hole No. 10, then dropped hole No. 13, only to bounce back to take the next hole on No. 14 to finish the back nine at 1-up. Rodriguez then took over the match with wins at holes No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 to go 4-up and then put the match away with a win on hole No. 6 to finish out the match at 5&3 in just 15 holes of play.

Fahey dominated her match from start to finish, as the freshman took just 11 holes to beat Emily Connors of Dayton 8&7. Fahey flew out to an early 3-up lead with wins on holes No. 10, No. 11, and No. 12, and then added wins at holes 14 and 17 on the back nine to take a 5-up lead at the turn. The first-year Falcon then posted wins on holes No. 1 and No. 2 to complete the win.

BGSU went up 3-0 in the team match over the Flyers after Bartell turned in a 4&2 win over Jenna DiPaolo at the No. 3 position in the lineup. Like Fahey, Bartell jumped out to an early lead by winning the first four holes at 10, 11, 12 and 13 to go 4-up early. After dropping hole No. 15 and then winning again at hole No. 16 to stay 4-up through nine holes, she then picked up wins at No. 4 and No. 7 to secure the 4&2 win.

With the first three Falcons picking up wins early, BGSU's top two golfers in Lewis and Baer each had their matches cut short due to the win.

At the No. 2 spot, Baer was down four heading into the final four holes of play when the match was called due to BGSU clinching the team win. The junior fell behind 3-down, before picking up wins on holes 16 and 18 on the back nine, and on hole No. 2 on the front nine.

Lewis posted a 3&3 win over Mika Suntay of Dayton, as she posted wins on holes 11, 13, 14, 17, 18 on the back nine and lost holes No. 15 and No. 16 to finish the first nine holes of play at 3-up. She then won at hole No. 2 to go 4-up before dropping hole No. 6 to fall to 3-up. Up three holes with three holes left, the match was called due to the fact that BGSU had already secured the team match win.

In the quarterfinals match versus the Eagles, the Falcons got a win from Fahey at the No. 4 position, but suffered a loss at the No. 2 spot. The other three matches would finish all square to put the team score tied at 1-1-3 overall.

Fahey picked up a 3&2 win over Kritsuda Apiwatthanadol of EMU to record BGSU's lone win of the match. The Falcon golfer took an early 1-up lead with a win at hole No. 12, before dropping the next hole to put the match back at even. Fahey then posted wins at holes 17 and 18, which would be the difference in the match as she would go shot for shot with Apiwatthanadol on the front nine to secure the 3&2 win after 16 holes of play.

Baer was edged by Thelma Beck 5&4 at the second spot to give Eastern Michigan its lone win of the match, while Rodriguez, Bartell and Lewis all finished their head-to-head matches all square through 18 holes of play.

Despite the tie, the Eagles advanced to the semifinals round by virtue of the margin of victory tiebreaker. With EMU's 5&4 win being greater than BGSU's 3&2 victory, the Eagles advanced to face Akron in the semifinals round on Tuesday.

With EMU advancing, BGSU will compete in the consolation bracket with the chance to finish as high as fifth-place overall.

The second day of the 2016 Women's Mid-American Match Play Challenge is slated for a 7:50 a.m. start time tomorrow, Feb. 9.

The Falcons will tee-off against the Oakland Grizzlies on hole No. 10 at 7:50 a.m.

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First Round – No. 7 BGSU defeats No. 10 Dayton – 4-1
Hannah Lewis (BGSU) def. Mika Suntay (Dayton) – 3&3
Amalia Emma (Dayton) def. Mikayla Baer (BGSU) – 4&4
Lily Bartell (BGSU) def. Jenna DiPaolo (Dayton) – 4&2
Erin Fahey (BGSU) def. Emily Connors (Dayton) – 8&7
Fran Rodriguez (BGSU) def. Jacki Berardi (Dayton) -5&3

Quarterfinals Round – No. 7 BGSU ties No. 2 EMU – 1-1-3
Hannah Lewis (BGSU) ties Kelsey Murphy (EMU) – All Square
Thelma Beck (EMU) def. Mikayla Baer (BGSU) – 5&4
Lily Bartell (BGSU) ties Karyn Lee Ping (EMU) – All Square
Erin Fahey (BGSU) def. Kritsuda Apiwatthanadol (EMU) – 3&2
Fran Rodriguez (BGSU) ties Lauren Stephens (EMU) – All Square