Willamette Concludes GFU Culturame Classic in Fourth Place

By Mark Colachico, Interim Assistant Athletics Communications Director

ALOHA, ORE. -- Willamette University was one of only two teams to lower its score from the first round to the second round, as the Bearcats finished in fourth place overall at the conclusion of the GFU Culturame Classic hosted by George Fox University on Sunday at The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club.

Willamette closed out the two-day tournament with a combined team score of 106-over 690 (346-344), as the Bearcats finished behind tournament-host George Fox (310-315=625), Whitman College (311-327=638), and Pacific Lutheran University (331-336=667). Willamette concluded the weekend ahead of Lewis & Clark College (360-347=707) and Pacific University (388-399=787).

LettaJoe Gallup (Jr., Alameda, CA/Holy Names HS) posted a 36-hole score of 14-over 160 (82-78) that was good enough for a two-way tie for 11th place along with Whitman's Kelly Sweeney. Gallup was the only Willamette player to finish inside the Top 15 en route to lowering her season average to 80.5 strokes per round.

Taneesh Sra (Jr., Fremont, CA/Mission San Jose HS) and Elise Levy (Jr., Reno, NV/Bishop Manogue HS) both finished inside the Top 30, as Sra ended in a three-way tie for 21st after posting a two-round score of 168 (85-83) with Levy carding a tournament total of 180 (88-92) that put her all alone in 29th place.

Maddi Barnett (Fr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) rounded out the Bearcats' scoring quartet with a 36-hole score of 182 (91-91), while Stephanie Aronson (Fr., Pleasanton, CA/Foothill HS) also competed as part of Willamette's team, posting a two-day total of 202 (99-103).

Competing as an individual for the Bearcats, Holly Steele (Fr., Stayton, OR/Stayton HS) closed out this weekend's with a combined score of 226 (115-111).

Individually, George Fox's Sydney Maluenda took home medalist honors following a combined score of 1-under 145 (73-72). Megan Condor and Marcella Pranovia, both from the University of Oregon, tied for second place at even-par 146. Condor shot 72-74, while Pranovia carded 70-76.

Brenna Murphby from Oregon took fourth place at 150 (76-74). Oreogn did not enter a complete team.

GFU's Hailey Ostrom (74-77=151) finished in fifth place, six strokes behind Maluenda, while two other Bruins - Kristin Elich (78-80=158) and Loreece Magsanide (79-79=158) - along with Whitman's Phoebe Nguyen (77-81=158) and Oregon's Monica Petchakan (76-82=158), tied for sixth place.

Willamette will now turn its attention toward the Northwest Conference Fall Classic, which will be played at Chehalem Glenn Golf Course near Newberg, Ore., on Saturday and Sunday, October 25 and 26. Tee times for the two-day event are still to be determined.