Petty, Oilers Finish as GLIAC Runners-Up
The University of Findlay women's golf team wrapped up the 2016 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship in second place on April 24 at the Meadows in Allendale, Mich. The Oilers were led by senior Kasey Petty, who finished as the runner-up at the tournament.
Petty shot a 1-under par score of 71 on the final day of competition to finish the tournament with a 1-under par score of 215 (70, 74, 71). Her score catapulted her into a playoff with Ashland's Ali Green, who carded a 5-under par 67 on Sunday, to force sudden death. Green, who birdied hole 17 to get to 1-under for the tournament, then defeated Petty on the first playoff hole to capture the individual title.
Petty's 54-hole score of 215 was good enough to establish a new school record at Findlay as she bettered Michele Schambs' mark of 219 (+3), set last year at the GLIAC Championship. Her final round score of 71 on Sunday was also the fourth-lowest total in school history.
The Groveport, Ohio native completed the tournament by leading the field in birdies with 11 during the 54 holes. She did most of her damage on par-5's, going four-under for the tournament on those holes.
Junior Shelby Warner and freshmen Makenzie Torres and Samantha Hatter also secured top-15 finishes for the Oilers at the event. Warner ended the tournament in 12th place while Torres and Hatter finished 13th and 15th, respectively.
Warner ended the tournament with a 54-hole score of 235. She shot a 78 in the first round before posting a 77 in round two. She then closed the tournament with an 80 on Sunday.
Torres opened the tournament with an 82 before shooting a 76 in round two. She then posted a 79 in the third round for a three-day total of 237.
Hatter recorded a 76 in the first round of competition and carded an 86 in the second. She ended the event with a 78 on Sunday to complete the tournament with a 54-hole score of 240.
Sophomore Kelsey Koesters tied for 28th with a 248, shooting a 79, 84 and 85 during the three days of tournament play.
The Oilers shot a 308 on the final day and ended the tournament with a 54-hole score of 922 (303, 311, 308). Their score for the three day competition was the second-lowest mark in school history.
The Oilers will now head to the NCAA Division II East Regional on May 2-4 in Springfield, Ill. The top-three teams at the tournament will advance to the 2016 NCAA Division II National Championship. The Oilers, who have qualified for the national championship in each of the past two seasons, will be competing at the Panther Creek Country Club for the right to head to Aurora, Colo. for nationals. The national championship is slated to be played at the CommonGround Golf Course.