This weekend the Boston University women’s golf team did not produce an optimal performance, but despite that, they were still able to finish fourth out of 20 teams at the Mount Holyoke Invitational.
BU stood out from the pack with a final score of 700, beaten only by Harvard University (644), Long Island University (645) and Dartmouth College (678).
“I think everything turned out great,” freshman Brenna Gibson said. “Even though we didn’t play our absolute best, we were still able to come away with a good finish.”
Brenna finished second among BU competitors, and 39th altogether, with a +35. Sophomore Leah Johnson stole the show with a +25, placing her 16th overall among all players. Freshman Brianna Suarez scored a +37, while freshman Kara Vaneck was able to come through in a big way by scoring an 82 on Sunday, 20 strokes less than her total on Saturday. Rounding out the team was sophomore Patricia Ehrler, who ended play with a +45 for the weekend.
“The course was sneaky,” Ehrler said. “There were points on the course where there would be water traps when you would not expect it. Plus, we weren’t able to play a practice round on Friday, we were only able to walk through it.”
The difficulty of all 18 holes was a recurring problem for the players.
“It was pretty hard,” Gibson said. “There was a lot of deep rough and huge areas where you can get into trouble.”
BU clearly showed some rust on Saturday, as the team stroked 353. However, they came through with a stronger performance on Sunday, shooting a 347. With their clutch display in the second round, they were able to get past ankle biters like St. Lawrence University (704), Hartford University (706), and Amherst College (708). Their improved tally also marked the first time this season that BU women marked their scorecards with a lower count on the second day than the first round.
“Golf is such a mental sport,” Gibson said. “We just need to get into a rhythm, but we’re definitely coming along in our play.”
“In order to improve we just need to become more confident.” Ehrler said. “And, obviously, practice, practice, practice.”
The Terriers will hope to bring a more confident, and well-practiced squad into Gettysburg, Penn., for the Eastern Coast Athletic Conference Championship on Oct. 12 and 13.