BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - The Saint Mary's golf team closed out the fall season with their third consecutive Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championship after shooting rounds of 307 and 324 at Bedford Valley Golf Club in the MIAA Fall Final.

 

The Belles posted a six-round cumulative score of 1,910 (318.3 per round average) to capture the program's ninth MIAA Championship. Hope placed second overall with a six-round total of 2,010. Olivet was third (2,033) while Trine was fourth (2,060) to complete the top-four field for the spring automatic qualifying rounds for conference play.

 

Hunter Kehoe was the top finisher collectively over the final two rounds as the junior posted a one-under par 71 over the first 18 holes of play before shooting a 78 in round two. Over the 36 holes of play, she shared the lead for pars (21) and par five scoring while posting a one-over on par four holes to lead all players. She was second overall in birdies with five. Her 149 total at the two-day event marks a new MIAA record for the Fall Final as she became the first golfer in Saint Mary's history to repeat as MIAA Most Valuable Golfer. A First Team All-MIAA honoree this season, Kehoe also set a new conference standard for scoring average in a season as the had a 75.67 average score over the six 18-hole rounds of the year. 

 

Summer Stillson was second overall in the two rounds combined after posting a 75 in round one and a 78 in round two. Stillson led the field with six birdies on the weekend and posted 17 pars while going one-under on par three holes. The junior joined fellow co-captain Hunter Kehoe with First Team All-MIAA honors for the third consecutive season. Sydney Hruskoci turned in matching rounds of 82 to finish fifth overall for the weekend. The sophomore was tied for third in par five scoring and had 19 pars in 36 holes of play. Her cumulative score from the fall earned her a First Team All-MIAA spot along with Kehoe and Stillson. It is the second consecutive First Team honor of her career. 

 

Hannah Finley rounded out the team scores both days with a 79 in round one and an 86 in round two to place sixth overall. The sophomore led the field in par three scoring with a two-under par score for the weekend. She had four birdies and 16 pars at the event. Erin Bennett was the fifth golfer in the Belles' lineup and shot rounds of 83 and 89 to take a share of 18th place. She had a pair of birdies and carded 13 pars in 36 holes of play.

 

Isa Patacsil, Katherine Hopkins, and Maggie Sexton all competed as individuals at the two-day event. Patacsil shot scores of 84 and 87 to place 17th overall. She had 17 pars and was in the top 20 in par five scoring. Hopkins posted scores of 89 and 88 to tie for 28th while collecting 12 pars. Sexton had a 92 in round one and an 86 in round two to take 30th overall.

 

The Belles will host two of the three MIAA NCAA Automatic Qualifier rounds in the spring season.

 

 

First Team