(Editor’s note: story by Montana Sports Information)
BOULDER CITY, NV – The winds picked up and the scores reflected it as the Big Sky Conference women’s golf championship continued on Saturday at the Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nev.
All 11 teams shot higher scores on Saturday than they opened with on Friday, though nobody’s score jumped as much as Montana’s.
After shooting a 307 on Day 1, the Grizzlies carded five rounds in the 80s on Day 2 and came in with a 325, matching their highest score of the year.
Montana started the day in ninth place. The Grizzlies will be in 10th when the final round gets under way on Sunday morning.
“We were pressing a little bit, and then the conditions really amplified any mistakes we made. It was as frustrated as I’ve seen the girls during a round this year. It was a challenge,” said coach Kris Nord.
Montana’s five golfers had just three birdies on the day while playing 13 holes at double bogey or worse.
Kylie Esh and Faith D’Ortenzio both came in at 80, Allison Sobol at 82, Baylee Barckley at 83 and Teigan Avery at 89. Esh will begin the final round in 27th place.
“It was a pretty steady 20-mile-per-hour wind this afternoon, so the last 12 holes were real tough,” added Nord. “In golf terms, it was a two- to three-club wind for much of the round.”
There were only five team scores better than 310 on Saturday, only one better than 300. Sacramento State shot a 297 and will take a seven-shot lead over Eastern Washington into the final 18 holes.
Northern Colorado and Idaho are in third and fourth place. Montana State and Portland State are tied for fifth.
UNC’s Beah Cruz is the only player under par through 36 holes. She followed her 69 on Friday with a 1-over 73 on Saturday.
Friday night’s other 18-hole leader, Sofie Babic of Sacramento State, shot an 81 on Saturday to fall into a tie for 14th.
