Golf team ready to play first match in two weeks

Kumar Bhooshan
Sports Stringer

After a 13-day layover, the Lady Cougars golf team will finally get to play a match.

SIUE finished sixth out of seven teams in the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational and 11th out of 20 teams in the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational.

SIUE was also scheduled to play in the Lewis University Fall Classic but the match was cancelled.

The Lady Cougars were also scheduled to face other opponents on Monday but were rained out.

On Saturday and Sunday SIUE will travel to Winding River Golf Course to play in the Indianapolis Invitational.

The SIUE team includes freshman Katie Farrell who set a new school record shooting an 81 for 18 holes in the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational.

The previous record was an 82 set by junior Spring Riley in 1998.

Farrell also set the 36-hole record with a score of 167.

In the same match the Lady Cougars set an 18-hole team record score of 335 and a 36-hole record of 678, which is also a new SIUE school record.

Farrell also leads the team with an average of 83.7 in three rounds of play. She also finished fourth individually in the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational with a score of 84.

"Consistency will be the key element for Katie in the future," coach Larry Bennet tsaid.

Sophomore Nonie Ehlke has a two-round average of 85.7, which is second best on the team.

The team is very young. It consists of seven freshmen and one sophomore.

Riley, who ended last season with the best average on the team, is the most experienced Lady Cougar.

She is currently holding an average of 88.7 in three rounds.

Kristi Novak and Kacy Gruenkemeyer both have an 89.7 average for the year.

Bennett will take the top four golfers to the tournament this weekend.

"All four girls are capable of pulling out good scores," coach Bennett said. "Katie will pull some of the girls along."

Brittany Auld will also make the trip with the team.

"We really have a competitive environment around us," Bennett said.

After this tournament the Lady Cougars will play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship on Timbergate Golf Course in Columbus, Ind...