Findlay Wins 2023 G-MAC Championship | Beat Tiffin 4-1-0
Lexington, Ky.- The University of Findlay women's golf team won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Championship, which featured a head-to-head battle against Tiffin, Apr. 29. The event was held at the 6,014 yard, par 72, University Club of Kentucky's Big Blue Course- which has hosted the event dating back to 2019. The Oilers won in dominating fashion, defeating the Dragons 4-1-0.
The event is decided by medal match play, which features the top-two teams from 54-holes of stroke play. It is also used to crown the men's and women's NCAA Division II National Champions. Medal match play includes five matchups as players go head-to-head against each other. The winner of a match would be determined by total strokes and the team that wins at least three matches, declared the conference champion.
First off for the Oilers was senior Jill Schmitmeyer who took on Tiffin's Michaela Lindahl. Schmitmeyer took the lead on the first hole with a birdie and held that same lead throughout the day, ultimately winning by eight strokes and putting the first point on the board for Findlay. She recorded a round of 72 (E) while Lindahl carded an 80 (+8). With Schmitmeyer's win today, her medal match play record improves to 6-3-0, dating back to 2019.
Sophomore Erin Mulcahy was next to finish, putting the second point on the board for the Orange and Black. Like Schmitmeyer, E. Mulcahy never trailed in her match. She grew her lead to seven but a late comeback by Tiffin's Alexis Savage gave her just a three stroke win. E. Mulcahy recorded a 78 (+6) to take down Savage who recorded an 81 (+9). This is the Lima, Ohio natives third win of her career in medal match play.
The G-MAC medalist, junior Gabby Woods, took on Tiffin's Jordan Van Meter. Woods picked up right where she left off recording a 72 (E), while Van Meter recorded an 83 (+11). Woods cruised to an eleven stroke win, putting the third point on the board and securing the victory for the Oilers. The Sabina, Ohio native now holds a 4-4-0 record in medal match play.
Sophomore Mary Kelly Mulcahy faced Tiffin's Lisa Marie Schumacher in the fourth match of the day. In a match that saw back-and-forth action, Schumacher made seven consecutive pars to end the day and pick up a two shot win. M.K. Mulcahy carded a 75 (+3) falling to Schumacher's 73 (+1). Despite the loss today, M.K. Mulcahy holds a 3-2-2 record in medal match play.
Rounding out the matches for Findlay, was freshman Hayley Dye who faced a veteran in Tiffin's fifth year senior, Amanda Johansson. Dye, who was playing just the second match of her career, recorded a career-best 68 (-4) to pick up a dominating win over Johansson who recorded an 80 (+8). Dye's twelve shot win put the fourth and final point on the board for Findlay. Dye is now a perfect 2-0-0 in medal match play.
This win is Findlay's fifth consecutive Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championship and sixth consecutive conference championship to date back to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The Oilers also have held the individual conference titles for the past six years. This is the Oilers fourth win this spring. They have the team titles for the SVSU Spring Invite, the North Georgia Bracket Challenge, the Cavalier Classic, and now the G-MAC Championship. They also have individual champions in Gabby Woods, Jill Schmitmeyer, and Mary Kelly Mulcahy respectively.
The Oilers will begin preparation for the NCAA Division II East Regional which will be held May 8-10. They will travel to Springfield, Ill. to continue their journey to the 2023 NCAA Division II National Championship.