Due to a perfect storm of injuries, limited practice time and some fierce competition, the Boston University golf team finished a disappointing 14th out of 17 at this weekend’s Dartmouth Invitational in Hanover, N.H.
The team’s bad luck began last Thursday when senior Allison Hamilton’s chronic shoulder injury took what BU coach Tom Varnum called “a turn for the worst.”
Hamilton, arguably BU’s top returnee, was unable to accompany her teammates to the competition. Because the Terriers were leaving the next morning, they could not make arrangements to replace Hamilton.
Not only was BU undermanned, but it was also unprepared. Entering the weekend with only a week’s worth of practice completed, the odds seemed stacked against the Terriers from the start. The greens gave the Terriers the most trouble.
“The short game is what makes the biggest difference,” Varnum said. “Those small putts count just as much as the long shots from the fairway, and we missed a few putts this weekend. It is something that more time on the practice green could have helped.”
The caliber of competition the Terriers faced amplified every small mistake.
Ivy League squads Harvard University, host Dartmouth College and Brown University, who play some of the best collegiate golf in the Northeast, participated in the tournament, finishing first, second and third, respectively.
Additionally, four of the top 20 nationally ranked Division III teams hit the links in Hanover. No. 10 Williams College, No. 13 Amherst College, No. 15 Middlebury College and No. 20 Mount Holyoke College were all formidable opponents for the Terriers.
“I’d have to say that out of all the tournaments we play during the season, this is one of the most competitive we’ll see,” Varnum said.
Although the weekend did not go exactly as planned, there was certainly a lot for the team to be optimistic about as it looks toward the future.
Sophomore Ana Johnson (83-80-163) and senior Lauren Stong (87-80-167) picked up where they left off last season as leaders of the program.
However, the performance of the weekend for BU came from sophomore Dana DeStefano (84-84-168), who stepped up in a big way.
“Dana DeStefano played the best golf of her BU career,” Varnum said.
Varnum was also pleased that his top three golfers were all relatively close in scoring by tournament’s end, finishing five shots apart.
“It shows that we do have top golfers on our team,” Varnum said.
Freshman Courtney Dampolo (93-93-186) rounded out the Terrier scorecard as the fourth and final golfer in her first collegiate tournament, gaining some much needed experience in the process.
The Terriers will regroup this week and head back to competition Saturday and Sunday at the Mount Holyoke Invitational at The Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass., where they hope to defend their crown from a year ago.
“We play very well at [The Orchards],” Varnum said. “We won two tournaments there last year, and hopefully that can translate into another strong showing this time.”
