BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - The Saint Mary's golf team shot a 323 and took first place at the final 18-hole round of the MIAA season on Saturday at Bedford Valley Golf Club. 

 

Adrian took the 2022 MIAA Championship with a cumulative score of 1,921 over six 18-hole rounds of play. The Belles were second overall with a 1,941. Hope placed third (1,995) while Alma placed fourth (2,035). 

 

Katherine Hopkins led the Belles on Saturday with a 79 to tie for the best score of the day. She had a birdie on par four No. 14 and was one-over on the back nine. Hopkins had ten total pars in the round and finished the 36 holes of the weekend with 17 total pars to lead the team. She tied for eighth over two rounds of play with a 164. 

 

Haley Angel posted an 80 to finish one stroke back of the best score of the day. The junior had a birdie on par four No. 11 and another birdie on par four No. 18. She did not record a score above a bogey on Saturday and collected six pars in the round. Angel had 15 pars during the weekend and finished with a share of 14th (167). 

 

Erin Bennett, Katelyn Tokarz, and Julia Lizak all shot matching scores of 82. Bennett circled birdies on par five No. 4 and par three No. 17. Bennett had 16 total pars and three birdies during play on Friday and Saturday combined. The senior was two-over on par three holes and three-over on par five holes to be among top six players in both statistical categories. She finished third over two days of play with a 161.

 

Tokarz posted nine pars on Saturday, including six in-a-row on the back nine. Tokarz had 15 pars over the two days of competition and tied for 14th (167). Lizak had a team-best three birdies on Saturday as the freshman circled her scores on par four No. 3, par four No. 11, and par three No. 17. Lizak added five pars in her round and tied for field-best honors with five birdies over the 36 holes of play. She finished 11th over the two days of competition with a 165.

 

Georgie Kersman was competing as an individual and shot an 88 on Saturday. The sophomore had a birdie in her round and finished the two rounds with a share of 30th (178) while leading all individuals competing on the weekend.

 

After the conclusion of play, Erin Bennett was announced as a First Team All-MIAA honoree for the 2022 season while Katelyn Tokarz was a Second Team All-MIAA honoree this fall. The pair earned the all-conference distinctions based on their scores over the entire fall season. The All-MIAA honor is the first in Bennett's career. Tokarz, meanwhile, earned her second All-MIAA honor in as many years as the sophomore was a Second Team All-MIAA performer last fall.

 

Adrian, Saint Mary's, Hope, and Alma will compete in the Spring 2023 season for a chance at the MIAA's automatic berth to the NCAA Championships in May. Moreover, by virtue of the Belles' second place finish, Saint Mary's will host one of the three 18-hole rounds in the spring which will determine the MIAA's automatic qualifier to the 2023 NCAA Championships. Dates and times for those three rounds will be announced at a later date.