SMC Golf: Belles soar into tourney
By: CHRIS FEDERICO
Sports Editor
The Saint Mary's golf team proved its dominance in the MIAA during the regular season, winning two of three MIAA Jamborees and the Baldwin-Wallace Yellow Jacket Invitational along the way.
Now it's time for the Belles to make their mark in the MIAA Conference Tournament this weekend on the Zolner Golf Course at Tri-State University.
The Belles have been on a roll in recent weeks of competition, winning their last three tournaments. Two weeks ago, Saint Mary's set the school record for team strokes in a tournament at 338, and then shattered it the followed weekend, shooting a 325 to capture the MIAA Jamboree hosted by Hope College.
Freshman Meg Mattia finished in second one shot behind the medallist with a 78. Three other Belles — sophomores Julia Adams and Stefanie Simmerman and junior Liz Hanlon — finished in the top 10 to help Saint Mary's to the victory.
"We've been playing very well this fall," Hanlon said. "Julia Adams has been playing very well for us, and Meg [Mattia] is definitely coming around, and she's really coming on right now. I think it's important that we're all playing at the right time."
The Belles will have the advantage of being familiar with the Zolner Course, as the upperclassmen played it in competition in last spring.
"We were able to play the course last spring, so that could be a big advantage for us," Hanlon said.
The Belles have shown continued improvement in play through the season. In their last five tournaments, they have finished second twice and have three victories.
The victories and top finishes should provide some momentum heading into the conference tournament.
"We're all playing for the same goal right now," Hanlon said. "That is to win the conference tournament."
All Sports Stories for Friday, October 4, 2002
