Nov. 15, 2004
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. –
The 12th-ranked New Mexico women’s golf team won both of its matches Monday at the Hooters Collegiate Match Play Championship and will play 16th-seeded UNLV for ninth place Tuesday afternoon. The seventh-seeded Lobos rebounded from a first-round loss to 10th-seeded Florida Sunday afternoon to top 15th-seeded North Carolina and sixth-seeded Tennessee. The tournament features 16 seeded teams in a double-elimination bracket while playing in a match-play format.
The Lobos were leading North Carolina 4-1 thru 10 holes on Sunday, and finished the Tar Heels off Monday morning. UNM’s top player, Kailin Downs, was the only player to lose against UNC, falling 3 and 1 to Ann Laney. The rest of the team picked her up however, as Ashley Rollins defeated Katie Miller, 5 and 3, Christina Spence topped Laura Caniff, 3 and 2, Christine Fernandez beat Romi Irons, 5 and 4, and Giselle Claux defeated Shannon Boyle, 5 and 4.
UNM and Tennessee battled all afternoon, but the Lobos came away with the victory in a scorecard playoff. The Lobos and the Vols needed the playoff as each team won two matches and Christine Fernandez and Marci Turner halved their match. Downs bounced back from the morning loss and defeated Jessica Shepley, 6 and 5, while Claux won her third match of tournament in beating Teesha Ash, 2 and 1. Rollins fell to Golda Johansson, 2 and 1, and Spence lost to Violeta Retamoza, 6 and 4.
The Lobos will match up against UNLV on Tuesday for ninth place. Live stats of the match will be available at www.GolfStat.com.
In the championship match, No. 1 Duke goes up against No. 3 Arizona State.