– The Arkansas State women’s golf team enjoyed its best performance of the Memphis Intercollegiate on Tuesday, recording a final-round 299 at the Ridgeway Country Club as it climbed from 14th place at the conclusion of the first round to ninth in the final standings.
The Red Wolves moved up the standings with each round, making dramatic score improvements along the way after ending the first 18 holes with a 324. The squad shot a 310 during yesterday’s second round to move up two places and then jumped an additional three places today with a score that was 25 strokes under its initial total.
Four A-State’s golfers posted their lowest score of the tournament during the third round and all six climbed up the individual standings. Two Red Wolves either tied or broke their career-best round and another recorded her third best career single-round score. Competing in its first tournament of the 2015-16 season, the team’s final-round 299 was the third best score of the day among all 15 teams.
“What an exciting day for our women’s golf team today,” said A-State head coach M.J Desbiens Shaw. “I am definitely proud of each and every one of them for reaching our team goal today and believing in our abilities. This is the beginning of something great for our team. I am especially proud of our senior, Abi Laker, for finishing in the top 15. Abi has shown some great leadership at this tournament, and I’m looking forward to the rest of our fall events.”
Laker tied for 12th place to lead the Red Wolves, while also picking up her 14th career top-25 finish. The senior standout finished with a combined 226, which tied her lowest three-round score for all of last season. She shot a 74 for both the first and third rounds, and that also tied her lowest single-round score for all of last year.
Following Laker, and competing as an individual, sophomore Sarah Childers tied for 25th place with a combined 232 (77-81-74). Collecting her third career top-25 finish, she shot a 74 Tuesday to tie her lowest single-round score during her time with A-State.
Sophomore Olivia Loiacano entered Tuesday’s play tied for 49th place, but moved to tied for 29th in the standings after shooting a 73 that was the third best score of her career. Her 233 total also included a 75 for the second round, and she ended the tourney with two of her top four career-best scores.
Emma Miller, also a sophomore, leaped from tied for 66th place to tied for 35th on Tuesday by posting a career-low 72. She finished the tournament with a 234 total, also made up of an 82 and 80 for the first and second rounds, respectively. Also competing for the Red Wolves, sophomore Kirsten Garner and freshman Beth Ann Compton tied for 67th place as both shot a 244.
A-State finished ahead of Samford, UAB, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Oklahoma City, North Texas and ULM. Host-school Memphis claimed the tournament championship with an 874, while Ole Miss was runner-up with a 907 and Cincinnati placed third with a 917.
The Red Wolves return to action Sept. 28-29 at the Johnie Imes Invitational in Columbia, Mo.
ARKANSAS STATE RESULTS
Place, Name (RD 1-RD 2-RD 3--TOTAL)
9, Arkansas State (324-310-299--933)
T12, Abi Laker (74-78-74--226)
T25, *Sarah Childers (77-81-74--232)
T29, Olivia Loiacano (85-75-73--233)
T35, Emma Miller (82-80-72--234)
T67, Kirsten Garner (83-80-81--244)
T67, Beth Ann Compton (87-77-80--244)