WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – The Williams College women's golf team posted their highest finish ever at the NCAA Championships when they closed with a final round of 326 and a four-day total of 1,265 to capture 5th place.
Methodist University won their 25th overall title and an impressive 15th straight by posting a team score of 1,242.
The 5th place finish is a program best for the Ephs and six places higher than their pre-tournament seed of 11th.
Two of the four rounds of the championships Williams posted the best team score of the day, the first and third rounds, but the second and fourth rounds held them back from placing higher. In contrast, champion Methodist three times shot a round of 310 and the round they did not shoot 310 they shot a 312.
"We're proud of our efforts all week," stated Eph head coach Erika DeSanty. "This has been a great learning experience for us and we know that in the future that we need to be more consistent over all four days. We walk away confident that we were the best team in the country for two days."
"We fought really hard out there today and we performed under pressure for three days, much better than anyone out here expected," said Victoria Student. "We're disappointed in our last day only because we know we are better than our 5th place finish and we are motivated for next year because we're confident we can hit the top spot."
The good news for Erika DeSanty and Eph fans is that none of the five players who competed this year at the NCAA Championships will be graduating this spring.
One day after a program best four scoring players under 80 at the NCAAs the Ephs were only able to finish today with two players breaking 80. Freshman Shelby Shote had the day's best round for the Ephs when she fired a six over 78. Victoria Student finished one shot behind Shote with a 79.
Junior Victoria Student was the top individual Eph performer with a four-day total of 310, which put her in a tie for 12th in the field of 101.
Playing in the final group of the tournament as the third place team entering the final round of play the Ephs were paired with first place Methodist and second place DePauw.
Junior Becky Miller toured the front nine in 43; seven over par when she pared four holes, had four bogeys and recorded a triple bogey on the par 5 fifth hole.
Victoria Student was five over on the front with a 41, while Emily Wickstrom and Georgi Salant both carded 42s. Student had three bogeys, a double bogey and five pars on the front. Wickstrom and Salant both had tough starts, as Wickstrom was unable to do better than a bogey in the first five holes. Salant had three pars in her first five holes, but also had a double bogey and triple bogey.
The best Eph effort on the front nine this afternoon was turned in by freshman Shelby Shote who registered two birdies and made the turn in 38. Shote's birdies came on the par 3 2nd hole and the par 5 7th hole.
The rough ride on the first nine holes left the Ephs 19 over par on the day, but still holding on to third place overall.
Halfway through the back nine the Ephs fell into a third place tie with Wisconsin-Eau Claire. And then heading into the final four holes the Ephs had slipped to fifth place.
Victoria Student bounced back from a 41 on the front nine to record the Ephs' lowest score on the back nine – 38. Shelby Shote had a 40 n the back, while Becky Miller and Emily Wickstrom shot 42s and Georgi Salant had a 44.
Shote's 78 led the Ephs on the day, followed by Student at 79, then Wickstrom at 84, Becky Miller at 85, and Georgi Salant closed with an 86.
